Cats sometimes suddenly have an unbearable urge to “bathe” – even if they are busy with something else at that moment. But some cats lick not only for themselves, but also for their owners. Portal popsci.com speakWhy.
For mother cats, grooming is an important part of parenting. By licking kittens, cats perform two tasks at once: keeping their cubs clean and strengthening their social bond with them. The first factor is especially important because kittens are susceptible to disease and anyone who has ever raised a young kitten knows how dirty they can be.
Newborn kittens learn cleanliness from their mothers and usually begin grooming themselves around four weeks of age. Some even begin to respond to their mother's grooming or licking their siblings, as well as loved ones and other animals in the house.
Other creatures that cats like to lick are sometimes called “favored partners.” For example, cats that have been friends for a long time may lick each other to strengthen their bond. For cats, grooming becomes a very important social behavior that allows them to build and maintain interpersonal bonds.
Moreover, this applies not only to domestic cats, but also to wild cats. The only difference is that tigers, lions and even African wild cats, which are the closest relatives of domestic cats, do not live in herds like domestic pets. Therefore, they do not always have the opportunity to express sympathy to their teammates – as a rule, they simply do not have teammates for this.
So why do cats lick their owners? Usually, this is a sign of affection and intimacy on the part of the animal. They follow their instincts and engage in social behavior the best way they know how. Maybe they are in the mood to be with their owner, or a sudden wave of love hits them.
Although it's worth noting here that even though all cats wash themselves, not all of them want to lick their owners. But this does not mean that pets do not love people: grooming is just a type of social behavior. If a cat sits next to its owner, jumps on its lap, rubs against its owner, or plays with its owner, these are also social signs of affection.
