Why is my cat licking me so much

Many cat owners have felt the sandpapery swipe of their pet's tongue. With the first lick, you might rejoice that you've won your furry friend's attention. After a minute, it's still cute, but your skin might start to feel a little too exfoliated. As your cat keeps licking, you might begin to wonder: What's going on with my cat? 

Your cat is probably just, well, being a cat. Cats lick their humans for a few reasons, most of which are fairly typical to cats — in other words, nothing to be concerned about. 

Excessive licking, though, could suggest an underlying issue, so it may be something to investigate with the help of your veterinarian. The list below can help you start sleuthing out why your cat won't stop licking you.

1. They're marking their territory

Cats, of course, don't use padlocks, name tags, or post-it notes to claim objects as their own. Instead, they use scent glands in their cheeks, feet, and tails to mark things with their unique smell. Your cat may mark the boundaries of their living space, a favorite scratching post, or their human companions.

"Cats lick their owners to mark them as theirs," says Lovelia Horn, animal rescuer and owner of Every Creature Counts. "Even if the cat is not your pet, they will still mark you with their saliva, as it shows that they consider you part of their territory."

Licking is one of the ways cats spread their scent. They may also rub their bodies against you or nuzzle you with their cheeks. Since your cat's sense of smell is 14 times more powerful than yours, you likely won't smell the scent they leave. But to your furry friend, you smell great because you smell like them.

2. They're grooming you

Cat tongues aren't just for tasting kibble. They're also powerful grooming tools. Cat tongues are embedded with tiny, hard spines called papillae. As your cat's tongue sweeps across their coat, these hook-shaped spines catch onto strands of fur and become an all-natural detangling brush as their saliva helps wash away dirt.

Much like human toddlers, kittens aren't terribly good at keeping themselves clean. They need their mother to lick them and show them how it's done. Your cat, most likely, has never seen you lick yourself clean, so it's possible they mistakenly believe you need a lesson in basic hygiene.

"Cats are master groomers and spend a good portion of their day grooming themselves. Sometimes, this grooming behavior can extend to social partners, including humans," says Crista Coppola, CAAB, certified animal behaviorist at SeniorTailWaggers. 

Tip:  If your cat is grooming you, you can return in kind by giving them a scratch around the ears or grabbing a soft brush. 

3. They were weaned too early

Separating kittens too early can cause long-term stress, though experts disagree on what counts as "too early." The American Veterinary Medical Association suggests a kitten should be around 8 weeks old before they move to a new home. 

Other groups, like the Pleasant Plains Animal Hospital in New York, recommend kittens be 12 to 14 weeks old. Regardless, kittens in the wild stay close to their mother for four months — and separating them earlier may cause the kitten distress. 

One of the ways kittens work through stress is by kneading, licking, or sucking on soft things nearby. "Soft things" might include wool or cloth, but kittens might also put their mouths around a finger or earlobe. This behavior, sometimes called wool-sucking, mimics nursing.

In a 2017 study of over 5,700 cats, nearly one-third had a history of wool-sucking behavior. The later a cat was weaned, the less likely they were to engage in anxious wool-sucking. Cats weaned later in life were also less likely to engage in excessive grooming. 

4. They want your attention

If a cat wants to alert you to an issue, scraping their wet tongue across your skin often does the trick. Maybe they want to cuddle, or they're letting you know it's time to clean the litter box. Generally, though, the issue is a minor one.

"In less common cases, licking the owner could be a sign of stress," says Coppola. In this case, a cat will typically show additional signs of stress such as:

• Hiding
• Refusing food
• Having accidents outside the litter box 

Cats are especially likely to need comfort during times of major change, such as moving to a new house or adding a new pet to the family. 

Insider's takeaway

Getting licked by your cat generally isn't a cause for alarm. In fact, it's often a sign of healthy bonding. 

But if your cat is licking you much more than usual or shows other concerning or unusual behaviors, it's possible the licking could have another cause, such as anxiety or stress. Your veterinarian can offer more guidance on narrowing down possible triggers, plus tips on helping reduce your cat's stress.

Oh, the cat’s tongue. It’s as cute as can be when it’s peeking out just a bit from the cat’s mouth as she drinks water or delicately grooms herself. It’s small and pink and so adorable. Yet, when the cat’s tongue starts licking you, that little sandblaster seems as if it could take off several layers of skin.

Licking serves many social and practical functions:

• It’s how cats remove meat from bones
• Licking is important for coat maintenance
• Licking removes the scent of prey after a meal
• It’s how mothers clean their kittens and help them eliminate their waste
• In a multicat environment or in a cat colony, allogrooming helps create a familiar group scent
• Licking is a way cats cool themselves
• Licking is used for stress relief
• Licking helps remove external parasites

That’s just a few of the ways that cute little tongue is kept busy.  In a previous article I discussed in detail why cats groom so much (access article here) but in this post I want to cover the licking that cats tend to do toward family members.

When your cat licks you, is it the feline equivalent of a kiss? Is she marking you as hers? Well, let’s examine some of the reasons cats lick us.

BUY PAM’S BOOKS

Cats Lick to Strengthen Social Bonds

Cats who are familiar and friendly will often lick each other. This behavior helps the bond grow stronger and the exchange that takes place helps create a familiar group scent. Cats depend on scent as an important means of identification. When your cat licks you, it’s also a way of strengthening the bond and showing affection much the same way in which you display toward her by petting.

Your Cat May Lick You Due to Anxiety

Some cats lick and groom themselves to relieve anxiety and in some cases, it even results in bald patches. Your cat may also lick you as a way of comforting herself. If you notice areas of thinning hair or bald spots on your cat, talk to your veterinarian because there may be an underlying medical cause or your cat may be experiencing stress overload. When she licks you, if her body posture appears tense or if the licking goes on for an extended period, that may indicate an attempt to self-soothe.

Going Back to Kittenhood

Your cat may lick you while kneading her paws against you. She may also nuzzle close to your skin and purr. This is a throwback to kittenhood when the little kitten would nurse. This behavior displayed is an indication that your cat feels comfortable, safe and secure with you.

Some cats, especially those who were weaned too early or abruptly may engage in excessive licking and also may suckle on soft objects, your clothing, or even parts of your body such as your earlobes.

When Your Cat Licks You it Can be a Bit Painful

A cat’s tongue has backward-facing barbs on it that are made of keratin. These barbs help the cat rasp meat from the bones of captured prey. The barbs are also important in grooming because they help the cat remove dead hair, debris and parasites from the fur. While these barbs are certainly very useful, they create that scratchy feeling when your cat licks you. If the cat remains fixated on licking you in the same spot repeatedly, it can definitely become uncomfortable.

Reducing How Much Your Cat Licks You

If your cat is licking as a self-soothing behavior (whether she is licking you, a companion cat or herself) then it’s important to identify the cause of her stress. If you have a multicat household, look at the relationships between the cats and see if there’s an issue that needs to be addressed. You may need to increase vertical territory, provide more resources in more locations and work on helping the cats form a peaceful co-existence.

BUY PAM’S BOOKS

There are many other causes of stress and some are subtle and easy for human family members to miss. It’s time to examine your cat’s everyday life to see whether there are stress triggers in the household causing her to lick so much.