Having a cat as a family member can bring you love, adventure, and even confusion. We may never fully understand cats and some of their antics, but it’s clear cat lovers welcome most of them with open arms. When your kitty hops up on your lap and licks your lips there are a few reactions you can have.

You can either be ecstatic that your kitty is showing affection, feel a bit strange that your pet is trying to lick your mouth, or be curious about why your cat is doing this. For cat owners with lip-licking cats, we’re here to help with why some cats do it and whether you should do your best to avoid it. Take a look at the likely reasons your cat is licking your lips below to help you better understand your feline friend’s thought process.

The 10 Possible Reasons Why Your Cat Licks Your Lips

1. Showing Their Love for You

One of the possible reasons your cat licks your lips is to show their love for you. Yes, even the most aloof, solitary cat can deem you worthy of a lick or kiss on the face or lips from time to time. Considering how rare it is for some cats to share licks of affection, you should always appreciate the effort when your kitty tries to lick you.

2. Your Kitty Feels Your Mood

Whether you’re feeling blue or under the weather, your cat can sense when you’re unwell.¹ When your cat knows you’re having a bad day, they may spend more time around you or even lick you on the lips or other areas just to show you they are there and want you to feel better.

3. The Smell of Food

Cats have an incredible sense of smell. No matter how hard you try, even after brushing your teeth, your kitty can smell the remains of food on your breath or lips. Considering cats love meat so much, it isn’t surprising that they may try to lick your lips to grab a morsel you may have left behind.

4. Seeking Your Attention

Cats aren’t fond of being ignored. When they want your attention, they will go out of their way to alert you. One way your cat may let you know they want pets, playtime, or food is to lick you. This is a perfect way to get your attention in your cat’s mind. What better place to lick you when attention is needed than on the lips?

5. Marking You

It may sound strange, but yes, cats mark their owners. Your kitty looks at you as their social circle. That is why a cat will rub their cheeks against you and sometimes lick. A particularly loving cat will focus their attention on your face. Rubbing against your face and then licking your lips is one of the ways cats leave their scent on you reinforcing your bond and your familiarity with them through scent.

6. Grooming

Don’t take it personally, but your kitty may feel like you need grooming. Luckily, in the world of cats, grooming is a sign of affection. When cats bond, they groom one another. When your cat loves you enough to groom you, especially on your face, they’re showing just how important you are to them.

7. An Upcoming Love Bite

Have you heard of a love bite? Yes, cats are well known for them. It is when a cat licks and then immediately bites you. While it can be painful, it is another sign of affection. If your cat is licking your lips, it could be time for you to prepare for a nip, as a love bite could be coming.

Why You Should Avoid Letting Your Cat Lick Your Lips or Face

As cute as it may seem, your kitty showing their affection towards you by trying to lick your lips or for other similarly positive reasons, may not be the best way to let them interact with you. The reason for this is various bacteria cats carry in their mouths, such as Pasteurella, Bartonella, and many others. These bacteria and many other pathogens may lead to serious health complications in some cases, especially in children, pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Luckily there are many other ways for your cat to show you their love, other than licking your face, so do your best to discourage this as much as possible.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several reasons why your cat licks your lips. Whether your cat is trying to groom you, sees you as family, or wants a taste of whatever you’ve eaten recently, it’s sometimes hard to push your kitty away when they want to lick you.

However, due to several health risks associated with your cat licking your face or lips, diverting their attention to something else usually stops the behavior. Also, it’s best to wash your face thoroughly after an unpredictable feline kiss. If you don’t mind it, you can appreciate the love and affection your cat is offering, but be mindful of certain health risks and try to minimize it by not letting them come in contact with your mouth or any skin wounds and cuts. There are many other ways for your kitty to show you affection.

See also: 

• Why Do Cats Lick Each Other? 3 Reasons for This Behavior
• Do Cats Like Kisses? Feline Preferences Revealed

Featured Image Credit: Caterina Trimarchi, Shutterstock