7 Reasons Why Your Cat Keeps Licking Your Face

Scratching, hunting, climbing, hiding, and licking are some of the things that most cat breeds love to do. But sometimes, these life qualities enhancing animals can take their 'hobbies' so seriously that you, as their human parent, are left with questions. For instance, your cat may consistently lick your face. And as a caring parent, you may wonder, "why does my cat lick my face?"

So, if your cat has been or has started licking your face and you can’t help but wonder why it's doing so, then ease your mind as you have searched for the right article. I will walk you through 7 scientifically proven reasons that may cause your cat to lick your face. And if you are wondering whether or not you should let your cat lick your face, then make sure to read to the end of the article as I will provide you with an accurate answer.

Below are some of the main reasons that may cause your cat to lick your face:

1. It’s its love language

Cats cannot verbally communicate with humans, so how best can they display their affection to their human parents if not by licking their face just as they do to their kittens? So if your cat keeps licking your face, rest assured that your cat loves you, and that's how best it can express its affection to you.

2. Attention-seeking behavior

Your cat will lick your face as attention-seeking behavior. When it's boring or feeling lonely, it won't hesitate to rub it on your face by licking your face literally. Other telltale signs that your cat is bored and in need of your attention or an activity to keep it busy include;

3. As a way of marking its territory

In the animal kingdom, saliva is used to mark an animal's territory. Through saliva, a cat leaves its scent on you, thus marking its territory and telling others that you belong to them.

4. When attempting to clean you

When a cat likes you, it will consider you to be family, and since you are family, a cat will not hesitate to clean you up and groom you by giving you a 'saliva bath.'

5. As a compensatory suckling behavior

Most kittens are nursed until they are 8 weeks of age. But when this doesn't happen, and a kitten is nursed for a shorter period or not nursed at all, it may develop a condition known as oral fixation. This condition causes such kittens to be susceptible to excessive licking, more like engaging in compensatory suckling behavior.

6. You are tasty

Your cat may continuously lick your face if they find you tasty. Maybe you were eating fish, meat, or melon, and you accidentally smudged any of this food on your face, don't be surprised to have your cat licking your face all day long. After all, you taste like their favorite food.

7. Due to stress

Excessive stress-induced licking is the phrase coined to describe a medical or psychological condition that causes cats to lick themselves or their human parents more than usual. More often, such licking is associated with increased or decreased appetite, excessive meowing, hissing and growling, and defecating and urinating anywhere despite being potty trained.

Should I let my cat lick my face?

No, it would be best if you did not let your cat lick your face. Letting your cat lick your face from time to time may seem harmless. But trust me when I tell you that these cute and ' romantic ' sessions between you and your cat may cause you to have a potentially life quality lowering disease, especially for people who are immunocompromised.

The most common disease spread through a cat's saliva is Cat Scratch Disease (CSD). This disease spreads when an infected cat's saliva penetrates a susceptible host's skin.

Cats have loads of bacteria in their mouth. Some of these bacteria are harmless, whereas others are pathogenic, that is can cause diseases. However, it's rare for one to get an infection from getting licked by a cat. But just because it's rare doesn't mean that it cannot happen.

Why does my cat lick my face?

A cat will lick your face as a way of showing its affection to you when marking its territory, when seeking attention and when attempting to clean you. Cats may also lick your face if they find you 'tasty' and when they are stressed.

Letting your cat lick your face, especially if you have an open wound, may predispose you to get Cat Scratch Disease. Thus, it’s advisable that you discourage your cat from licking your face by redirecting its action.