The Fascinating Feline Cats are wondrous creatures with amazing senses and behaviors, some of which are very foreign to us humans. The cat is checking for chemical messengers from other cats. Kittens perform this action while nursing. He's putting his scent on you to let other cats know you're taken.
Cats tend to consider each event as an individual experience.
Always think of a cat as a cat, not as a little dog or person. After all, cats are truly fascinating.