Licky kittens

[Goingthedistance]

Our gorgeous ball of fluff thinks she's a dog. Will fetch a ball, follow us around and lick any bit of skin she can find on her favourite people.

Anyone else have a licky cat? Do you recognise the gorgeous silly affection and mercilessly painful sandpaper of a tongue on your face?!

Not that I'd change it for anything though...

But interested to learn if anybody know why cats lick like this?

[lottielou7]

Yes, one of our ragdolls does this (she always has). I think it's sweet.

[fuzzywuzzy]

One of ours does this, he wakes us up by grooming us on our heads! Usually on a weekend when he's decided we've slept enough and should be getting up and feeding him.

Our other boy will follow me around when I come out of a shower and lick the back of my legs till I relent and give him treats (dreamies).
He also tends to carry his favourite toy chicken in his mouth and brings it upstairs with him at night time.

[RubbishMantra]

Little Monsieur used to wake me up licking my back, with his little sandpaper tongue.

He particularly liked DH's armpits...

If he's next to me, having a groom, I still get the odd lick. Definitely a sign of affection I think.

[RubbishMantra]

*I believe they do it so the "pack" all smell similar, by swapping scents.

[Thurlow]

Yes, we got a rescue girl a few months back and I've been surprised how much she loves to lick people when she's having a cuddle

[MrsBertMacklin]

I get a single lick on the hand from BertCat as a greeting and lots of grooming licks when she is feeling very safe and relaxed.

I think it's a bonding thing? Cute, but icky.

[BirthdayBetty]

My old girl used to lie on ds pillow and groom his hair

[NeedACleverNN]

Well mine just tried to suckle on my neck.

Feet padding and tongue going...the lot.

Kept clawing me everytime I tried to push her away. I'm going to end up with kitten love bites

[cozietoesie]

A close acquaintance once opined that it was done in sympathy - ie their always seeming to go for bare skin which - on a cat - might signify a wound or a condition of some sort which needed some grooming assistance.

I thought that that was a cold and heartless interpretation.

[Goingthedistance]

NeedA me too! GBoF also bites, not in an aggressive way but sometimes quite firmly nevertheless. Just out of the blue for no obvious reason that I can tell. For example she'll be snoozing on my lap, tail facing knees and bite an inch of my muffin top! Maybe she's trying to tell me something!

Also little love nips on my nose followed by licks.

mantra how long did LM do it for and did he just grow out of it by himself? I think I'd miss it a bit if it stops though probably not the muffin munching

[Goingthedistance]

OMG!!!!

[Goingthedistance]

Just to be clear there my cat does NOT munch my muffin....

[NeedACleverNN]

Omg what?

What's happened?

[NeedACleverNN]

Ah cross post and good to hear

[Goingthedistance]

[OrlandaFuriosa]

Mine used to come for walks. But got tired half way and had to be carried.

[Goingthedistance]

How did you harness train? We've tried with ours but she'll only take a few steps before she starts wriggling out of it

[OrlandaFuriosa]

Didn't. He just sat down and refused to go further. Was then Carried in arms against shoulder like baby, or in rucksack if in good mood.

[Goingthedistance]

I just assumed that's what you meant but in hindsight the harness probably makes me sound like a bit of a loon

Ours is an indoor cat because apparently it's recommended for the breed (Burmese/tonkinese).
Too trusting and less able to fend for itself.

[OrlandaFuriosa]

I always assumed a sling would be a better bet. Snuggle round your chest..

[OrlandaFuriosa]

There's nothing like going for a walk with a cat o make you look loony..

[Wolfiefan]

Ha at a Burmese unable to defend itself. One of ours would regularly take on the local dogs. She once spectacularly ripped open a human arm. And shredded a telephone directory. A yellow pages to be precise!

[Goingthedistance]

sling...I almost want to for the hell of it now!

Is that not right then about Burmese type breeds needing to be indoor cats? That's what I was told... I've never had them before so took the advice at face value

[Wolfiefan]

We had Burmese over 30 years ago so I wouldn't go by what I say! One was dense. The other was a madam.
Perhaps the advice was due to the fact a pedigree cat could get stolen?

[Goingthedistance]

I'm not sure... She's not completely pedigree - mother is tonkinese and father a moggie as far as can tell. And she's quite shy and wary of strangers though a total Velcro to family.
I'd love her to go outside though, feels a bit wrong not to.