A Kitty Lick Is A Gift One Should Accept

There’s nothing quite like getting licked by a cat.

Their sandpapery little tongues scrape as much as caress. It’s a bit like having a snail wearing golf shoes walk across your hand or cheek.

But still it feels like a gift.

I don’t know what those ever-increasing numbers of “How to Interpret Your Cat’s Behavior” books have to say about it. And to tell the truth, I don’t really care.

When a cat gives you a little lick, the thing to do is accept the compliment and say “Thank you.”

OK, maybe felines licking someone aren’t always thinking, “You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar - I salute you.”

Maybe they’re thinking…

1. “Your mother didn’t teach you the first thing about grooming, did she?”

2. “Fill my food bowl now.”

3. “What on earth is the source of that ungodly smell you seem to be giving off?”

4. “Maybe if I can peel back this skin, I’ll find some meat.”

5. “Hmmmm. Tastes like cod but it’s too big.”

6. “Got milk?”

No one really knows for sure. All we can do is observe feline behavior and make guesses. That’s because the only true experts, the cats, aren’t saying.

But I think cats lick you to show their approval of your presence.

OK, that’s a pretty self-serving interpretation. I’ll admit it.

A cat licked my hand the other day. And I want to believe she was saying she likes me. Heaven knows, I’ve told her often enough that I like her.

I don’t know her name or even where she lives. But I see her outside in the neighborhood several times a week.

She appears to be well-fed. And because she is allowed to roam freely in an area with a fair amount of car traffic, I’ll probably see her lying dead in the street one of these days.

But until then, I’ll make a point of reminding her that she is a good kitty.

She lets me pat her on the head and gently tug her tail. And her meows are always calm and conversational, never stressed.

OK, I’ve given her a few snacks - a little salmon, a few bits of roast beef. You know. But I refuse to believe that this is the sole basis for our relationship.

A few days ago, I was kneeling beside her and stroking her back when she turned her furry head toward my hand. For a tiny fraction of a second, I wondered if I was about to get munched.

But then she stuck out her pink little tongue and gave my hand a lick. Then another. And another.

I’m allergic to cats. And feline saliva is something I’m better off avoiding.

But I never even considered moving my hand.