Advantages Of Letting Your Cat Lick Your Face
1. Wound Protection
There are researchers in the Netherlands that were successful in identifying the chemical that is present in cat saliva which is called histatins. In turn, this chemical helps speed up the healing of wounds. This is done by promoting the migration and the spread of new skin cells.
Therefore, if you have a wound on your face, besides putting medical creams on it, your cats saliva will help your wound to heal. This chemical is also responsible for healing your cats wounds and pretty much explains why they lick their own wounds.
Also, a doctor from the London School of Medicine, Dr. Nigel Benjamin, found out that once your cats saliva comes into contact with your skin, it produces nitric oxide.
This helps in containing bacterial growth and also acts as a barrier to the wound, which will lessen the chances of infections.
More than that, the researchers from the University of Florida where able to isolate a protein from cat saliva and it is called Nerve Growth Factor. This protein is responsible for at least halving the time it takes for wounds to heal.
2. Building Trust
As mentioned earlier, your cat licks you because he trusts you. Therefore, if you let him lick your face, it is a sign that you are honored for him to groom you. In turn, he will also feel that you trust him.
Why Does My Cat Lick My Eye Should I Stop This
Each of us has different ways and methods to express our love, and cats are no different. As compared to others, some have more bizarre and unusual habits that are beyond human comprehension.
Cats lick your eye as they mark you as their territory and let everyone know that you are their owner. This is something you should avoid because cats can transmit infections to humans through their eyes.
This article reveals the reasons why your cat licks your eye so that you can better understand your feline companion.
Causes And Treatment Of Feline Skin Lesions
“Feline skin lesions have many possible causes including allergy, infections and parasites.;Diagnosis of skin problems in cats can be a challenge since cats have a tendency to lick or use their teeth on itchy areas. Licking can cause lesions to become infected and hair loss. The leading cause of skin lesions in cats are fleas, which are often the problem despite the owners ability to locate a flea on the cats body.;For example, a human could carry fleas into a house, which in turns causes a cat skin reaction. The second leading cause is atopy, which is an allergy to inhaled substances such as tree and grass pollen. A visit to a veterinarian is required for a specific diagnosis and treatment recommendation. Certain causes can be suspected based on a cats history and location of the cat skin disorder.”
There are many possible causes for feline skin lesions. Thetreatment depends on the type and cause of the sore. Anytime your cathas a sore that doesnt heal in a few days or that oozes yellow orgreen-colored puss, see your vet as this is a sign of infection.;Start by suspecting the leading cause which is fleas, even if you havetrouble locating any on your cat’s body.; If you cat has fleaprotection, next suspect atopy or food allergy asthe cause. After allergy, problems such as ringworm and scabies arepotential causes. Problems such as infection are often introduced intothe skin after a cat licks itchy areas, a condition referred to as asecondary skin infection.
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Why Does My Cat Put His Head On My Head
Bunting is when your cat rubs their cheeks on you or an object, head-butts you with their forehead, or rubs their head on you. Its a way for your cat to leave his scent on you, marking their territory. Cats do this when they love something or someone. They may practice bunting on other pets or their favorite humans.
Why Does My Cat Lick My Face 6 Reasons For This Behavior
Kitty kisses can be cute and endearing. But being incessantly licked by a tongue that feels like sand can be uncomfortable and irritating.
In order to correct this bothersome behavior, its important to understand exactly why your cat is constantly licking you. Here are six of the most common reasons behind your cats tongue baths.
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Are Some Types Of Cats And Cat Breeds Predisposed To Have Watery Eyes
Sometimes, those watery cat eyes can be caused by the shape of the face and eyes. Brachycephalic cats often experience watery eyes. When a cat has a flat face, a small nose and large, round eyes, the tears tend to spill over the eye rims.
Some cats are also genetically predisposed to producing more tears than other cats. Watery cat eyes and the resulting tear stains are common in cat breeds like Exotic Shorthairs, Himalayans and Persians, for instance. In general, this doesnt harm the cat as long as nothing else is going on with the eye , although you should regularly wipe the under-eye area to keep it as clean and dry as possible to prevent skin irritation.
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Why Do Cats Lick You Cats Lick As A Means Of Social Bonding
The first step in answering Why do cats lick you? is knowing that kittens groom each other, and older cats who arent related but get along well also spend time grooming one another. Often, theyll get the spots that are hard for a cat to reach by themselves, such as the top of the head and inside the ears. Exchanging scents through grooming also increases the bond between a pair of cats.
How Much Licking Is Too Much Licking
Sometimes, our wonderful kitties may begin to lick too much. At first, we might not even notice it. All we see is an adorable kitten bathing in the sunlight or a kitty who might be licking some messy spills from the night’s meal off of our clothes. Unfortunately, there is a point where licking becomes excessive and unhealthy. How and why does this happen?
When your cat begins to spend an excessive amount of time licking itself or you , it should set off a red flag. After a while of licking, your skin will become irritated. If the cat is only licking itself excessively, you may notice a thinning coat on your cat or even bald spots. As the problem worsens you will probably see irritated patches of skin that may even bleed or become infected.
There are several main causes for this issue:
- Anxiety
- Skin irritation or allergies
- Parasites
Anxiety triggers cats to compulsively clean; anxiety may be a part of a cat’s personality or it can be due to environmental stress. Skin irritations, allergies, and parasites can all cause itching or odd sensations on the cat’s skin, enticing the cat to eliminate the problem the best way it knows how: licking and scratching! For most of these issues, a veterinarian can prescribe medications. Yes, there are anxiety and allergy medications available to pets!
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To Express Her Affection For You
Your cat may be nipping at you to show her affection and fondness. She may gently nibble or bite you although you are not petting her or while lying beside you in your bed. Cat behaviorists note that love bites are reminiscent of a cats kittenhood when their mothers lick and nibble them while grooming them. When cats do this they will start by licking and eventually gently nip at you in a way that does not break the skin.;
How Do I Prevent My Cat From Licking My Face
You do not want to outright reject your cat when he wants to lick your face. Doing so will make him feel inadequate and he will not understand your reasons for doing so.
Therefore, you can follow these tips if you still want to establish a strong bond with your cat, but also preventing him from licking your face.
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Woman Goes Blind After Cat Licks Her Eye
An Ohio woman has gone blind in her left eye after her cat licked her and transmitted an infection called cat scratch disease , fox8.com reported.
Anything that is exposed to the cats mouth including if you have a little scratch that the cat licks thats how you get it, University of Toledo doctor Kris Brickman told WTOL. He added that while cat scratch doesnt pose a health risk to felines, it can to humans.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , CSD can affect the brain, eyes, heart or other internal organs. Although serious complications from the disease are rare, they may require intensive treatment. Cases are most common among children younger than age 5 and among people with weakened immune systems.
Brickman advised cat owners to wash their hands after playing with their pets. He said 40 percent of cats carry the bacteria that leads to CSD.
Dont let lick any open wounds, and try not to get bit by any cat, he added.
Walters didnt know what CSD was prior to being diagnosed, but she said she hopes her story causes other cat owners to take caution.
You dont want to lose your eyesight, she said.
Why Does My Cat Sniff My Eye
The reason why your cat sniffs your eye could be that your cat has seen something in your eye that they want to get to the bottom of, or it could simply be a sign of comfort.
Cats tend to be extremely possessive of their owner or the person that they then consider their favorite. They become overly protective towards them.
Cats are also blessed with a keen sense of smell and tend to smell almost everything.
They sniff their owners to make sure they are who they say they are and to determine whether they smell like any other cat or dog.
They will sniff you when you arrive home after working long hours to make sure you havent petted any other animals.
If they catch a fragrance of another animal on your clothes, cats have a territorial feeling and may become jealous. Sniffing isnt restricted to your clothes, though.
Some cat parents find this strange, but because of their keen sense of smell, cats many times could sniff your mouth, toes, and even your eye.
Many are perplexed as to why their cats are smelling their eyes.
Many cat owners frequently report that their cats come near to their faces to sniff their eyes when they are awake or even asleep; while they find this amusing and cute, the reason for this remains a mystery to them.
Cats sniff their beloved people for various reasons, the most important of which is a sense of recognition and devotion to their owners.
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Safeguards When It Comes To Letting Your Cat Lick Your Face
Now that you know the advantages and disadvantages of letting your cat lick your face, the decision is ultimately yours. If you plan to let your cat lick your face, here are some things you can do in order to make sure that you and your cat go about it safely.
- Always wash your face with an antibacterial wash or soap after your cat licks your face. You can also use facial wipes that are anti-bacterial.
- Make sure that you are following the schedule of your cats deworming programs.
- Undergo annual fecal examinations and use anti-parasite treatments
- Be on top of treating their ticks and fleas
- Make sure that you properly dispose of their poop
- Always clean the paws and mouth of your cat immediately after they go outside
- Feed a proper diet which is a mix of cooked, canned or dry food
Other Strange Cat Behaviors
Eye sniffing is not the only weird thing a cat might do. Cat owners report all kinds of strange things their pets do. Some may be a pattern that can be found in other cats as well, while others may be behaviors specific to a certain cat.
The following are a few examples of other strange things cats have reportedly done or do so you can tick them off your list if your eye-sniffing cat is also doing any of these things.
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Cats May Lick Human Faces May Be Showing Dominance Over These Humans
When cats allogroom or groom one another when they stick together in a sort of pack the dominant cats are typically the ones who start the grooming sessions, and so theres definitely a dominance element to the act.
A subservient cat will sometimes groom back, but will really infrequently start off the grooming or participate in it as much as a dominant cat.
So who knows maybe your cats showing dominance over you when he or she grooms your face as well!
She Always Just Happens To Be In The Same Room As You
Perhaps your feline friend doesnt enjoy cuddling with you on the couch as much as a dog might. Maybe they dont seem as excited about belly rubs and head pats as you would like. Cats can be particular about the amount of physical affection they can tolerate, but you have likely noticed that your cat frequently just happens to be hanging out in the same room you are in, watching you from afar. If you get up to go to a different room, dont be surprised if your kitty friend is close behind.
Cats tend to prefer to be near their favorite people. Cats might be independent creatures by nature, but they still want to spend time with you. If your cat loves you, she will love being near you, even if she doesnt want you to be too close all the time.
Cats slow blink to tell you they love you.
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Your Cat Is Initiating Play
Some cats may try to encourage their owners to start playing with them by coming over and giving you a little lick and then a soft bite. If you havent been petting your cat and they come up to you like this, theyre likely ready to play!
Playful cats will have pricked ears, a raised tail, and slightly dilated pupils.
Looking For Scent Glands
Not just cats, you may find all animals sniffing parts of another animals body to assess what they are all about. You would have seen dogs sniffing another dogs behind or even a human beings posterior in a moment that is embarrassing for everyone else around!
The same goes for cats. By sniffing a person or another animal, a cat can assess whether the other creature is worthy of trust. This is a test to see whether they can be more friendly or if they should retreat.
Animals also respond to different types of pheromones which may trigger certain kinds of behavior. For example, some pheromones come as warning signs, others that indicate where an animal may find food and most importantly, a mate.
While the evidence of human beings secreting pheromones is not conclusive, your cat may still come searching for it out of instinct. Many animals have scent glands in their faces, so your cats instinct may be to look for a certain scent in your face.
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Are The Tissues Around Their Eyes Inflamed And Red
If you see this in one or both eyes, along with a watery discharge, theres a good chance they have conjunctivitis. You may know it by its nickname, pinkeye.
It’s the most common eye problem for cats. An infection, an allergy, or even dust can bring it on. Pinkeye is;contagious, so most cats will have it at least once in their lives. They can get it at any age, but it most often affects young animals.
Feline herpes virus also causes pinkeye. Your cat can get shots to protect them from this, but they could have picked it up when they were;a kitten. If they have the virus, they are;infected for life. But the vaccine can reduce their;symptoms.
Easing their stress can prevent flare-ups. If they have an outbreak of herpes-related pinkeye, your vet will prescribe antibiotics and an antiviral drug for you to use.
Pinkeye often clears up without treatment. If you see discharge and your cat seems to be in pain, take them to the vet. Theyll make sure that a more serious problem isnt causing the;symptoms.
Should I Be Worried If Cat Licked My Eye
The short answer is not really.
The little longer answer is no, but take due precautions.
The sandpaper tongue of your cat has been on many a surface from your cheeks to a garden insect to the cats own butt the tongue has been everywhere. The point is, your cats tongue is the paradise for parasites.
So, while it is a very sweet gesture of pure love to have your face and eyelids licked by your furry little buddy, it is also recommended that you take good care of your personal hygiene and your cats oral health.
Maybe next time, follow your cuddle and snuggle session with your little furry friend with a minute long facewash it will prevent any skin infections like annoying rashes and itching from happening.
To know more about petting your cat well, check out our articles on Does Your Cat Sigh?and why cats like the base of their tails scratched.
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