This Strange Accessory Lets You Lick Your Cat… Seriously

Unlike dogs, cats have no interest in pleasing their humans. In fact, your feline friend is really more interested in how you can please them. If you're struggling to bond with your cat, though, this weird accessory known as the LICKI brush lets you lick your cat so you and kitty can participate in bath time together. Seriously, I'm not being cheeky here: This cat licking brush lets you lick your actual pet cat just like a mama cat would lick her kittens. Maybe licking your cat can finally help you shift the power dynamic in your relationship allowing you to finally bond with your pet cat.

Who would invent such a thing? Apparently, Tara and Jason O'Mara decided that not being able to lick cats was enough of a problem that they launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to create LICKI Brush, which is an attachment you put in your mouth to lick your cat. If you've ever had a weird or creepy idea that you think no one else would be into, LICKI Brush is proof that no concept is too strange to appeal to a sub group of people who have the same fetish as you.

Not convinced? Put this in your pipe and smoke it — the O'Maras raised over $50,000 for LICKI Brush, which was $15,000 over their goal. Perhaps the fact that enough people actually want to lick their cats to make this tongue attachment necessary is why cat people get a bad rap.

What's Been Missing From Your Life? Licking Your Cat

I have two cats that live with me part time because I share custody of them with my ex — and yes, I'm aware that makes me sound like a crazy cat lady. We each came into the relationship with our own cats, but they are now so bonded that if we try to separate them they get super depressed and refuse to eat. Clearly the cats are in charge here. One of the cats, Ted, has some pretty weird behaviors that make LICKI Brush seem totally normal. Ted is from an abandoned litter, and because he never got to nurse from his cat mom, he decided he would nurse himself using his own body.

I'm not kidding. Once Ted discovered he had his own teats, he chose his favorite one and began suckling it on the regular. And by on the regular I mean several times a day. What's even more disturbing is that Ted can only truly enjoy his teat time if he has an audience. He finds a human to curl up next to, makes sure they are paying attention to him by swatting them in the face several times, then begins suckling.

Here he is below with his cat girlfriend. Perhaps he wouldn't get so depressed when we separate them if he thought his humans were cats. And, LICKI Brush can turn any person into a cat. Seriously, this could make your cat feel less alone in a house full of people. Because, let's face, it's hard being the only four-legged being wearing a fur suit.

Ted's teat suckling routine can go on for a half an hour or longer, and during his self-love exercise he stops intermittently to make sure his human audience is still engaged. Honestly, my roommate and I are so used to Ted's behavior at this point that it's kind of normal. However, when people come over, and Ted sets his sights on them for his little teat show, they are pretty horrified. Ted would totally love LICKI Brush because cats just want humans to be cats, too.

"There’s also evidence to suggest that cats view and treat their human captors as large cats," LICKI Brush explained on its website. "As a human, you’re left out of the intimate licking ritual. At best, you have a one-sided licking relationship with your cat. By using LICKI with your cat on a regular basis, you’ll develop a more intimate and bonded relationship, much like a mama cat bonds with her young."

The O'Maras feel so strongly about this that they donned cat ears and presented LICKI Brush on Shark Tank, giving each horrified judge a cat and brush to try it out for themselves.

In addition to helping you develop a closer relationship with your cat, LICKI Brush has benefits for you, too. And, maybe, by making licking your cat mutually beneficial, it can feel less weird. The LICKI Brush founders claim that licking your cat can soothe your soul and be a truly meditative experience. So, if your regular meditation routine just isn't cutting it, licking your cat can help you up your meditation game.

And, that's not all. Licking your cat can help you deepen your relationship with your furry friend because by licking your cat you're actually speaking their language. Once your cat feels like you understand them maybe they'll stop doing things like knocking stuff off the table just to watch it break, or sleeping on your head to show you who's really in charge.

LICKI Brush was created with the needs of both you and kitty in mind. It's made from high-quality, food-grade silicone rubber designed to feel pleasurable to your cat’s sensitive skin, and comfortable in your mouth. And, while some people might judge you for licking your cat, it's just because they haven't tried it yet. Kind of like how everyone used to think it was super gross to eat their own boogers before science revealed the myriad health benefits!

Licking your cat and eating your own boogers are both strange. But, what you and your cat do in the privacy of your own home is none of anyone's business. So, if licking your cat is your jam, you are empowered to do it. But, maybe just keep your cat licking ritual to yourself, especially on a first date.