WHY IS MY CAT LICKING ME?

Cats are incredibly cute, but sometimes they have little quirks that aren't easy to interpret. Take licking, for example. Your cat grooming himself is normal. But sometimes he starts grooming you, and then things get confusing. "Why is my cat licking me so much?" you might ask. Why does he lick your shoes or groom you, then bite you? Although it might seem odd from your perspective, it actually makes a lot of sense to your cat.

How Your Cat's Tongue Works

Have you ever wondered why your cat's tongue feels rough when he licks you? Cats have prickly tongues with little hollow spines on them called papillae. These spines help your cat get his fur very clean by attracting more hair, and they also help cool him by transferring larger amounts of saliva onto his skin.1 In the wild, those barbs aid him when hunting by helping him hold prey and get more meat off the bones while eating.2

Your Cat May Be Expressing that You're Part of the Family

Cats are not pack animals like dogs, but they do like to help each other when living in a community. One of the ways they help is by grooming each other and cleaning harder-to-reach spots. Cats might also like to clean others in the group to deal with an offensive smell. It's not just a pragmatic act; communal grooming helps solidify the understanding that they're all part of the same family.3

Your cat might be grooming you to mark you as part of her family, not just to clean you. It can be regarded as a sign of affection and trust. Some cats even lick each other to help calm and ease nervousness in the group. So try to see if your cat is more likely to lick you when she thinks you might be upset or stressed.

If your cat licks you, then gently bites you without breaking the skin, it's often called a "love bite." Some believe this is your cat's way of "gently" telling you she's had enough. Others say it's a sign of affection and part of the general grooming routine.