Why Do Cats Lick You? 4 Reasons, According to Cat Experts

You’re curled up on the couch under a cozy blanket, your favorite show humming in the background, when your cat leaps onto your lap and settles in. Purrfect moment, right? Then—surprise—you feel that unmistakable sandpapery swipe across your hand. It’s not uncommon, but it does make you wonder: Why do cats lick you? 

Their barbed tongues are built for grooming, but when your kitty turns that attention to you, it’s about more than hygiene. These scratchy kisses are full of meaning—think affection, communication, even claiming you as their own. While cats may seem aloof at times, research shows they’re deeply intuitive and socially aware.

We spoke with a veterinarian, feline behaviorist and pet coach to uncover what your cat’s trying to say with every lick. Read on to decode this quirky cat behavior.

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Why do cats lick you?

Cat families and friends groom one another regularly. If you’ve got more than one cat at home, you’ve probably seen one licking the other’s face while they lounge in a sunbeam. It’s pretty cute! But why do cats lick you? Turns out, there are several possible reasons for this behavior.

1. They’re showing affection

If your kitty licks you, it’s because they love you. It’s a sign that you’ve been accepted into their inner circle—an honorary cat, if you will. 

“To a cat, it doesn’t matter that you are human,” says Sara Ochoa, DVM, a veterinarian with the Animal Hospital of West Monroe in Louisiana. “Once they have come to care for you, they will treat you the same way as any member of their group.”

According to Jodi Ziskin, a healthy pet coach and director of communications for Treatibles, cats are excellent communicators: “They use their eyes, head butts—aka head boops—and vocalizations” to get their messages across.

Ziskin says that cats’ “gentle love nibbles or light licks” are a way of showing affection, and that some cats even give kisses! She says that your pet may also show affection by purring, nuzzling up to you or rubbing their head against your body.

2. They’re comforting you

Cats may lick you when you’re feeling unwell or stressed. As Dr. Ochoa explains, a cat may lick you to help calm you down, “just like it would another cat in the wild.”

She notes that “cats have a very good sense of illness in other members of their group,” and that includes their human pals. So if you’re feeling less than stellar, you might find your feline companion lingering by your side. 

And that’s a good thing! A snuggle session with your cat might be just what the doctor ordered. In fact, research shows that having a pet can seriously boost your mood and lower stress levels. Turns out, those nuzzles are basically furry little antidepressants.

3. They’re comforting themselves

Excessive licking can indicate that your cat is feeling stressed or anxious. “Some cats lick when they are stressed as a way to comfort themselves,” Ziskin says. “They may lick themselves or their person. A way to tell if the licking is stress related is if it goes on for an extended period of time.” 

If your cat has any bald spots or you see them constantly licking themselves (or you), it’s best to take them to the vet.

4. They’re marking their territory

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Licking can be a form of territorial marking. Cats see their humans as part of their territory, and licking you is their way of staking a claim. Dr. Ochoa compares it to urine marking, where the cat expresses affection and ownership by peeing on the carpet—though, of course, without the mess.

Why does my cat bite me, then lick me?

Cats often bite lightly as part of their grooming process. If your cat nips and then licks you, it’s likely a sign they’re showing affection. 

These little bites could also indicate that your cat wants to play or, conversely, wants you to leave them alone. To figure out which it is, you have to look at the rest of their body language for clues. If their ears are up and pointed toward you, that’s a signal for playtime. If they’re flat, that means “stop.”

Why do cats lick you excessively?

Excessive licking is often a sign that your cat cares about you. Licking is an innate behavior and one that helps wild cats survive. “In the wild, cats will groom each other to help each other stay clean, so they don’t attract larger predators,” Dr. Ochoa says.

Just like bringing you a dead rodent because they think you’re too incompetent to hunt for yourself (fair), your cat thinks you need help with personal grooming techniques. Don’t expect to keep up with them, though—adult cats can spend up to 50% of their day grooming.

How to stop a cat from licking you

There’s no reason you shouldn’t allow your cat to lick you, unless it makes you uncomfortable, of course. If that’s the case, here are some tips for getting your cat to quit the tongue action.

1. Move away from your kitty

Celia Haddon, a cat behaviorist and author of Being Your Cat: What’s Really Going on in Your Feline’s Mind, says moving away from your cat—or carefully removing the cat from your presence—can send a clear message that you want the behavior to stop.

“Push the cat gently and firmly away or change your position,” Haddon explains. “If the cat is on your lap, simply stand up slowly so that the cat has to jump off.” 

2. Don’t give your cat attention when they’re licking you

Cats want attention, and they’ll do what they can to get it. If you react to them licking you, they’ll consider it a sign you’re a fan of being licked. Instead of reacting, try ignoring your furry pal.

“Do not speak to or look at the cat or handle it in any way,” Haddon advises. “Instead, turn your eye gaze and your posture away from the cat, walk away or stand up so that the cat has to jump off your lap.”

3. Create signals for your cat

You can train your cat to identify signals that you’re up for some non-licky attention. Haddon says to grab a blanket and designate it as a special blanket for you and your feline. Keep it somewhere accessible, like on the back of your couch, and place it on your lap when you want your cat to jump up. “It will show your cat that this is an appropriate time for being on your lap,” she explains. “And you can use the blanket to cover any bare human skin that might get licked!”

Now that you know why cats lick, you can see it as a little love gesture. Or distract them with a feathery toy. 

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Sources:

• Sara Ochoa, DVM, veterinarian with the Animal Hospital of West Monroe in Louisiana
• Jodi Ziskin, healthy pet coach and pet nutrition and care consultant on the advisory board for Treatibles 
• Celia Haddon, cat behaviorist and the author of Being Your Cat: What’s Really Going on in Your Feline’s Mind

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