Why does my cat smell my neck in the morning?

In the morning I will often wake up to my cat kneading my neck and sniffing around it. If my chin is down low she will even push her face under it to get to my neck. If I let her do it she won't stop. She sometimes does it when I am just relaxing, but it is mostly in the morning. It doesn't bother me. I am just curious as to why.


Answer by Kate
Well I don't really know why either. She may simply have this habit of waking you up in this way.
I bet you were worried I might say that she smells illness or something like that weren't you? But this is very unlikely and any way if that was the case surely she would try and get to your neck all day long. in any case I think it is only dogs who have this ability to smell illness.

i really wouldn't worry too much. My boyfriend used to be woken up every morning by our old cat little Mo with her tapping him on his head repeatedly until he got up and sometimes if he was under the covers she would try to dig him out. thats cats for you.

best wishes Kate

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cat kneading and nuzzling my neck
by: samantha

my cat is three years old,and does this at night,in the morning,whenever Im asleep.It makes me wonder if this is her way of waking me,but it does not seem like she wants to wake me because she sometimes falls asleep herself.In doing some "cat research",I think it could be her way of bonding with me.She was abandoned as a kitten and was bottle fed by the woman who found her.Maybe she is making up for what she never really had or calling me "mommy" in her own way.But I take it as a sign of complete trust and affection.It's funny too because she purrs so loudly,and drools! If that's not enjoyment what is?

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