Why Does My Cat Lick My Hair?

While you are sitting with your cat and playing with it, it starts playing with your locks. It may even lick your hairs, and you have often wondered why does my cat lick my hair? Well, it can be merely a sign of affection, or your cat wants to play with your hair.

Owners who have strong bonds with their cat are likely to experience it. But most of the cat owners are confused about this behavior of their cat. They don’t know whether they should be concerned about it or not.

You don’t need to worry as we have compiled all the information in this article. Reading this will help you to know why cats lick your hair? Also, if this behavior of your cat is okay and what if it bites your hair? Stick to the end to get detailed information about it.

Why Does My Cat Lick My Hair?

Your cat can lick not only your hair but also your brows and beard. Often it is just a sign of affection or demanding attention from you. Your cat will also object if you move your head or do not keep it steady. Many Veterinarians say that it’s a sign of grooming. Your cat may want to groom you because it considers you as its companion.

However, sometimes, this behavior of cat licking your hair is not normal. There can be a social or physical issue with your cat. A cat’s emotional health is as important as its physical health. Therefore you have to look for some other strange behaviors of your cat to know if there is an issue with it.

There are different possible reasons why your cat might be licking your hair. Some of them are explained below;

1. Cat’s Affection Towards You

Cat licking your hair is simply a sign of love or grooming. Many cats lick hairs as a gesture that they are close to you. Moreover, it is also a sign for cats that they are happy and comfortable and considers you a part of their family.

2. Your Cat May In Love With Your Shampoo Or Conditioner

If your cat has started licking your hair all of a sudden, then there must be some other issue. Your cat may be attracted to the scent of the hair products that you are using. Your conditioner and shampoo can be attractive for your cat, and for this reason, it has started licking your hair.

However, there is one thing you need to worry about. Your cat is also ingesting the chemicals from it, which are harmful to your cat. These chemicals can make your cat sick; therefore, you need to stop it.

3. Cleaning Your Hair

Another reason why your cat licks your hair is for cleaning purposes. Your cat will lick your hair to remove any dirt or debris from your hair. Cats may consider your hair like fur. The reason is that your cat may find you as a part of its family and wants to do the same as it does with other cats.

4. Making You As Their Territory

Cats usually mark different things with their scent. Cats typically do this to keep the other cats away. The smell of some unfamiliar cat is a sign for your cat that it is someone’s territory. If your cat is licking your hairs or sleeps next to you means that it wants to make you a part of its territory.

Cat licks your hair so that they smell like the way your cat. It also means that your cat is protecting you and marking you as a part of its territory.

5. A Way Of Relieving Stress

Grooming is also a way of relieving stress for cats. It is just like as you get a relaxing massage when you are stressed. Similarly, your cat licks your hair to ease the stress.

6. Licking Hairs Is Maybe A Cat’s Instinct

Licking of hairs can be a cat’s instinct. Cats have a natural habit of cleaning themselves or other cats. They also lick their fur to get rid of any food particles after finishing their meal. Therefore, if your cat is licking your hair, it is just your cat’s instinct. You don’t need to worry about it.

7. Cat’s Concerns For Your Health

Your cat licks your hair as a way of showing its interest in your health. It licks your hair to clean the dirt or debris or if there is any object in your hair. Cats take care of each other in this way. Cats consider you as a part of their family, so they will also do the same with you.

Why Cat Only Licks Hair?

As mentioned above, if a cat has a strong bond with the owner, it will consider him as a part of its family. Cats take hairs as fur. Therefore they will most likely lick your hair. A cat may do it to clean them as it cleans its coat. Moreover, mother cats take care of their babies by cleaning their fur. Similarly, your cat will show concern for your health by licking your hair.

How To Stop This Behavior In Cats?

There are different ways to stop your cat from this behavior. If you do not like your cat licking your hair, you can do several things to stop it. These are

Do not pay attention to your cat if it is trying to lick your hair. Do not touch it and look at it. If you do not give the care your cat is demanding, it may help.

If you are sleeping and your cat is licking your hair, make sure to have a blanket for covering your hair. You can cover with it, and in this way, your cat will not lick your hair. But be careful in this matter because your cat may starts playing hide and seek.

If your cat is licking hai because of your hair products, you can change them. Try to use those products which have a citrus-like scent. Cats never like this scent, and they will stay away in this way.

Give your cat some frozen food so that it can lick it and do not pay attention to your hair.

Is It Okay For My Cat To Lick My Hair?

If your cat is licking your hair, it is entirely reasonable. It can be a sign of affection or grooming. Most of the cat owners who have strong bonds with their cats experience it. However, there are a few things about which you need to be careful. Firstly, make sure that your cat is no eating your hair because it can make it sick.

Secondly, also make sure if your cat has started licking your hairs after you have changed your hair products. The scent or flavor of your conditioner or shampoo can be attractive for your cat. However, your cat may also ingest different chemicals while licking your hair, which is not good. Therefore you have to be careful.

Why Does My Cat Bite My Hair?

There are different reasons why your cat bites your hair. It can merely be a sign of affection or grooming, or there can be severe health or behavioral issues, such as Pica Syndrome in cats. If this is simply because of attachment, your cat will not have any health-related issues. However, if you have noticed some health problems after your cat started licking your hair, it’s not healthy.

Hyperthyreosis is one of the diseases which are common in older cats. In this disease, a cat chews human hairs, and there are some other symptoms as well. You may notice a loss of weight or increased appetite. In this condition, you must consult your vet.

Why Does My Cat Knead My Hair?

Kneading is an automatic habit of cats. Cats move in and out their paws on a soft surface in a rhythmic motion. The reason why cats do this with your hairs can be a sign of stress relief. This is like a relaxing massage for your cat. It’s a sign of affection as well. Cat kneading your hair is also an indication that it wants to make you a part of its territory.

Final Words

“Why does my cat lick my hair,” a question asked by most of the cat owners. There are different reasons why your cat does this. It can be a sign of a strong bond between you and your cat, or maybe an expression that your cat cares about your health. It is entirely okay if your cat is licking your hairs except in a few conditions.

Make sure that your cat is not ingesting any chemicals of the hair products you are using. Also, cats should not bite your hair because it can make them sick.