by Victoria (Georgia, USA)
My fairly new kitten, Titus (around 1 yr.) is an outside cat (she just won’t come inside), but we just had to get her spayed so she became a basement cat until she is completely healed. (She was a stray who could have possibly been border-line feral. Who finally came to trust us and is now absolutely precious.) Anyway she has become quite fond of me in particular and has “chosen” me out of all the members of my family. Well she just loves to curl up in my lap and lick my hands (almost obsessively) she also bites at my fairly long nails. It’s not like every once-in-a-while either it’s every-time she’s in my lap she just has to lick them and it’s very strange. I don’t mind having my hands covered in cat slobber because i can just wash them, but I’m just wondering why she does this strange thing. It really just confuses me.
Comments for obsessive cat hand licker
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Same here! by: Felicity Hey Victoria! My cat licks my hand too! Sometimes more vigorously than I would like. She ussualy does it when Im sweaty. Its a salt thing possibly. Keep lovin cats!
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Marking you by: Diane My cat does this too, I thought he was marking me as his as he also kneeds my clothes and dribbles on them. It is surely an affection thing! It shows he is happy and comfortable!
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Thanks Mark!! by: victoria Thanks Mark! I really appreciate you and your wife’s opinion. it was very insightful! I thought it over and i don’t think that its the salt on your hands thing, because of the fact that one day i went down to see her in the basement and i had just washed my hand. i sat down as usual and she was instantly in my lap. and as you could probably guess she was licking or bathing my hands. So i think that ruled out the salt thing. But please tell your wife i really appreciate her suggestion! =) I think it very well could be an affection thing, now that you mention it. Hmmmmm i guess i will have to do some more investigating.
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hand licking cats by: Mark Titus sounds like a very nice kitty with good parents! 2 thoughts about the hand licking thing. Our cat Thomas does this once in a while. My wife thinks it’s because humans have salt on there skin surface and the cat loves the salty taste.I think it has something to do with grooming. Kittens from the same family (pride) will groom each-other as a way of bonding with other trusted family members. When my cat licks my hand it seems he is saying you are in my family and I like you? As a side note my cat has very bad breath, so I know how you feel about the slobber on the hands thing.