To be safe, avoid kissing your cat on the lips. A peck on the head is just as affectionate and carries far less chance of disease. To ensure your cat's oral hygiene, you might consider regularly brushing your cat's teeth or administering mouth wash. Your vet will be able to advise on the best ways to do this.
It depends on the cat.
Some cats are socialized as kittens to be held and kissed, while others haven't had that exposure and might be put off by a kiss as an expression of love. So, some cats like it and some cats don't—but there are ways of detecting the category into which your feline friend falls.
Guidelines for Kissing Cats
Most cats will allow a peck on the head from their beloved humans. However, some don't like it, and you should respect that. If your cat moves away from your kisses, puts his ears back, or hisses or swats at you, don't use kisses to show him you love him.
“It's ok [to kiss your cat] as long as both owner and cat are medically healthy and the cat is well socialised and used to this level of contact from you,” said Nicky Trevorrow, behaviour manager at Cats Protection.
It's a form of affection, and they take it as such. Probably helps if you do it to them a lot when they're kittens, but not an absolute. I've lived with a few cats that like this, and others that absolutely don't. It's a form of affection, and they take it as such.
What does it mean? "Your cat is most likely staring at you while crying because they're trying to make sense of what they see and hear," McGowan says. Your cat might not understand human crying, but she'll gather as many clues as she can and use them to adjust her behavior.
However, it is not advised that you kiss a cat who is sick, nor do I recommend kissing cats on the lips. Many diseases can be passed on from cats to humans (zoonotic). Cats and humans can become infected with common bacteria such as Pasteurella, staphylococcus, E-Coli and salmonella. All of which are highly contagious.
Cats only make eye contact with people they like and are even known to make 'eye kisses'! This is when a cat will stare with half closed eyelids and slowly blink, repeatedly. It's a gesture that can be reciprocated, so if you notice your cat giving you a 'kiss', why not give them one in return?
Zoonotic diseases that your cat can pass onto you through kissing include cat scratch fever, the fungal infection ringworm, highly contagious common bacteria like E-coli and salmonella, and nasty parasites such as toxoplasmosis.
According to the experts, cats do not understand smiles and frowns independently, but they fully understand strong human emotions when expressed in more than one dimension — more due to the tone of voice than facial expressions. So, unlike interacting with dogs, smiling is not an effective way to connect with a cat.
Meowing at cats allows one to mock them but on a level that they can appreciate. However, I have to acknowledge that all cats are different. Some will walk away once they realise it was a human meowing, others will interrupt immediately with an angry meow, while others will join in the meowing.
Cats Recognize Their Own Names—Even If They Choose to Ignore Them. Cats are notorious for their indifference to humans: almost any owner will testify to how readily these animals ignore us when we call them. But a new study indicates domestic cats do recognize their own names—even if they walk away when they hear them.
A cat who chooses to sleep on or close to you is showing their love and trust in you. Even if they choose to lie just out of reach for petting, this means that they feel safe and trust that you will protect them, or they will protect you if danger appears. Cats show love in many ways.
According to a recent study, cats will blast the cuteness level up to 100 if they think it will get them an early, or more hearty meal. Cats know they're cute, and they know that you love when they're cute, and they use their feline wiles to lure you into forking over some extra yum yums.
Can cats sense emotions? Cats can sense how people are feeling, so your cat actually can tell when you're sad. “Cats can definitely sense when you are sad because they are highly attuned to your normal behaviors and moods, and if there is a change, they sense it,” Dr. Wooten told The Dodo.
They bite their fur when getting rid of tangles and lick after so that they can be as clean and soft as possible. If your cat licks and bites you repetitively and seemingly with intent, then fear not, your are being groomed. This is a part of normal cat interaction and often happens among siblings and preferred humans.
When your cat sticks her tush in your face, what she's really doing is simply asking for attention and affirmation. When you pet your cat, she regards that as an act of being social and affectionate. So, sticking her bum right up in your space is a way of saying, “hey! Look at me!
Cats carry bacteria in their mouths, which can lead to local or systemic infection if a cat licks an open wound. Immunocompromised people are most at risk. Acquiring a disease from your cat is very rare, but to be safe, don't let your cat lick your face or any cuts on your skin.
Regardless of how regal they may seem, cats can carry worms and kissing your pet on their fur or head can lead to the transfer of worms to people.
An animal that escapes or looks fine when rescued from a cat's mouth still needs immediate attention and application of an antibiotic from a veterinarian or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Cat saliva is deadly, so in spite of the antibiotics, many of these animals will die.
After several years, they can still remember people, places and events from the past. So maybe next time you find your cat staring blankly at a wall or closet, it may be possible that she is thinking of the past and replaying it over and over again.
If your cat sleeps on your bed, he may choose a position that lets him see out your bedroom door more easily. If he's curled up in a ball under your bed or in a quiet corner, then he may be hiding. Cats who sleep under the covers might love being close to you, or they might be hiding to feel safer.
Ears flattened back against the head and slightly sticking out—”like airplane wings”—are a sure indicator your cat is upset, Shojai says. Don't worry too much but do keep your distance. “An all-out attack toward people isn't terribly common and, when it happens, may actually be a redirected aggression,” she explains.