Cats prefer self-regulating life and less affectionate or friendly. It is just a notion that is far away from reality. The cats with whom we live, are completely different and sociable. Still, you will find people who become surprised when cats desire for fondness.
You may also curious that why does my cat lick my nose? Well, the cat expresses affection and grooming through licking. There is no previous status of cats for displaying affection. People generally know the cats pretty neat. You may be interested in that can you feed pancakes to your cats?
Cats also express affection in various ways. The most common ways are purring, licking, and cheek rubbing.
While the cats show affection or other emotions by licking you. But specifically, you may notice that why does my cat lick my nose? There may be many reasons behind this licking. it can be a method to relieve stress. Cats may try to kill their boredom in this way or making a strong bond with you. So, besides licking itself, the cat also licks people to connect with them or cherish them.
You may wonder why does my cat lick my nose? This may be due to the utmost love and trust in you. Cats find your nose the highest part so approach it and get the attention in this way. Cats try to tell what is going on in their minds at that time by licking your nose.
You may also wonder Can Your Cats Eat Marshmallows?
Why Does My Cat Lick My Nose? – Reasons Behind This
A different cat may have different reasons to lick your nose. Following are some prevailing reasons for licking your nose.
1) Develop Social Bond:
Many cats lick each other often. They do this to develop the bond between them. They also lick your nose to socialize with you. While licking each other cats exchange the scents of each other.
In the same way, to be friendly with you, they lick you to transfer their smell to you. This is how they try to develop a strong bond with humans.
So, there is nothing to be worried about, your cat is just loving you and wants to make friends with you.
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2) The Way of Complementing:
Why does my cat lick my nose? You may wonder to know one of the reasons is that the cat tries to compliment you. This is the way your cat expresses the feeling of likeness and trust. He or she feels protected and happy around you. This licking act is what the cats learn when they are very young or kittens. The mother cat licks her kittens to show her love.
So, this is the learned behavior that cats develop the habit of licking when they like humans and entertain with them.
3) Cleaning Purpose:
Another reason behind the licking may be the cleaning and grooming. In a group of cats, they usually lick each other for cleaning and grooming. A cat can lick itself up to the limit. Few parts of the body are inaccessible to lick. Thus, another cat licks him or her.
In this way, if a cat licks your nose you must consider that what if it is grooming and trying to communicate with you.
4) Your Saltish Skin:
Every human has natural salts on their skin whether they sweat or not. Why does my cat lick my nose is not about to be wondered if your skin produces salt? Because this might be the reason your cat is licking you. Sometimes this salt is not the only reason behind this act.
If you have something dropped on your face, or you did not clean your face after having a meal.
Your cat will smell the food or drink you have a moment ago and start to lick you. In a nutshell, your cat loves to taste you either way.
5) Express the Affection:
People use to hug their friends and kiss them to express the utmost emotion to their loved ones. But cats are unable to do these acts of love and fondness. The only way remains is to lick someone they love a lot. Even if cats love one another, they do lick.
So, whenever your cat licks your nose or somewhere else, do kiss, hug, or pat him or her to show your affection back.
6) Mark the Territory:
This is also a learned behavior that kitten learns from their mother. As it has been discussed earlier, that while licking each other, humans, or objects, cats and other animals transfer their specific scent. This is also the way to mark the territories.
After the birth of kittens, the mother licks them and mark them as her young ones. Even cats also mark the people and surrounding objects by rubbing them. But sometimes to make it a hundred percent sure, cats jump on you and start licking your nose gently as to mark the territory.
7) Patting:
Licking by your cat is also an act of gratitude towards you. So, do not be wondered about why does my cat lick my nose. He or she is doing so to thank you for stroking and cuddling them. This seems like cats are repaying the love and favor to you.
When cats lick one another, it feels too good to them so they perform the same action with us and try to make us feel happy. And in this way get patting and cuddling back.
8) To Be a Part Of Family:
Bonding, affection, complimenting, and cleaning are the actions that the mother cat does with her kittens. This shows that licking is a powerful gesture use by cats to communicate.
Consequently, if they lick your nose, they look at you as a part of their family.
Consider it in another dimension as the mother cat licks her weak kittens. This is how cats look at us powerless and week and try to teach us to stay calm and need our cuddling in the response of licking. This is how they keep on showing affection by considering us and themselves as well as a part of the family.
Furthermore, kittens are habitual to lick their mother, and you have owned that kitten, so maybe that cat misses the mother and start licking your nose.
9) Seeking Attention:
Cats also lick you to get attention. This is a frisky way of searching for people’s attention. For instance, you are continuously watching TV and ignoring your cat. your cat will jump onto your
lap and start licking you. This gesture displays that your cat is asking for attention, patting, or cuddle. He or she wants you to play with him or her. Furthermore, attention-seeking behavior also seems like your cat is under some stress.
10) Stressed Conditions:
The reason that is mentioned earlier seems cute but this one is not right. The cats start to lick instinctively when they have anxiety. They will lick you, surrounding objects, and themselves as well.
You will notice it soon whenever your cat is under stress. Because cats will lick themselves all over the body continuously. If any bald spot is noticed, contact a professional vet.
What to Do to Make Your Cat Stop Licking?
Why does my cat lick my nose? Maybe this annoys some people a lot. Well, it is valid to be annoyed. Because barbs are present on the cats’ tongue that may hurt your skin when they lick you. That is why people want to stop a cat from licking.
If you do not want your cat to lick you, distract him or her. You can distract the cats by offering some food to them or presenting them with some interesting toys. Make the cat busy with such kinds of stuff.
Start cuddling your cat whenever they come to lick your nose. The other only way is to walk away. Never shower the water on your cat’s face directly as it will hurt him.
If you are taking a nap, lock the cat out of your room to avoid nose licking by the cat. But be aware of not taking any violent action to make the cat stop licking.
What to Do If Cats Lick Your Nose Oddly?
Cat’s licking is normal behavior. This is the mark of affection and confidence. In another case,
if you are noticing your cat is impulsively licking your nose and itself, it may not be a normal way. When cats lick you and themselves extremely, this would be in response to stress. This behavior shows the condition of psychogenic alopecia.
When a cat starts grooming itself too harshly that baldness or rashes get appeared, you have to take some serious steps. There are many medical as well as physical solutions.
Medical Solution:
If your cat is very friendly and submissive and now no more obedient to you at once he or she is not well. In the same way, if your cat has dominating nature or bossy and starts licking you impulsively, then you have to take serious notice.
Observe the skin closely if it has any bulges or any prominent injury. Call the vet as soon as possible for treatment. According to the vet’s recommendation, give the anti-depressants to your cat. Such medication is not harmful to your pet, instead, your cat will calm down a bit than before.
Conclusion:
Henceforth, this discussion shows that cats are highly sociable and friendly. They just want to show affection by licking your nose. If you are not happy with this habit of licking, distract your cat by different gestures like clapping in front of him or her, whenever he or she comes to lick you. Always use some efficient ways to avoid this licking rather than to be harsh in any case.
