by Dan Scott

Created on: March 02, 2010

One of my current cats, Sapphire, who is a chinchilla colored Persian, loves to lick my hands and arms while she is getting pet and scratched.  This is my second cat who likes to lick more than a lot of dogs that I know.  The first licker that I owned was my first cat, a red tabby Persian named Topaz.  When I first went to the Humane Society looking for a new family member, I put my fingers in her cage, and she immediately started licking my finger tips.  That was all it took, she went home with me.  The real question is, why do some cats do this?

While it is not possible to really know why a cat does anything (!), there are many things that make a lot of sense, from the cat’s point of view.  One reason is that, like all animals, cats need a certain amount of salt, and some cats, just like some people, really like the taste of salt.  They can get that taste from the skin on your hands, arms or face either because of the food you have handled or because of perspiration.  Or it may have been something else that you have handled, such as a little fat or grease from a burger, or maybe a little fish or chicken flavoring, or something else that just tastes good to your cat.

Another reason that your cat may be licking you, especially when you are petting them, is a grooming behavior.  Especially when very young, kittens are often groomed by their mother.  From this, they usually learn to groom themselves and their litter mates.  Now, you are the one that helps keep your cat groomed, or you are just petting them in the right spot, and they lick you to return the favor, or they may lick you the way they lick their own paws or legs to be able to get their fur washed in spots they can’t lick directly, mainly all around their heads and ears, so they may lick your finger and then rub their chin or the top of their head against that finger right away.  If your cat likes to lick your arms, face or hair, then they are probably trying to groom your “fur”, the hair on your arms or face or the hair on your head.

The final reason, and the one that most people who are owned by cats would like to think is the “real” reason that their cat likes to lick them, is that they are doing it to show their affection for them.  This could very well be the case.  Dogs are not the only animal who likes to lick or groom their companions as a sign of affection.  Licking is a show of affection and comfort to that a mother cat gives to their young, so your cat is giving this affection to you.  While the scratchy tongue  feels a little strange, just enjoy it and accept what your cat is trying to give you.

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