Why does my cat lick herself right where I just petted her?

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

Your kitty is likely a nervous or stressed cat, especially if stressful events (new neighborhood cat, new boyfriend, new baby, mvoing, removing or adding furniture, new puppy , etc.) have happened before she started the excessive licking. This licking pattern would be typical for overgrooming. Your vet needs to rule out parasites, fungal and bacterial infections. If there is none of these then you can try to help your cat by removing anything stressful in the house that can be removed and placing Feliway dispensers in the areas she spends most of the time. Feliway is a pheromone that makes cats happy and takes away stress. You will need to do this for at least two months before you will see success. If this does not work, then your vet can do some medication trials to see whether she will stop the overgrooming.

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Havarti. It is good that you do not see any skin lesions. Increased licking or grooming can mean she is itchy. Many times this will lead to skin wounds or hair loss. If this is not the case, she could be nauseous. This can be demonstrated by increased licking, especially the carpet. Finally, licking can be a nervous habit. If her behavior continues, then I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

More than likely, it's a sign of affection. Callisto appreciates the scratches, and she is returning the favor. Cats lick each other as a sign of affection, and she's giving that to you! I hope this helps!

That could be the flehmen response. By transferring air containing pheromones and other scents to an organ called vomero-nasal-organ, your cat can gather chemical molecule (and so messages) to it and recognize intra specific and interspecific signs. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Sadie probably likes the taste of fresh water on your skin. Make sure she has access to fresh water, change it daily and consider a cat water fountain to circulate the water. My only other suggestion is to get dry and dressed more quickly!