Fascinating Feline Behavior: Why All the Licking?!
I run across the "darndest" questions while helping cat owners on a popular question and answer website in a cat community. A few days ago I almost fell off my chair giggling when I found this rather unique inquiry by a cat owner who wanted help with his kitty's apparently odd behavior. It sure caught my eye!
The subject line read: "What's up with my cat's tongue fetish?" The question was: "The little freak licks anything and everything. Sometimes she's going after moisture; licking the sides of the sink, bathtub and the condensation off the outsides of drink glasses. (Yes, we keep her water bowl full.) She licks other things as well. She licks me. I've caught her licking the sticky tape on the lint roller several times. But her very favorite thing to lick is the television remote control. She's positively obsessed with that. I'm guessing she likes the hand sweat on it. What's up with my freaky kitty?"
Memories of our beloved now angel-seal point Siamese cat washed over me, and even through my laughter, I could not help reminiscing with some sorrow that still remains following the loss of our amazing seal point Siamese several years ago. He behaved almost identically.
I paused for a few moments remembering our wonderful cat and the joy that we shared with him for far too short a time. He passed away after a long and complicated illness when he was only 8-years-of-age; far too young and much too soon. He was indeed my soul-mate kitty.
Then I cleared my throat and wrote this reply.
Photo: Mousie Tongue by Jo Singer
"Several years ago we shared our heart and home with a Siamese cat named Mousie Tongue. He received that name when my husband and I observed that every time we touched him his very long and active tongue became activated, as if we had pushed a button on a battery powered toy. Of course we named him as a play on words and a pun on Chairman Mao Zedong. Mousie Tongue licked almost anything if he was petted.
Every time our kitty was touched by a human hand, his tongue immediately got busy.
It didn't seem to matter what the target was. In fact, one particularly poignant moment stands out in my mind. A now very dear cat loving friend was visiting me for the first time. She was wearing a low cut dress. The second she began petting him, that long and highly active tongue was out and moving in the blink of an eye. He immediately aimed for her cleavage and, trust me, he never missed his mark. Fortunately my friend thought it quite amusing. We still recall that moment with great affection.
This said, I suspect your TV remote is impregnated with your scent making it attractive. Her licking you may be what she considers "grooming you"; a strong show of affection and trust". This is an honor!
Of course I would be careful to thoroughly cat-proof anything that may be in reach of her eager tongue to ensure her safety. Cat's tongues are covered with barbs so once any soft material gets caught on it, they cannot spit it out. It is then on its one-way trip down into the stomach and may cause intestinal damage.
Also please be cautious with beverages that contain caffeine or chocolate if she is eager to lick the outside of glasses. These are both toxic to felines. Your cat is not a "little freak". Many cats share this passion and "fetish" so enjoy her just the way she is.
Do your cats have any bizarre habits that you consider "fetishes"? Leave a comment and share.
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Comments (8)
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Pet-Rescuer October 6, 2009 4:28 PM
One of our cats, Gretta, loves to rub her head on us, specifically her head to one of our heads. She will walk along the back of the couch each night, going back and forth between us. We affectionately call her "fuzzy bonk", and she just loves to mark us as her own!
Donna October 6, 2009 4:40 PM
Heyyy...My mouse licks me, licks my sweatshirt (especially when they have vinyl writing on them...and little mousey tongue is what wakes me up every morning. Think he's related to your mousie?
jmuhj October 6, 2009 4:53 PM
My own beloved little angel, Koala Naomi, had a definitely licking fetish. She, too, left far too soon, of FIP. ;(
Your Mousie Tongue was ADORABLE, Jo! I see he has the crossed eyes some meezers have. My late mom's beloved sealpoint male had 'em, too. He was quite a guy, and we loved hearing her stories of his antics.
Sheila October 6, 2009 6:17 PM
Just this past weekend, I began taking care of a kitty whose mom is having severe health problems...so severe I may end up with Fluffy for the rest of her life. I haven't had a cat for several years, so I am "licking" up all the attention she and her tongue give me and my things! By the way, the family says that Fluffy is over 20 years old! She is in good health--a little thin--and still likes to pester and play! I am really enjoying my new roomie and hope to keep her healthy for many more years!
Rani October 6, 2009 10:04 PM
I remember Mousie Tongue very well! The first time I met you, I also met Mousie. He jumped onto my lap (an unusual thing for him to do with a stranger, I later learned), stuck his head into the bodice of my blouse, and began licking my cleavage! I have never had a cat do THAT before!
Baby drinks a sip or two of my herbal tea, but only if it's sweetened. And like most Ragamuffins, he chews on plastic. Rao doesn't have any quirks I can think of. That's about the extent of the quirks of my current feline-owners.
Laura October 7, 2009 8:44 AM
Hahaha! I just had to laugh while reading this. My first cat angel Penelope was a "licker". She never went for inanimate objects, but she would lick my husband and me to no end. Her favorite spot was my "elbow pit" and that's how she awakened me every morning. Being a sound sleeper, I often woke up with a rash in that spot because she had been licking me non-stop there for a long time before she managed to wake me. I miss dear Penelope, morning rashes and all!
Amy October 7, 2009 10:08 AM
I think this is a cats way of picking up scents and leaving theirs on everything they think they own. I have a cat that drools like crazy when she is pet, she just adores attention.
missa November 12, 2009 5:56 AM
OK has anyone heard of this one? My year and a half female longhair, Bebbe is freaking us out with her latest crazy behavior. When she visits her little box (each cat has their own) she does her business but then proceeds to scratch for over five minutes or until we tell her "enough". Either way she tears off into a dead run all over the apartment for another five minutes...jumping, leaping, bouncing...like she's being chased by a pack of wild dogs. Then she runs back to her litter box...sticks her head inside again scratches a few more times and then runs under a piece of furniture. OK, I admit it's hilarious but is there something more going on? Her Box is scooped every day and our other cat, Zoe wont go near Bebbe's so I don't think she's been using it on the sly.