Why do cats lick us?

My Smidge has been with my three months now - and she has become quite the licker. If I get my face near her she licks and licks it, as well as my hands and arms often when I'm petting her. Course it seems to happen mostly when she is feeling content.

My fave time when she does it is when I'm napping and she's asleep on my shoulder, licking my ear to wake me up.

Why do they do it? Is it just "grooming" to them?

Mostly I think it's a grooming thing, cats that are close often groom each other, why shouldn't they groom the humans too?

Part of the time, I'm sure there is something on your skin that they can taste, and they either like it, or they are trying to rid you of it.

Irish Spring bath soap gets a couple of ours really licky, and one girl goes wild after my facial moisturizer.
One of my past cats loved my foot creme.

Originally Posted by Arlyn

Irish Spring bath soap gets a couple of ours really licky, and one girl goes wild after my facial moisturizer.
One of my past cats loved my foot creme.

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Oh that's funny! And so cute!

Face it...we taste good.

With Buzz, his licks are a prelude to his love chomp.

Lovey licks Burts Bees lip balm right off my lips until its all gone..

My friends and family think its disgusting but whatever

Originally Posted by xocats

Face it...we taste good.

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My Cleo licks my face and hands all the time, but Alex does not lick us much. He likes to put his mouth on us, but he never bites down. Cleo's new habit is to lick my face at 3 or 3:30 a.m. until I wake up and pet her. If I start to nod off again she licks my face some more. It's really cute but I wake up really tired. She's a sweetie though.

I usually get sandpaper kisses when I have a cat grooming itself on my lap, I guess they think I need some grooming too

I often get kisses from Ollie-cat too... I love it, but can only take so much of that sandpaper tounge! My dog occasionally grooms her humans too - and you can tell the difference between her giving kisses and grooming us... she especially loves it when we're down the shore (like right now) and get all salty while we're on the beach with her... Most of the time I get Ollie kisses during or after one of his preening sessions! I love mommy kisses from my baby!

There's salt in human sweat.

MY kitties lick and even nibble but I know I am supposed to stop them from nibbling. I prefer to think they are just lovey kisses over anything sensible.

Originally Posted by BuzbyJLC10

I often get kisses from Ollie-cat too... I love it, but can only take so much of that sandpaper tounge!

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Charlotte licks me more than Izzie. I have noticed that Charlotte has a much gentler lick than Izzie. It's kind of a nice massaging sensation. Izzie, on the other hand, does feel like sandpaper!!

My two younger ones will lick my nose (and they have stinky breath). Carly has this new thing where she will place her paw on my nose and turns me toward her and then lick my nose. So cute.

I had a cat once that was a lickin' machine. She was an outside cat, but due to a visit to the vet, I had to keep her in my room for a few days while she healed. Both nights, she'd jump up in bed with me, lay down on the pillow and just purr away for about five minutes. Then, she'd start moving around (licking herself, kneeding her claws into my pillow-case, etc.) Then about the time I was nodding off, she'd start kneeding her claws into my hair. Then, she'd go to licking. First, my ear, then a little on my cheek, more ear, more cheek (sounds like my wife! ) THEN, she'd start licking my hair - real hard. She'd almost pull it out with her tongue! It was actually really therapeutic feeling, and I'd fall sound asleep. Next morning I'd like in the mirror and the hair on one side of my head looked like Dumbo the Clown where it was all sticking out. She'd licked ALL the moistre out to where it felt like broom-straw! After I put her back out, it took me about a week to sleep good again - no more bed-time massages!

I think it's because they remember their mom and nursing and it bring them happiness to go through the 'motions'

YY has this endearing habit of headbutting me in the morning (Not so endearing if it is too early but she has lived with me long enuf to know I am not the keenest in the AM) and kissing me on the chin with her rough tongue. I always thank her since she also does it when she knows I am sad about something. My little sweetheart!

I like to think thatPearl is giving me kisses and telling me she loves me. I also notice she's more prone to lick me when she is grooming herself and laying on or next to me. She's also an ear sucker so it's hard to say with her!!!!

I know Cupid does it for attention sometimes, and other times to groom, and sometimes it's just one quick, light lick and I think that's a kiss. But when he decides he wants attention FAST he comes up and licks my chin a couple times. Gets me every time!

Speaking of kitties licking their humans... guess how I was woken the other morning....

Garfield licking the sleep out of my eyes!! Ewwww gross I know. But he s his meowmy!!
Boy did it hurt though!!