Feline Behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett is the author of a number of award-winning and critically acclaimed books, including Think Like a Cat and Psycho Kitty. The innovative methods described in all her books are based on Pam's unique way of training by actually understanding the way a cat thinks. She makes numerous television appearances including CNN, Fox News Channel, and National Geographic specials, as well as being a popular guest on many nationally syndicated radio programs. She is now considered to be one of the leading experts on feline behavior.

Q: Our six-month-old female has bonded with me very well. The problem is she licks my face, neck, hands or any part of my body that is exposed. I don't mind her licking me at times, but she goes on and on until I have to put my hands over my face -- when I do that, she licks my hands. Sometimes I can tolerate it, sometimes not. I feel that she is showing me affection, or is it that she needs another cat to lick and clean? Sometimes she wakes me up by licking my face. I would appreciate some advice from you so I can understand why she's doing this, and also how can I break her of this habit when it's done so often. I don't mind once in awhile, but this is a daily regime with her. Guess that's why I love her? Wonderful cat otherwise!

A: In a colony, cats will often engage in allogrooming (grooming one another) as a social bonding behavior. It's also a key to survival, because by mutually grooming one another they can create a familiar "colony scent." This helps them identify a cat coming into the territory as either familiar or an intruder. Your cat is engaging in that same, very normal social behavior with you.

Because she's still young, she's getting a bit carried away with how much allogrooming she's supposed to do. This behavior will settle down as she matures.

In the meantime, you can break the behavior pattern by distracting her after a minute or two of grooming. Keep some toys stashed in different rooms so you can distract her attention toward a toy for a mini play session, so she doesn't settle into an hour-long grooming session on you.