Why does my cat lick me when I'm petting her belly? Is it affection?

It's hard to know exactly why a cat does this, but it is thought that some cats behave this way because they are enjoying the sensation of being petted. It could also be that Cleo has some skin related issues, such as allergies or external parasites, and petting her almost attending to an itch she forgot to itch. If Cleo doesn't have any problems with skin allergies or fleas and mites, then she is likely reacting this way because she enjoys the petting.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She may like the taste (saltiness) of your skin or she is grooming you like she would another cat. Excessive licking, more so in dogs, can be a sign of nausea. If she is eating, not vomiting and having normal stools I wouldn't read too much in to it. I would limit the behavior though. Cat bites can spread bacteria, but if there are not wounds or breaks in your skin you should be fine. Just wash your hands after. Have a good day

Hello. Having had many, many cats, I can tell you this is probably a sign of affection, or she is trying to tell you to hurry up with dinner. Either way, I would discourage this a bit by just turning your back on her when reaching for her dish. She may not mean to, but she could inadvertently scratch or snag you with a claw. But this is definitely not an aggressive thing she is doing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Some cats can be "love biters" in which they will gently nibble or chew on you without actually biting or acting in an aggressive manner (and it isn't aggression!) This can be a sign of affection in some cats, and it sounds like your cat may be trying to get your attention for more cuddles and pets! (My cat does this too, especially if I haven't been petting her enough or she wants to snuggle.) If, however, his ears are flat, body stiff, and he's trying to get away when biting, then that is a sign that he may be overstimulated and needs some time to himself.

Hello Adora! Congrats on your new kitten! Latte is licking you because she is showing affection to you. She's letting you know that she likes you, it has nothing to do with mistaking you for her mother. This is a normal behavior, and not something that I would be concerned about with her. At this age, I would be sure to be feeding her a high quality kitten food. Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. Make sure she gets lots of love and attention from you, and play with her on a daily basis. Also make sure she is up to date on her vaccines, and put her on flea treatment and deworming treatment. I would recommend having her seen by a vet for a health check. I hope this helps!

It sounds like this may be a soothing technique that he continued from kitten hood. The comfort he obtains may be similar to nursing. If you don’t want this behavior to continue then every time he starts I would remove yourself from the situation. Overtime it will become less and less. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

If she is licking you more often when she is in heat, then it's possible that spaying her could help with the behavior. If Samantha licks year round, then it's possible that she does have some stress or anxiety, or she may simply be an affectionate cat. 10-20 minutes of grooming herself or her brother doesn't seem particularly unusual to me and I wouldn't necessarily think this is an indication of stress or anxiety unless she is also showing other signs of being upset like pinning ears, running and hiding, or swishing her tail. You could always try a pheromone diffuser like Feliway to help with anxiety.