Wash Your Hands! Although cats are very clean animals, sometimes they have germs, especially in their poop and in their mouths, that can make you sick. Don't touch your cat's bum (most of them don't like that!), and always wash your hands after playing with a cat. Don't let a cat lick your face or any sores.
Cats carry bacteria in their mouths, which can lead to local or systemic infection if a cat licks an open wound. Immunocompromised people are most at risk. Acquiring a disease from your cat is very rare, but to be safe, don't let your cat lick your face or any cuts on your skin.
One of the best ways you can protect yourself from getting sick is to thoroughly wash your hands after handling, cleaning up after, or feeding cats. By providing your cat with routine veterinary care and following the Healthy People tips, you are less likely to get sick from touching, petting, or owning a cat.
It's quite common for a cat to give their owner a lick or two on the hand, arm, or even on the cheek. For cats, licking is mostly a sign of affection or a method of cleaning, since cats lick themselves (or their kittens) in order to groom. However, cats will also lick each other to show various types of affection.
Your Cat Might Be Exhibiting Mutual Grooming Behavior
Cats that are friends often groom each other simultaneously. Your cat's behavior of licking herself or the air when you pet her might be triggered by that mutual grooming desire.
Many cats lick their owners, and this licking generally doesn't mean anything unusual. Cats might lick to bond, "claim" you, get attention, or because they think you need a good grooming. Some cats lick excessively when stressed, so if you notice other unusual behaviors, talk to your vet.
To show affection
For cats, licking is not only used as a grooming mechanism, but also to show affection. By licking you, other cats, or even other pets, your cat is creating a social bond. Part of this behavior may stem from kittenhood when your cat's mother licked to groom them, as well as to show care and affection.
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.
When cats don't feel threatened by other cats, they will show affection by rubbing on them, sleeping near them, and being in their presence. If your cat replicates those behaviors with you, Delgado says it has officially imprinted on you. They rub against you.
Animals – even our beloved pets – can spread germs that can make people sick, from parasites to bacteria. Even clean and healthy pets can spread germs. Odds are that you aren't washing your hands enough around your pets. Handwashing is the easiest and best way to stay healthy around animals.
While living an indoor lifestyle is certainly safer overall than living outdoors, and indoor living contributes to a longer life expectancy, important infectious diseases can find indoor cats. Feline rhinotracheitis virus, feline calici virus, and feline panleukopenia virus make up the feline distemper complex.
Interestingly, it doesn't seem to matter what order you pet the parts of your cat. That suggests that cats see petting as akin to grooming, which happens haphazardly between two friendly cats, rather than allo-rubbing, which always goes from tip to tail. Still, we don't recommend licking your cat.
Your cat is showing you how much they care by giving affectionate licks and bites. This could be an attempt at cuddling, or it may just want to play rough. You can still show and accept plenty of affection from your cat, just not the love bites.
She Loves You. It's really often that simple. Your cat is expressing her affection for you in the most significant way she knows how–by sharing a grooming experience like her mother did with her as a kitten. By licking you, she's actually petting you.
They're looking for security
“You may give your cat an extra level of security during sleep, a time when they're most vulnerable.” If your cat sleeps near you it means that they trust you and they feel secure with you by their side.
Quite often, when owners go away, their cats seem also to disappear. Whether they are hiding or are having their own vacation, disappearing can be a sign that a cat is distressed and misses their owner. Illness. Some cats become unwell with the anxiety of their owner's absence and the change in their daily routine.
In the cat world, a moderate degree of licking is part of normal grooming behavior. For example, a male or female cat may lick the genital area after urinating as a means of cleaning the area.
Some cats do seem to like or at least tolerate human kisses. If your cat leans in, purrs, and rubs his head on you when you kiss him, he probably understands that you're trying to show him affection.
The reason cats lick their owners is not because they think you're tasty or need a wash. It's more likely that they want to form a close bond. If you've ever felt your cat's rough, sandpaper-like tongue on your skin, you may be wondering why cats sometimes lick their human owners.
Turns out, it depends on the cat. Some cats are socialized as kittens to be held and kissed, while others haven't had that exposure and might be put off by a kiss as an expression of love. So, some cats like it and some cats don't—but there are ways of detecting the category into which your feline friend falls.
Cats only make eye contact with people they like and are even known to make 'eye kisses'! This is when a cat will stare with half closed eyelids and slowly blink, repeatedly. It's a gesture that can be reciprocated, so if you notice your cat giving you a 'kiss', why not give them one in return?
How Unclean is Dog and Cat Saliva? Both dogs and cats carry harmful bacteria in their saliva that can be as dangerous to themselves as it is to humans. Cats tend to have traces of Staphylococcus intermedius and Pasteurella multocida in their saliva, especially if they live in groups or roam outside.
Allowing your cat to sleep with you on the bed can also have benefits for you and your meow mate. It…. Reduces stress – Petting a sleeping cat has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. Strengthens the bond – Cats who sleep with their humans are closer to them.
They're showing you some love by grooming you
“Grooming is a social activity for cats,” says Dr. Erin Katribe, DVM. “It's an expression of comfort and companionship.” So unless you just took your hand out a Cheetos bag, it usually means your cat is showing you some love.