Why Do Cats Lick?
Most cat owners have probably asked themselves at some point, why do cats lick you? To approach this question, you need to first understand why cats lick themselves. This can be answered by examining the biology and evolution of felines. When cats are first born, the mother constantly licks them in order to clear the skin of birth fluids. The licking also helps to stimulate breathing for the newborn kitten. The mother’s licking is also considered a sign of affection. As the kitten grows older, it continues to emulate the behavior of their mother by licking themselves and other cats as a form of affection. It is also common for cats to take turns grooming each other to stay sterile. Through evolution, their tongues have grown small barbed like spines, called papillae, which act as tiny hooks that work perfectly as a comb to help groom. Grooming is important for cats as it help clears the skin from parasites and also helps redistribute oil from the skin. Interestingly enough, the papillae in the cats tongue is made out of the same material as its claws. Aside from grooming purposes, the papillae hooks allow cats to remove meat from the bones of their pray.
Magnified Cat Tongue
Below is a picture of a magnified cat tongue. As you can see, a cat’s tongue is full of the white hooks called papillae. These hooks play a big role in helping a cat groom themselves.
A magnified image of a cat’s tongue. The white “claw like” hooks are the Papillae which greatly enhances the cats ability to groom
Why Do Cats Lick Humans?
Cats lick humans for similar reasons. Licking is seen as a familial bond, and your cat is most likely trying to share its scent with you as a sign of affection. Some veterinarians view licking as a sign as ownership, similar to cat’s behavior of peeing on your personal items. However, cats may resort to excessive licking if they are stressed or bored and want attention.
Should I Worry If My Cat Is Licking Me?
As noted above, licking in the cat world is almost always a sign of affection and should not be something you should worry about. You may notice your cats tongue has a rough, sand paper like texture, but that is their natural papillae and is completely normal. As we have mentioned in previous articles, if you notice a sudden change in your cat’s behavior, it may be worth a visit to the vet. Your cat may begin excessively licking itself or you in an attempt to soothe skin irritation which can be caused by fleas, dry skin, or insect bites. If this is the case, your vet should be able to prescribe the proper flea medicine or cream to solve the issue.