Do you let your cat(s) lick your bowls or plates?

[AllAroundTheWorldYeah]

One of mine will often dive on an unattended bowl or plate, & if it's done with and something safe for her (no onions etc) then I let her lick it before I put it in the dishwasher. My other cat has never shown any interest in human food.

If you have a cat that wants to lick your plate, do you let them?

No. Nor my dog. I know where their tongues probably were a few minutes previously.

Short of barbed wire and land mines, I wouldn't really be able to stop them...I do have to keep dangerous food actually in my hand though, and not put it down for a moment - having had to rush a kitty to the emergency out of hours vet frothing at the mouth only to find he had licked horse radish

My cat always drinks the last of the milk from my bowl of cereal. It was a compromise. She used to dive at me to get to the milk while I was eating but now she knows she can have it if she waits.

@MilduraS

My cat always drinks the last of the milk from my bowl of cereal. It was a compromise. She used to dive at me to get to the milk while I was eating but now she knows she can have it if she waits.

With Colin DS had to put a little dish of milk out for him or he would be at his cereal bowl

No. I was told that there is bacteria in cats saliva that even boiling water doesn't kill. So I didn't put the cat's bowls in the dishwasher either. (Cat gone now )
But I don't know if this is true...

I'm afraid we do (but only after we've finished eating). Cereal bowl left overs are always popular.

None of us are dead yet...

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

No. I was told that there is bacteria in cats saliva that even boiling water doesn't kill. So I didn't put the cat's bowls in the dishwasher either. (Cat gone now ) But I don't know if this is true...

I think you are more at risk from bacteria from humans. There are no bacteria that boiling water doesn't kill, except if they have ensporalated, which won't happen in a cats mouth

Cats definitely like to lick plates - post cooked breakfast a particular favourite (if there's a few pieces of bacon rind to tidy up).

Ours know that only things placed on the floor are fair game.

Milk can be terrible for cats, made my kitten’s tummy bleed. That’s why there’s cat milk.

They are also all very fond of porridge - (photo of Karl as a kitten)

My cat will occasionally condescend to finish up milk in a weetabix bowl, or lick up leftover gravy.
I have been putting cat food bowls in with human plates and cutlery in my dishwasher for over 30 years.
The dishwasher doesn’t know or care which are which- it cleans them all at a much higher temp than my hands could tolerate in the sink. I’ve never had a problem as a result.

We're lucky they allow us to eat off them before they take over. Our new kittens are very fond of my breakfast scrambled egg.

People letting their cats up on kitchen worktops makes me feel queasy but this is another level of vom

No idea why those other two photos appeared

Yes, tho everything in dishwasher

@54321nought

What does 'ensporalated' mean?

I dont get much choice. I'll pop plates on the side and they will jump up and eat leftovers/lick the plate.
Cant leave any drinks unattended either because they will drink it.
I wash them afterwards though so doesnt bother me.

We don't 'let' them, but sometimes they do anyway before we notice.
My girl cat lives for licking the lid of my yogurt, which she knows is going to be hers as soon as I get it out of the fridge! I know she's not supposed to have dairy, but it's such a teeny amount and it's wholesome to see her purring while licking it.

No, that’s a step too far for me! Anyway onions and garlic are fundamental components in most of my cooking! However they will climb into the unattended dishwasher if it’s open, to lick up the gravy!

Yes, although I'd never admit it in public. All human dishes, whether used by human or cat, go in the dishwasher where the high temperature deals with any bacteria. The cat bowls are washed in the sink.

None of ours have ever shown any interest in human food till I did a vegan tofu dish from the Sirt food diet book and I had to fight them off.

No idea what made them so interested in it but they were almost climbing into my food.

Boiling kills everything. Nothing survives it -- not even tardigrades.

Me & cats have shared germs since I was tiny so no harm will happen by sharing now.

@lljkk
'Boiling kills everything. Nothing survives it -- not even tardigrades.'

Apparently tardigrades can...
'Tardigrades Can Survive Boiling Water, Outer Space, and Radiation
Kevin Colacci December 12, 2018'

and Thermophiles can survive above 100
degrees C.

I do concede that neither probably exist in a cat's mouth though.

@ZeroFuchsGiven

People letting their cats up on kitchen worktops makes me feel queasy but this is another level of vom

As a cat owner I've just assumed and accepted that every surface in my house has been touched by a cat butt at some point in time.

Tardigrades -- it's duration to the high temps that matter. Only need to get to > 38 degrees for > 48 hours to kill them all off.