by Nomi Berger
Does your kitty put her paw on your mouth? Have you ever paw-ndered the reasons behind this behavior? If so, consider the following explanations.
Affection: Blissfully unaware of “invading” your personal space, your cat may be putting her paw on your face as a show of true and tender affection. It’s one way of getting as close to your body as possible (faces and chests are also feline favorites), and because you use your mouth when talking to her, consider it the equivalent of a seal of approval, or in cat-speak: all paws up in acknowledgment.
Attention: If you aren’t paying enough attention to your cat, she may place her paw very strategically on your mouth: purr-haps as her way of asking you to “listen” to her silent request. If this gesture inadvertently achieved positive results in the past, it’s likely she’s learned that putting her paw on your mouth is the best way to get your attention: whether she wants an empty food bowl re-filled or she wants to cuddle up with you and take a nap.
Comfort: Should your kitty companion be nestling cozily against your chest and putting her paw on your mouth, accept this as a coveted and highly desired sign of comfort on her part, particularly if she punctuates it by purr, purr, purring.
Playfulness: If your favorite feline is feeling especially frisky, she might crawl up on you and put her paw on your mouth as her way of enticing you to play with her. Should her eyes be dilated, her tail whipping around and/or her body tensing, grab her favorite wand toy, a feather teaser or a laser pointer and allow her to romp and frolic through the room to constructively burn off some of her excess energy.
Trust: When your cherished cat puts her paw on your mouth, this is not only a very intimate action but one that demonstrates how much she trusts and adores you with every feline fiber of her being.
And yet … Your mouth is an entryway to your digestive system with links to your respiratory system. What then, does this mean? It means that your cat’s paw is capable of transmitting various kinds of bacteria, fungi and viruses into your body. And although she may appear to be as fresh as the proverbial daisy, in reality, as she makes her way through her litter box, she often comes in contact with her own urine and feces.
In short, by putting her paw on your mouth, she’s depositing tiny eggs there carrying anything from e. coli and parasites to salmonella that can be transmitted into your system and infect you. To prevent this from happening, it’s essential to keep up with routine parasite prevention. But, even if you do, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and keep your precious puss from putting her paw on your mouth.
