The licking behavior of cats has always been a manifestation of fascination, and seemingly simple actions contain a wealth of information. From a professional point of view, we'll take a deep dive into why cats always like to lick people, and reveal six of the secrets to help you better understand your stuffed companion.
1.Social Behavior: Building Group Identity
Cats are social creatures by nature, and licking has important social significance in cat groups. Licking people is not only a way to express intimate feelings, but also a means for cats to establish group identity in the family. By licking, cats express their trust and dependence on humans, while also cementing their social bond with humans.
2.Cleanliness and hygiene: Maintain the health of individuals and groups
Cats use their extremely sensitive licking abilities to keep their bodies clean and hygienic. By licking humans themselves, cats can both remove dirt from their fur and reduce the growth of external parasites, helping to maintain the overall health of individuals and groups. This behavior also shows that the cat sees you as one of its "family" and deserves to share this individual and group responsibility for health.
3.Territory Marker: You are a part of me
Cats have a strong sense of territory, and licking behavior is also considered a territorial marker. When a cat licks you, it's actually sending a message to other cats: "This person is part of me and belongs to my territory." This is not only a sign of your belonging, but also a warning to the outside world to remind other potential "intruders" to keep their distance.
4.Emotional Expression: Expressing dependence and comfort
The cat's licking behavior is also a way to express emotions. When cats feel comforted, relaxed, or in need of comfort, they express their inner emotions by licking. This behavior is both an expression of human dependence and a sense of security that makes the cat more willing to form a deep emotional bond with you.
5.Communicating information: the sense of smell and the role of chemicals
The act of a cat licking a human also involves the exchange of smell and chemicals. Cats have many taste buds and olfactory receptors on their tongues, and by licking humans, they are able to gather information about you, including your taste, physical state, etc. This type of communication further deepens the cat's understanding of you and strengthens the communication between them and you.
6.Asking for Affection and Affection: Likes to be noticed
Finally, the cat licking humans is also an expression of anticipation for petting and love. With this behavior, cats want to get your attention and expect more affection and petting. This is not only an expression of emotion, but also a way for cats to build a closer relationship with humans.
To sum up, cat licking humans is not a simple casual behavior, but a way of communication full of deep meaning. From socializing, cleaning, and territory marking, to emotional expression, information exchange, and the desire to pet, every lick contains a deep feeling in the cat's heart. By understanding these little secrets, we can better meet the needs of cats and build a stronger human-cat relationship. Confused behavior of cats