Many owners wonder if their cats like kissing or if this kind of affection is uncomfortable for their felines. In other words: Do cats like kisses?
Unfortunately, many others do not even ask the question. Instead, they hug and cuddle their kittens regardless of their comfort and tolerance levels.
It is important to remember that each cat is a person with a unique personality. It is therefore impossible to establish an exact set of preferences for cats.
Despite this, it is essential to understand that feline communication is very different from ours.
As their means of expressing their emotions, moods and perceptions are different, human communication methods such as kissing and hugging may not be appropriate.
In this article, we’ll answer the question “Do cats like kisses?”, and we will do so by examining how cats express their love and affection, which allows us to strengthen our bond with them without creating unpleasant interactions.
So, Do Cats Like Kisses or Not?
If we observe the behavior of most domestic cats, it is safe to say that cats do not like kisses in general.
Likewise, they will not respond well to attempts to hug them. This will generate a sense of retention and they will probably want to escape your clutches, despite your good intentions.
They may even bite or scratch to show you their displeasure. A similar reaction can be seen when owners attempt to stroke them in vulnerable areas such as their belly or paws.
Do Cats Understand Kisses?
The reason cats usually don’t like to be kissed is because they don’t understand this human expression. Bringing your face together, wrapping your arms around them, or other similar contact, is usually reserved for playing or even fighting with them.
However, it is possible to see some cats adapting and learning to accept these expressions of love as part of the positive bond established with their guardians.
In any case, it should be noted that kisses and hugs are not among the manifestations of feline affection. Therefore, before you try to kiss or hug your cat, remember to think about him and respect his preferences.
To greet each other and express affection, cats don’t need to use their lips. To give your cat the equivalent of a human kiss, your cat narrows his eyes and presents a serene expression on his face.
This simple, low-key way of “kissing” doesn’t involve physical contact, but it says a lot about the bond between them and the affection you feel.
Although licking is more associated with dogs expressing feelings of affection, it is also a common expression of cats. This behavior is generally associated with cats who live alone with their guardians, that is, when there are no other cats or animals present in the home.
Cats play “social” grooming on those they consider family, licking the fur of their children and siblings to keep them clean and close. When a cat does this to his human companion, it shows that they consider him “one of their own” and that he trusts them.
If you kiss your cat, you tell him that you respect him. But you are above him, so he cannot accept the place offered by this kiss! It does not make sense, illogicality leads to anarchy, anarchy is unacceptable in cats.
The socialization of the cat is based on respect, not to mention dominance, but rather social position in ritualization (the life of the cat is based on rituals that must not be changed in any way). So the cat will respect a fellow human or a human if it can practice its rituals freely without infringing on those of others, a kind of mutual respect.
This kiss, so harmless for us, is a strong symbol of carelessness in the cat, it does not understand that you are questioning a well-oiled and functioning business, it calls into question its very raison d’être, and can greatly disturb him if you insist.
In any case, even if your cat does not return your kisses to you by licking you, as a dog might, it is not because he does not like you but because he has his own means of communication.
Kisses, a Stress for Some Cats
If some cats can react positively to a kiss for others this gesture of affection is very badly perceived.
Some felines do not like to be hugged, feeling trapped will refuse kisses. If this may, in absolute terms, seem trivial, this gesture will be a source of additional stress for him.
If your cat doesn’t like some of your affectionate gestures, it’s important to let her come to you.
Indeed, the cat must feel in a comfortable environment, safe before giving him a kiss or a hug. At first, it is better to hug it before going any further.
Finally, if the cat takes a step towards its owner, it is important to show him a little affection by responding to his gesture.
My Cat Gives Me Kisses on the Mouth!
The kisses that your cat gives you on the mouth or on other parts of the body such as the armpits, neck, arms are called licks.
As we have seen previously cats can lick us because they consider us to be “one of theirs” but not that:
- Cats lick us because they like the taste of our sweat loaded with mineral salts and acid.
- Cats lick us to show us respect.
- The cats lick us to help us wash ourselves!
Here are the main explanations of why your cat kisses you!
How to Kiss a Cat?
As we have said many times, some cats do not like to receive kisses and you owe it to yourself to respect that. To show him that you love him, then don’t use kisses.
To have a better chance that your animal is cooperative and calmly accepts your expressions of affection, you need to have a little patience because cats need time to get to know people and to trust them.
If you want to bond with a cat more, it can take time, you just need to be calm, to discover his tastes, to approach him, to touch him while observing his reactions carefully, to spoil him by filling his flight with his favorite treats.
And it’s only then, when he’s completely relaxed and happy, that you can eventually give him a little kiss on the top of his head.
Kissing a Cat, Is It Risky?
Some of us may also wonder if kissing a cat is dangerous? Well, that’s a good question because according to scientific research, kissing a cat on the muzzle and mouth would be dangerous for humans because it promotes the exchange of potential diseases.
Also, cats can have bacteria in them, which is even more the case in kittens who are not up to date on their vaccines or who have dental problems.
To avoid any risk, it is enough to deworm it regularly, to always wash your hands after playing with a cat and not to kiss it when we are sick and therefore have weaker immune defenses.
Avoid kissing a cat you don’t know well. Just because your own cat likes your kisses, doesn’t mean that another will necessarily like them. A cat who doesn’t know you might not accept such closeness to you, even if he can accept it with a third person he knows better.
Also teach your child to avoid kissing cats. It is a good idea to teach him the main rules stated above. It would also be good if your child completely avoided kissing cats. In fact, some cats have a lower tolerance towards children than towards adults and there could be a risk that the cat will scratch your child’s face.
Other Signs of Affection in Cats
Your cat may not have the instinct to lick you to show you that he loves you. However, there are many more loving signals that it is up to you to decode. Here are which ones:
- He blinks softly at you.
- It rubs against you.
- He shows you his belly.
- He holds his tail straight with the tip bent into a hook shape.
- He keeps his ears up.
So, don’t force your cat to come into your arms or onto your knees if they don’t want to. Instead, watch the other signs he sends you discreetly.
How Do You Show your Cat That You Love Him?
Now that you know that most cats don’t like kisses, you might be wondering how you can show your feline affection.
First of all, you must remember that each cat is a world apart and that one of the wonders of living with them is being able to discover their personality day after day.
The best way to show your love to your cat is to try to understand his personality in order to identify what he likes and what he dislikes.
In addition, if you try a little bit to try to understand feline language, you will learn to interpret its postures and facial expressions which will greatly help you improve your way of communicating.
What About YOUR Cat? Does He Like to Be Kissed?
Tell us a bit about your kissing experience with your cat: does he like it? How does he show it to you? Does he have aggressive reactions?
Do not hesitate to tell us more!
Woman Kissing a Cat Photo by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay