Is it safe to kiss my cat?
Answer: Maybe
Kissing makes you feel good
Kissing is a human thing and it makes you feel good but cats hate it. Look at the cats above. The one being kissed has its eyes closed (right), not because it is in ecstasy but because it’s protecting its eyes. The rest of the cats above are saying something else. From left to right the open mouth means 1. get out of my face before I bite you, 2. big yawn (silent) means sleepy, 3. big meow means “I’m starving.”
You can figure out what the silent stare of the remaining three cats means.
Read about Anthropomorphism on our page about Humans. It’s the attribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviors to animals. Let them be animals and use your intellectual abilities to try to understand what motivates your cat(s).
Head Bumping
Watch your cat around other cats. When they bump heads it’s a way to signal that everything is OK between them, that there will be no conflict and no fear. Then see if your cat has the courage to give you a bump – just a quick bump, not a long soul searching kiss.
Eye Contact
Look at this guy. His direct stare says there is going to be a fight.
If your cat looks at you like this, it’s time to leave him alone. If you are really a mean person, you can try to stare him down as cats do to prove who’s the boss. Don’t take any pleasure if you win. You become alpha-cat and he will avoid you.
Rather than stare him down, try blinking often and looking away. Prove that you are not a threat. Usually the cat will just walk away and not play Human mind games.
You can understand why being looked at is uncomfortable for your cat. When cats hunt live creatures like mice or grasshoppers for food, they stare intently at their prey. They advance slowly, then suddenly pounce on the unsuspecting creature and kill it. When you stare at your cat, she becomes the prey. That’s the time to sneak away.
If you are fortunate to be able to raise a kitten around other cats, watch how the kitten plays at hunting other cats, or even other animals like a friendly dog. It stalks the unsuspecting victim and pounces. It’s a play pounce. No blood.
The hunting instinct is strong and staring at the prey is part of hunting.
Respect your cat’s nature and she may reward you with a dead mouse if she is allowed outside to roam and hunt.
Now, is it safe to kiss my cat?
That’s still a maybe.
We need to talk about indoor cats, outdoor cats, and visiting the cat doctor, aka veterinarian.
Knowing that your cat will not enjoy it should be enough reason not to kiss him. But when overcome by human emotion at seeing the beautiful 
mouse he just dropped at your feet, you scoop him up in your arms, squeeze (hug) him and give him a big kiss on the mouth that just dropped the mouse.
Realistically nobody kisses a cat on its tiny cat mouth with all those seriously sharp cat teeth lurking just beneath the thin cat lips. People kiss cats on the top of their heads. They bury their faces in the fur, usually trying to stay away from what is known as the caudal end of the cat.
Why do some very friendly cats present their caudal ends to you, presumably to kiss or whatever humans do in situations like this? Experts say it a sign of trust.
Indoor Cats
OK. Kiss your indoor cat.
Indoor cats generally have had their claws trimmed, bathed, fleas controlled, immunizations up-to-date, and have become accustomed to and are not afraid of their Human benefactors.
Your immune system has adapted to the normal bacteria that your cats have unwittingly shared with you. Unless you are experiencing an immune problem, kissing your cat won’t hurt you.
You may have trained the cat to enjoy your affection by kissing it and immediately giving it a favorite food. Yes, cats can be bribed just like dogs and people.
Outdoor Cats
Honestly outdoor cats are so complicated that we hesitate to express an opinion. But here we go…
Don’t confuse your outdoor cat with feral cats, although your outdoor cat undoubtedly will come into contact with feral cats. Feral cat colonies are not a serious risk to humans because their wild nature naturally limits their close contact with people.
Enlightened local authorities are now doing Trap-Neuter-Return programs instead of catch and kill to control feral cat colonies. You can read about it on Ally Cat Allies web site.
Your cat, however, will bring home a variety of disease that may be making the rounds through the colony.
Go ahead and kiss your cat when it comes home but maybe you should wait until you kill the fleas.
Cornell University’s Feline Health Center provides a list of potential diseases you can get from your outdoor cat but the risk is very low.
Transmission of cat diseases to humans is not a serious threat unless you suffer an injury like a cat scratch. Trim your cat’s nails every 2 weeks to reduce the sharp claws. Don’t cut too much, just the tips. Provide a scratching post to satisfy its instinctive urge to scratch.
The CDC reports that about 40% of cats carry the bacterium that causes cat scratch disease. Read about it on the CDC site.
Don’t let the cat scratch you or lick an open sore. Kittens are more likely to spread the bacterium to humans. To avoid problems, wash your hands well and frequently when handling your cat. Control fleas. Trim nails. Stay away from wild or stray cats.
If you pick up a stray cat, immediately control fleas and take the cat to a veterinarian for a checkup.
Veterinarian
Did you know there are veterinarians that treat only cats? In fact there is an American Association of Feline Practitioners.
In their AAFP Guidelines for 2022 Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is at the top of their list.
“First recognized over 50 years ago, feline infectious peritonitis has been one of the most important infectious diseases and causes of death in cats, especially affecting young cats less than two years old.”
Prevention is the best strategy. Treatment is a bit like Covid-19 in humans. Antivirals are available but they are expensive and not totally reliable. Ask your veterinarian if the vaccine is any good.
As deadly as FIP is, it is not the top disease in cats.
Top Five Diseases in Cats
- Feline Rabies – rabies is more common in cats than than any other domesticated animal in the United States. Fortunately there is an effective rabies vaccine for cats.
- Feline Distemper – distemper is highly contagious. It is is usually transmitted by contaminated food and water bowls, litter trays and clothing. Vaccination is imperative.
- Feline Renal Failure kills older cats. It can be managed through diet and medication but no immunization. Bad breath is one of the early signs, in addition to weight loss, dehydration, vomiting, and lethargy.
- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus(FIV) is primarily spread through bite wounds. To prevent FIV, keep your cat indoors and prevent fighting.
- Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is preventable by keeping your cat indoors, away from infected cats, and vaccinated starting at 8 weeks of age.
Cats are marvelous pets and deserve a good life by giving them immunizations, good food, shelter, and love, which may or may not include hugs and kisses.
