Cats use fragrance to recognize and share scents with their closest companions. You’ll often see them lick their owners’ armpits, bury their noses in them, and wonder why.
Cats use their scent glands to identify unique aromatic IDs, similar to how we recognize faces. Sweaty clothes and armpits are enticing because of the strong human scent. If your cat likes you, they’re drawn to that aroma, finding your underarm both warm and cozy.
My cat sticks his face in my sweaty shirts and enjoys rolling around on my sweaty clothes. It signifies that a cat likes your smell and wants to mark you with their scent.
Cats’ faces are covered in scent glands. Strong smells attract cats because that’s their primary sense, and your armpit is full of aromas cats find attractive. Your smell is associated with protection, security, companionship, and family.
For many cats, the act of sniffing an armpit serves as a comfort mechanism, almost like a child hugging a security blanket that reminds them of home.
The apocrine sweat glands in your armpits create armpit sweat high in lipids and proteins, which cats are drawn to. The smell of fats and proteins is tasty to them, and they are attracted to it.
It’s fascinating to think that our body’s natural byproducts, which we often consider inconsequential, become a scent library for felines, each page telling them a different story about our day.
The cat is also scent-marking you in your armpit to deposit some of their smell. Theoretically, this hides some less desirable smell characteristics, although the information on this is mixed. It simply implies they like you. Your armpits are a source of your smell, and the cat prefers to be near them.
Why Do Some Cats Want to Lick Armpits?
Because our armpits are as close to the smell glands on cats’ heads as humans get, they mark other animals and us as a symbol of affection. They don’t understand why we don’t mark, and they are drawn to the scent of their relatives, even though they are of a different species.
Cats, for some reason, enjoy the taste of salt, and our armpit perspiration is abundant in fats and proteins, which cats enjoy. They may lick the armpit because they like the aroma of your sweat because of these fats and proteins.
Similarly, many cats try to get close to dirty clothes or parts of their humans that smell stronger. It’s part of an effort to create a collective aroma through exchanging odors.
If you are wearing the shirt while this occurs, the cat may believe you require grooming. Because your scent is strong, your cat often attempts to groom you. That doesn’t imply you stink to us humans, but the stench will be rather pungent to a cat’s acute nose.
When your cat approaches and takes that deliberate sniff, they’re not just being intrusive; they’re attempting to understand, connect, and communicate with you in one of the few ways they know how.
Additionally, your deodorant or antiperspirant may include something intriguing. However, it would help if you avoided having your cat lick deodorants for health reasons.
Why Do Cats Bury Faces in Armpits?
The warmth makes them feel more at ease. The cat likes you, finds your scent reassuring, and feels safe with you so that the cat might bury their face in the armpit.
Cats have scent-releasing glands on their faces. They rub their faces on things to imprint that aroma on them. It’s a signal to other cats that “this is mine.” This is my domain.
Your cat may also demonstrate instinctual nursing behavior by burying its head in your armpit or elbow. An excellent example is when it gnaws or suckles at your skin and is often the result of being weened too young.
Should You Let Your Cat Lick Your Armpit?
There should be nothing wrong with your cat licking your armpit in general. The cat adores salt and the smell, so there should be no problem, but be cautious if you’re wearing deodorant. Cats have weak livers and kidneys, and many things are harmful to them. Don’t let them consume deodorant.
FAQs
Why do cats like to smell feet?
The cat will like the smell because feet have gone to many locations and have many exciting odors on them. If this is an indoor cat, they may be especially interested in novel smells for enjoyment because the typical house smells will have worn off after a while.
Why do some cats like sweaty clothes?
Your gym clothes stink off you. Your cat may enjoy them because they allow them to mix odors with you. It’s like bonding with them, as when your cat rubs his/her face on you. The cat likes you and attempts to get your scent on them because it helps him feel safe.
Why do cats sleep with their face down?
Also called “the faceplant,” they may do it because they are cold, and the tips of their ears and noses can quickly get chilly. You might see your cat lying down with paws over its nose and feet tucked under its body while its nose is down and its face is planted. It helps them stay warm.
But remember that it’s not normal for their head to be pressed against a (usually vertical) surface. This is a severe neurological symptom called “head pressing.”
Alex, a passionate animal lover, has experience in training and understanding animal behavior. As a proud pet parent to two dogs and three cats, he founded AnimalReport.net to share insights from animal experts and expand his knowledge of the animal kingdom.
