Did you know it's possible to be allergic to specific parts of an animal?
I am allergic to cat urine. I've known this since I was a teenager, mostly from volunteering at an animal shelter. It makes my skin burn in a manner most horrifying, I will scream in agony and it will leave a mark as if it had actually burned me.
I am also allergic to cat saliva...but only if it gets under my skin. This I learned when I brought home Mr. Nefarious as a tiny kitten seventeen years ago and learned my little monster likes to fucking bite and he is not playing ever. He wants blood. Cat saliva in my blood means agony, burning, itching, stabbing agony.
This is all to say that Spook has learned scratches hurt extra if he licks his paw before we play and has been very careful not to do that. He also tries not to bite too hard. He's such a good little kitty.
Mr. Nefarious scratches my arm and then fucking licks it, not to groom or heal or anything no...no...he wants to slobber on me so I feel pain. He has licked the wound and then rubbed his face into it just to make sure the spit gets in there.
I love him.
He's evil.