Last Updated: 4 months ago
Do you wonder if it’s okay to kiss a cat when you pick her up for a cuddling session?
Alternatively, you may wish to know whether Kitty interprets your affectionate kisses as such.
Then I’ve got you covered. Read on to find out the answers!
Is It Ok to Kiss Your Cat?
Yes, it’s generally safe to kiss your cat. However, be mindful of their comfort and body language, and avoid forcing affection.
We would say that there is nothing improper about pecking your cat on the head to demonstrate your affection for her.
However, you should keep in mind that some risks do exist, especially if you kiss your pet on the lips. It mostly depends on the health status of your pets.
So, let’s see what’s the worst that can happen if you kiss a cat.
Risks of Kissing a Cat
The good news is that cats and humans are two different species.
In medical terms, this means that you can’t catch diseases that are specific to the cat family. So, you don’t have to worry about cat flu or cat HIV.
However, certain diseases pass the species barrier. We call them zoonotic diseases, and as such, they could be potentially dangerous for you.
For example:
- Parasites such as toxoplasmosis, which is transmitted through feces,
- Ringworm is a highly contagious fungal infection that is easily treatable but stubborn.
- Some common bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and E. coli
- Cat scratch fever, transmitted through scratches and bites
- Rabies is a fatal viral infection spread through the saliva.
If we have to be honest, it’s doubtful that you’ll contact something from your cat as long as you keep excellent hygiene and have a strong immune system.
To minimize your chances of contracting a disease, you mustn’t forget to deworm Kitty regularly and make sure that she is up-to-date on her vaccinations.
Who Should Avoid Kissing Cats?
We have experienced numerous cat scratches without any infections or complications. However, we’ve come across stories of individuals who fell seriously ill after a seemingly innocuous cat scratch.
To some, it might sound too far-fetched, but certain groups of people are at high risk when they interact with an animal.
We’re talking about:
- People with a weak immune system because they don’t fight off infections easily
- Very young children with an undeveloped immune system
- Pregnant women due to their chances of contracting toxoplasmosis.
Don’t get us wrong. It’s an excellent idea to raise children with pets because it strengthens their immune systems.
Researchers have also proven that the more you expose your child to pets, the less likely the child is to have allergies later in life.
However, very young children have a weak immune system, which won’t be able to fight off some bacteria your cat might carry.
Toxoplasmosis is also not life-threatening for adults, but it’s dangerous for unborn babies.
It might result in a miscarriage or a baby born with serious complications like vision problems and delayed development. So, avoid the cat’s litter box as much as possible.
Kissing Your Cat on The Lips
We all love our cats with our whole hearts, but we wouldn’t ever kiss them on the lips.
It is more appropriate to kiss her on the top of the head and bump noses with her, but lip kissing is too much.
We don’t find it gross, but the germaphobe inside me says that it’s unhygienic. We know that a lot of cat owners won’t agree with us, and we won’t argue. But we want to mention something.
A cat’s mouth is not cleaner than a human’s. Cats are predators, and even when they live inside full-time, they catch various bugs and insects that have crawled inside your houses.
So, Kitty’s mouth is full of bacteria that might be harmful to you in the long run.
Not to mention that the cat licks itself everywhere (you know what I mean), and a lot of parasites are spread through feces.
Kisses As a Sign of Affection
Cats demonstrate affection for people they love in many ways.
They rub against our legs, give us head bumps, or playfully bite us during playtime.
Sometimes they even groom you by licking your hair or hands. Grooming is a big sign of trust because felines groom each other only when they feel deeply connected.
And kisses are not so different from a cat licking another cat. So, we would say that cats do know that we’re showing affection when we kiss them. However, they prefer to give us “cat kisses.”
A cat kiss is when a cat looks at you and slowly blinks. That’s their equivalent of our “I love you” kisses. Blink slowly back at Kitty, and she will know that you care about her.
Wrap-Up
The bottom line is that kissing a cat won’t get you sick unless you have a compromised immune system.
So, as long as you and your cat have a clean bill of health, feel free to enjoy kissing Kitty and showering her with affection as much as you want.
What do you think about the subject? Is it OK to kiss your cat? Do you kiss your pet or show your affection differently? Tell us in the comments.
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Olfa knows how to get things done and has a keen business sense that others admire. She’s always on the go, coming up with new ideas! Her ability to anticipate the needs of her readers and deliver information that they want is what makes CatVills such a success. She loves cuddling her cat Picaciu. He is her inspiration.
