Cats are capable of finding fun in things that may seem implausible to humans: a box, a wad of paper, something they find lying on the floor or on the edge of a table, even! your hair! They are elements capable of entertaining them for a long time.
When it's your fur that's in the game, you might even get a little attention from your cat's tongue, leading you to ask why my cat licks my hairDo you like the taste of it, or is there another underlying reason? Keep reading this article on our site and find out!
He considers you part of his pack
It's not hard to see how important personal hygiene is to cats. Grooming their entire body is an activity they spend a lot of time doing every day, which results in a clean and shiny coat.
Furthermore, if you have more than one cat at home you will surely have noticed that sometimes they groom each other quite conscientiously. With this in mind, what do you think goes through your cat's mind when he licks your hair? Does he think you're dirty? No way! Cats only lick each other's fur when they think they belong to the same pack, this is both a way to reaffirm the bond that unites them and to spread the word. same smell between them.
So when your cat starts sucking and licking your hair you should feel happy. In addition, he wants to share the same scent, as a way of integrating you into his cat family and recognizing each other, while eliminating undesirable and unknown aromas.
Human needs a bath
Grooming is one of the undoubted reasons why your cat licks your hair. It's very common for him to try it when he sees you lying down, even when you're sleeping. He himself wants to enjoy a relaxing bath before taking a nap.
Cats' taste buds are designed to perceive flavors. In addition, the rough tongue of cats is responsible for dragging all the dirt that accumulates on surfaces. So it doesn't matter if you use the most refined and expensive hair products or the exhaustive care you give it, the resulting aroma may not be as pleasant for the feline, who will prefer to perfume you with saliva.
On the other hand, it may also be the case that he rather loves the smell of the shampoo and this leads your cat to nibble on your head.
Show of affection
Many experts say that cats do not lick other beings such as dogs or humans, unless they show great affection. So if your cat licks your fur, consider it a sign of the sincere love that the feline has for you.
This applies in the same way if he tries to lick your beard, because it is his way of reciprocating caresses, affection and attention that you give to your cat in an equally affective way. You may notice that the cat does not groom all the members of the family, because only those that it considers to be closest friends or part of its own family nucleus are flattered by licking their hair.
What if my cat bites me?
Some cats start by licking the hair and end up in small bites, either on the hair or one may escape onto your scalp. If this is the case, your cat bites you because he wants to play with you!
If your cat licks and nibbles your hair, it's one of the ways he has to tell you that he's bored and it's time to have fun playing a little. You will see that he behaves in the same way with those cats that he considers his playmates
Do you suffer from any compulsion?
Cats drain stress and nervousness of different ways, among them it is possible to mention the habit of licking hair in a repetitive and restless way. He may lick his own fur in this way, even injuring himself, or the compulsion may lead him to lick your hair when he's around, such as when sharing a bed or spending time on the couch.
In any case, it is easy to notice this abnormal behavior, due to the insistence with which the cat repeats the action. Veterinary attention will be required to determine the cause of the problem and to know if it can be a stereotypy.
What to do if you don't like being licked by the cat?
Despite the positive reasons that we have pointed out above to explain why your cat licks you, there are people who are uncomfortable with this behavior and do not know how to make the feline understand that such signs are not
If you're one of those people, don't despair. With the following recommendations the cat will stop licking your hair in a very short time:
- When he starts licking you, don't caress him or talk to him, as these stimuli will reinforce in his mind that licking you is positive.
- As soon as the cat runs its tongue through your hair, move away from the site so that it stops, it will understand that you don't like it because it is a common reaction in felines.
- If you don't want to get out of bed, you can wrap up over your head or put a pillow over it. The only risk is that the cat interprets it as that you are playing hide and seek.
- Offer him a toy to distract him.
- Never yell or adopt a contemptuous attitude, or push him away violently.
