Is this weird or what: my new kitten wants to lick my teeth.

[Fridays Child]

We recently brought home two feral kittens--sisters, four to five months old. They've been spayed and they're in good health. But they're very shy and skittish, so I'm acclimating them by keeping them in my bedroom until they start to relax and feel secure about their new surroundings. Then, I'll let them get acquainted with the rest of the menagerie.

In the meantime, they've begun to come out from hiding under my bed, and the more social of the two seems to be obsessed with nosing her way into my mouth and trying to lick my teeth. It's the strangest thing.

She's very sweet about it, not mean or aggressive in a bad way, but she's utterly persistent. And it's not toothpaste or mouthwash that she's after. She does this no matter what the condition of my mouth is. In fact, she seems to like my teeth the best when they're at their worst, in other words, right after I wake up in the morning.

Has anybody ever heard of a cat who licks teeth? I'm wondering if she has a deficiency of some sort.

[Fridays Child]

1. Uh...maybe a picture would help.

Little toothlicker is at the back of the kennel.

[kittykatkoffeekup]

2. This is the best I can find

http://www.vetinfo.com/catchew.html

Sorry.:shrug:

I've never heard of this.

[Fridays Child]

3. It is very odd, huh? Maybe she was...

...a dental hygienist in her last life. :shrug: It doesn't harm anything, and if I keep my mouth closed, she'll just lick around my mouth and on my cheeks. I'll have to ask the vet about it. Maybe he's seen this before.

[Tom Kitten]

4. have they eaten fish already?

maybe they're already spoiled and looking for a little tartar sauce? :7

[Fridays Child]

5. You're so funny...

...you deserve a plaque. :D

[Tom Kitten]

6. I have lots of plaques !

What limits of de cavity are you willing to explore?

( I love bad puns)

[Fridays Child]

8. Yes, you do!

So do I. ;)

[fleabert]

7. I had four ferals for a while, and one of them LOVED to lick my nose and

mouth... I am talking IN and around my nose and mouth. it was hilarious. She would sneak attack me. and I had them from about three weeks of age until about three months old.

I have no clue why he did this, but you are not alone. here he is, cotton:


I miss them all!

[Fridays Child]

9. What a little sweety!

:)

[Lisa0825]

11. what a SWEETIE!!!!

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

I have a foster kitty that licks my nose and lips. I got him at around 6 or 7 weeks old. At first, it was just lick lick lick, and then she'd roll over for a belly rub. I thought it was a cute kitty kiss. But NOW, he wants to lick my frickin' nose raw! And he wakes me up at 3 or 4 am with it too!

[RedCloud]

10. Careful, it's a ploy!

Once you get too comfy with it, she will strike out.

It's self defense and aimed entirely at your canines!

[MountainLaurel]

12. It's how they learn what to eat

This is standard cat behavior, even in big cats like lions and panthers. Kittens sniff the breath and lick the mouths of their parents to learn what food they're supposed to eat.

[Pithlet]

13. Aha. My cat likes to lick my lips after I've eaten.

Now I know why :)

[Fridays Child]

15. No kidding?

That makes sense. I wonder if this kitty didn't get to do that part with her mama. Or, maybe, it's just a behavior she's carried over permanently from early kittenhood. It's adorable if not exactly sanitary.

[hopein08]

14. My cat always tried to fit her head into my mouth whenever...

I had just eaten something minty. At Christmas my sister and I would eat pieces of candy canes and see if she'd be interested and she usually was.

Maybe it depends on what was last in your mouth.

My cat had the biggest sweet tooth. If we left a bag of cookies with cream in the middle on the table she'd scratch the big open and lick the middle out of the cookies. She also ate a bag of cotton candy that I left out.

[xmas74]

16. Maybe it's like the way our dog wants to sniff my daughter's mouth.

She's just checking out what you ate.