What does it mean when a cat licks your hand

Cats are born with a symbol of “coldness”. In most people’s minds, they are the lonely man in front of the window, the “uncle” who can’t be called for a long time, so that humans have never been able to answer who is whose owner? But as cats have entered human life for thousands of years, some details in the lives of pet cats have exposed the evolution of their “attachment to their owners” personality. Although they cannot take the initiative to show kindness like dogs, their slightly mysterious friendliness makes humans even more fascinated by raising cats. Just like some netizens are asking why the cat licks my hand when it is licking its fur. What is the cat’s psychology?

Psychological interpretation of cats licking poop shovel hands

Treat your hands like prey

Cats are born hunters, and their hunting skills are engraved in their DNA. If you often tease your cat with your hands, then the cat will treat your hands as prey, and it is not surprising that it will nibble your hands.

It’s warning you

Cats are not obedient animals. They have a strong sense of autonomy. Sometimes the owner touches them incorrectly or strokes them for a long time. When the cat feels uncomfortable or impatient, it will bite you lightly. The hand expresses protest and also warns you. If you continue to stroke it, it may bite you hard.

Conditioned reflex

If the cat is playing very excitedly, such as running or jumping at home, and if you catch the cat at this time, the cat will also catch the owner’s hand reflexively.

Express friendliness

If the cat is in a good mood at this time and is in a very comfortable state, and the owner touches it, it will gently bite or lick the owner’s hand. This is an expression of friendliness, and you can clearly feel its kindness. .

Smell your hand

Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell. If you have just eaten something delicious and the smell of food is still on your hands, the cat will smell the smell it likes and want to eat it, so it will bite or lick it gently. Your hands beg you for food.

Will cats licking people cause any skin diseases?

The answer is no, because there is a large amount of lysozyme in the cat’s saliva, which can achieve disinfection. If the cat does not have oral diseases, it will not cause bacterial infections and some skin problems to people.

Other signs that cats are friendly to humans

Although cats are aloof, they are actually cute little cats with rich emotions. The friendly signals they send to humans are more than just licking your hands, but they are easily ignored by us.

Will take the initiative to turn his belly and invite you to touch it

I remember when my husband brought home a cat for the first time, I kept a distance from the cat because I was always afraid that it would scratch me. My husband combs the cat every weekend on the balcony. As soon as he combs it, it turns over its belly and looks cute. Then I naturally want to touch its belly. Every time after touching it, it will change its position, just like when we scratch an itch, it will ask for a little left. A little to the right. In fact, the cat is reminding its owner where it likes your petting? This is a friendly signal. This is a friendly sign like a cat jumping on your lap or rolling next to you, but it’s easy to ignore.

Rub your head and body against you

Sometimes a cat will rub its head against you when passing by, especially if it circles around your legs. In fact, this is not only a sign of kindness to you, but also an invitation to interact with you. It is equivalent to a child saying to you, “Play with me5″ Minutes.” If you happen to be busy or in a bad mood at this time and ignore it, the cat will act aloof again over time.

Cat purring

I remember a very interesting private message. A novice poop scooper asked me if a newly adopted kitten made a purring sound when I held it in my hand. Was it sick? Cat purring is actually an expression of emotion. Emotional expressions certainly include happiness, sadness, excitement, and anger. Therefore, the cat’s purring should be analyzed based on the specific situation at that time. If it is when you come back from get off work, maybe the cat is hungry. If your cat purrs while resting on your lap, it’s a treat and a kindness to you. If a strange cat comes to your home, the cat’s purring is a kind of fear or warning!

The three most important things in a cat’s life are eating, sleeping, and licking its fur, and half of the time is spent licking its fur. So for cats, licking their fur is an important thing. Licking isn’t just about cleaning yourself, it’s also a friendly gesture or a pastime in a safe environment.
1. Licking should only be done in a completely relaxed and absolutely safe environment. If the new cat starts licking its fur after arriving home, it means that it has put down its guard against this place and begun to accept this “home” from the heart.
2. Cats not only lick themselves, but also lick their own kind, such as mothers to their children, cats they admire, and good friends. If the cat licks the owner’s hand while licking its fur, it means that it trusts the owner very much, which is a sign of friendliness. You must know that cats are not happy with cats or humans that they don’t like, let alone if they lick you, even if you touch them, they will not be happy, or even approach them! Therefore, the cat licking your hand means that it has boarded the boat of friendship with you, so just have fun!
3. Another psychological interpretation of cats licking each other’s fur: a status symbol! Because animals in the wild have a very strong sense of territory, and territorial possession is basically based on the smell of markings, so there is a kind of licking that is a symbol of status. For example, when a high-status licks a low-status team member, it means “you will be here in the future.” He is my little brother.” So licking the cat’s hand is equivalent to announcing to you, “From now on, you are mine, and there can be no other cats.” Congratulations on your glorious capture by a cat. ‘
In my opinion, cats have very rich emotions. The difference is that they like to express them through body language. Therefore, if you want to become friends with cats, you must learn to interpret their emotions, correctly judge the cat’s kindness towards you, and interact with the cat at the right time, which can make the cat more attached to you.