Why Do Cats Lick People?

Adult cats spend about half their waking hours grooming themselves. While friendly cats and littermates often groom each other, felines may also groom their humans by licking their skin or hair. Sometimes they may even nibble or suckle clothing and drool profusely.

Why Do Cats Lick People?

There are a number of reasons why your cat might lick you, as its owner. It could be to show affection. Just as mother cats lick their young, grooming communicates a cat's fondness for a person, as well as a sense of belonging and a social bond.

Licking marks you as a member of the animal's family and spreads the cat's scent, even if you don't detect it. Adult cats scratch certain places to mark their territory, so licking your skin or hair is another way of claiming you.

If your cat grooms your hair after a shower or licks your hands after you've applied lotion, it could be that your shampoo or lotion has an enticing scent or taste. If you're not freshly bathed, the cat may be attracted to the taste of your sweaty, salty skin.

A cat who licks excessively may have been orphaned or weaned prematurely. Some experts believe that kittens taken from their mother too early show infantile behaviors like this as adults. They may develop an oral fixation of sorts and lick excessively as a way to self-soothe.

Licking, nibbling, and suckling can be a response to stress, anxiety, or illness, or it may simply be a comforting behavior for the feline. Your cat may be begging for attention through licking, and some cats prefer negative attention, like getting pushed away, to none at all. Usually stress leads to more self-grooming, but occasionally it can be directed toward cat owners.

In rare cases, these actions can develop into a compulsive disorder. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a behavior is typically considered compulsive if a cat has trouble stopping, even when you try to distract him with another activity.

If your older cat has only recently started licking or suckling you, take him to the veterinarian. Hyperthyroidism is common in older cats and can cause many behavioral changes.

How to Stop Licking

If you find your cat's grooming or suckling is so frequent that it's bothersome, there are ways to get your cat to stop licking.

The easiest way to do this is to get up and walk away whenever your cat begins to lick. Don't move so abruptly that you frighten him—simply remove him and leave the room. For such behavior modification to be effective, you'll likely have to keep this up for several weeks or months. Avoid speaking to the cat in these moments, as interaction with you may be interpreted as affirmation of the cat's actions.

You may distract your cat with treats or toys, or provide him with something to chew or suckle instead of you, such as grass, catnip, or a thin piece of rawhide. Your feline friend may simply require more exercise or mental stimulation, so extra playtime can help curb the undesirable behavior.

If you suspect your cat's licking or suckling is stress-related, try to determine what provokes it. It could be a recent household change, such as the loss of a feline friend, other family pets, or visitors to the home.

Once you've identified the trigger, help your cat find a way to cope. For example, if visitors or a new pet are making your cat anxious, make sure your pet has a safe place to hide where he can be left alone.

Most importantly, as you work to discourage this behavior, don't raise your voice or physically punish the animal. Grooming and suckling is often caused by stress, so this could actually intensify these actions.

If your pet's behavior seems interfere with the animal's quality of life, talk to your veterinarian. A vet may suggest consulting an animal behaviorist to determine what's causing the licking and suckling and how best to resolve the issue.