Questions?

[I Love Simba]

I got some questions for you all and here they are.
Why do cats look at you and lick their lips after you give them treats? Is it their way of thanking you or is it their way of saying give me more? Just curious because Simba does this and I would like to understand him better. Thanks in advance any replies.:?

[babycakes]

I find if Denis has had something really tasty he goes into a full on wash, the whole face etc gets done throughly so I know he enjoyed the meal. But I haven't had him lick his lips after something tasty I have had him wink though

[yola]

Have you tried the slow wink back at them? It really throws them! I tried it and the cats refused to make eye contact with me for days afterwards! Not sure what it means.

But yes, after feeding treats there is a lot of face washing . . . I think it's something to do with contentment, but I couldn't be sure.

[babycakes]

Yes Yola Denis actually loves it. If I wink he winks back and then if he winks first and I wink back he winks again. I have caught him wink once or twice at OH but not as often.

I love watching cats wash though it really fascinates me

[Catswhiskas]

Cats are meant to wash after meals as they are mimicking the actions of their larger, wild cousins. In the wild, cats would kill to eat. The licking after a meal or treat is all to do with cleaning up after a kill and meal.

Don't quote me as gospel, but that is what I saw on a TV show! :D

[angieh]

Makes a lot of sense IMO Catwhiskas! Especially in a climate where all sorts of bugs would home in on bits of whatnot around the face!

Merlin also responds to the slow wink - if he does it first and I do it, he does it again. But if I do it first he doesn't always respond. I understood it to be a non-confrontational sign.

[meep]

I would agree with the washing thing. My two, when they've had an extra special treat, lick their paws, face, ears and front for a good 10 minutes after. I think it's mimcking the clean up after a kill, from which there'd be lots of blood!

Also, Yola, I've been told the slow-blink think is a cat way of saying "I love you!" All my cats in the past have done it whilst purring, or when they're extra especially affectionate. I do it back and they'll do it back to me :) I think it's good to do it back!

Maybe yours got spooked by you doing it back as they thought "no, the human has broken the secret cat code! she knows what it means?!"

[dandysmom]

I must do something wrong! I read about the slow blink years ago when I first got my Siamese, and none, none! of mine have ever blinked back......

[meep]

Awh DM! To be honest, sometimes my don't. It's 50 / 50. My beloved girl at home, Sophie, who is very attached to me and I've had for 8 years or so does blink back but only when she's in an uber purring, head bunting, claw digging mood. Darcy has only just started blinking back. But even if he slow blinks at me once and I slow blink back he'll sometimes just keep staring at me and purring but I take that as a sign that he knows I love him too ;)

Don't dispair DH, even if they don't blink back they know you love them!

[Phoenix]

Cats lick their lips when they have just had something very nice to eat.