Must be nice to have a cat whose first instinct isn't to Freddy Krueger your face.
this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2026
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My cats approve.
Why is it such a strong compulsion, though?
Is it weird that my cats hate this? Like they'll be cuddling getting pats then I'll kiss em on the head and they're like "eugh" and run away.
It like, hasn't affected my self esteem at all.
Some cats like it and some only allow it, but it's very common that they prefer not to have our faces in their faces like that.
The cat headbutting you on the chin or nose or whatever is fine, but returning the favour (with or without kisses) is a different thing entirely. It has to be their choice to get in our face, not the other way around.
My guess is that we have such large faces with such large eyes and mouths that it triggers some built in discomfort when they're not prepared for it to come up so close from above, like some large flying predator... or maybe it's the smell of human mouths that becomes overwhelming.
Or maybe they consider themselves the adult in the house and will not be groomed by us slobbering babies.
Or maybe they're just divas who need everything on their terms at all times.
Either way, I will still kiss them on the head... but I'll hold off until I've gotten enough cuddles to last me a while, knowing they might flee.
Perhaps kissing their cheek or chin is more acceptable?
Man, today I learned about cat bonding behavior! I'll have to be more cautious about face to face interactions, and settle for* them letting me do nose to nose boops.
Thanks for the explanation and advice! New things to try while playing with my cat friends