A Feline Fascination Explained

Have you noticed that your cat likes to share everything you touch?  If you are a cat parent, then you might have experienced it. At times, one has to police cats to keep them off the table, away from any dishes to be used or have been used, glasses to plates, napkins to cutlery, cats have an uncanny way of turning the dining room into their personal taste-testing adventure. In this regard, Alix Hallman Travis has shared through an illustration within the pages of her book, “My Life With Cats, Cats, and Cats,” how one of her felines named Huckey decided the milk jug was his to enjoyYou can imagine his delight to find it just left for him!   Is it curiosity or something more profound?

The old saying “curiosity killed the cat” speaks to the inquisitive nature of our feline friends. Cats are natural explorers, always investigating their environment, and their tongues are one way they gather information. Licking is part of how they experience the world.

Just like we touch or smell things to understand them, cats often lick objects to explore new textures, scents, or even remnants of food. If there’s a trace of flavor on a plate or a whiff of something interesting on a napkin, your cat’s instinct is to taste it. To them, the table is not just where humans eat—it’s a wonderland of new experiences waiting to be discovered.

Ever noticed your cat sneaking in to lick a plate long after dinner’s over? Cats are particularly sensitive to smell, and even the faintest aroma of food can trigger their licking behavior. When we leave the table, the leftover scents linger, and for your cat, it’s an open invitation to investigate.

The scent of food—or anything that was once food—will pique their interest. A crumb barely visible on a plate? A jug of milk left from coffee?  To us, it might seem insignificant, but to a cat, it’s a potential treasure worth licking. Even if it means you cleaning up the shards and spilled milk all over the floor.

Cats are also fascinated by different textures, and tabletops offer a variety of them. Whether it’s the cool, smooth surface of a glass or the slightly rough texture of a ceramic plate, cats love to feel these textures with their tongues. Licking allows them to engage their senses in a tactile way. If your cat licks something smooth, like water in a glass or a metal fork, it may be because the sensation is enjoyable. Sometimes, a cat licking things on the table is a clever way of getting your attention. Cats are smart, and they quickly figure out what behaviors make their humans respond. If your cat notices that licking your dinner plate gets a reaction—whether it’s you laughing, scolding, or shooing them away—they might do it again just to see what you’ll do.

Also, according to experts, this behavior can be especially common when cats feel like they’re not getting enough attention. If you’re too busy saying goodbye to guests or working at your desk and ignoring your furry friend, they might start licking random objects to break the monotony and grab your focus. It’s as if they’re saying, “Hey, look at me!”

Table surfaces, often warm from food or your presence, may provide a sense of comfort. In licking, cats may find solace, calming themselves with a familiar and reassuring activity.

At the end of the day, cats are complex creatures, and their table-licking tendencies are just another part of their quirky behavior. To a cat, the world of taste is far more subjective, and your tabletop might be the perfect place to enjoy their flavorful (or flavourless) adventures.

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