Cats are generally aloof and mysterious, rarely opening their mouths except when foraging for food. However, at home, if you spend a lot of time with your cat, you'll notice that they often stick out their tongues and lick you. When you're left feeling sticky from their licks, have you ever wondered if this means cats, like dogs, enjoy licking people? 
Many cats routinely groom themselves for 10 minutes every night before bed, their barbed tongues licking their owners' faces until it burns uncomfortably. Some people worry about this, wondering if using this all-natural saliva mask could be corrosive to the face. Besides, all that licking is unhygienic, and their persistence is truly a headache.
However, cats don't lick everyone. In their world, they only lick each other's closest relatives. As pets, cats spend a long time with their families, gradually developing a deep bond. Sometimes, a cat licking its owner can be an expression of affection. Research shows that cats express true love and affection for their owners through their eyes, not their mouths. When a cat obediently squints its eyes at you, it means it trusts and depends on you. Of course, if a cat licks you, it might be trying to leave its scent on you so it can identify its owner later. So, if your cat likes to lick you, it means your cat loves you; it's a way for cats to show affection. Therefore, never stop your cat from licking you, or it will think you don't like it.
In the cat world, only cats with a good relationship will allow each other to groom. When a cat uses its tongue to "bathe" its owner and the dog, it's not because it thinks you're dirty, but because it's showing that in its little heart, you are the most trustworthy and lovable friends. This is a clear signal of affection. If you find this behavior difficult to accept, please gently refuse and don't easily hurt the cat's self-esteem.
Some cat researchers have pointed out that while some cats may lick their owners' hands or faces, or touch their noses to their lips, or lick their mouths like dogs do, this is simply a playful or grooming behavior among cats, much like how they might touch noses to each other. Of course, licking their owner also indicates that they consider the owner "one of their own."
As for the hygiene issue of cats licking people, owners need to be mindful of this themselves. Generally speaking, being licked by a cat is not a problem, as saliva has antibacterial and disinfecting properties. If your cat is healthy, there's nothing to worry about. However, if the cat licked something else before licking you, such as its rear end, then it depends on your preference. Also, cats have small barbs on their tongues, so being licked by them might not be very comfortable.
