It must be pretty dang essential to adult cats because they spend over half of their waking hours grooming both themselves and their feline companions. But did you know that cats groom in a variety of ways and why they groom—aside from to shine their gorgeous fur, of course? Here are some fundamental details. We’ll begin with the how first.
Grooming implement
1. The tongue
Cats’ tongues are covered with tiny barbs called papillae. When a cat licks herself, she not only gets dust off her coat but she pulls out any loose hairs as well.
2. The front paws
Cats lick the insides of their front paws and then rub them across their ears and face, places that are difficult if not impossible to reach with the tongue
3 The teeth
Cats use their tiny front teeth to remove fleas and ticks, work mats out of their fur, and remove plant material stuck deeper in their fur than their tongues can reach. They chew on their claws with their back teeth to remove worn claw husks and replace them with sharp, new daggers.
Now, moving on to the why, here are some of the reasons why cats groom themselves.
1. Cleanliness
Not only do cats want to remove dust, plant material, and other grunge, but because they’re predators as well as prey they want to remove all smells that make predators aware of them. That means cleaning any residue of food (whether it’s kibble or a fresh-caught mouse) from their fur.Popular Read: Why Does My Cat Scratch The Sides Of The Litter Box? – Simple Explanation
2. Skin and coat health
Grooming serves to move the natural oils secreted by the cat’s skin into and evenly around the fur, keeping it shiny and in good condition. Those oils also guard against dampness and excessive cold.
3. Friendship
Kittens start grooming one another — a behavior called allogrooming — by the time they’re five weeks old. Sometimes this behavior continues into adulthood, with bonded cats spending time grooming the places that are hard to reach by themselves. My cats, Thomas and Bella, are champion allogroomers.
4. Relaxation
You’ve probably seen a cat start grooming herself after an embarrassing moment like falling off a counter. This is called a displacement behavior, and it relieves the stress caused by that momentary lapse of poise and grace. If a cat is severely stressed, she could resort to overgrooming or “barbering” her fur in an attempt to feel better.
5. Reducing heat
Although they have some sweat glands in their paws, cats don’t sweat like we do when it gets too hot. By dampening their fur with saliva, cats help themselves to cool down when the weather is extra-warm.
One more thing to keep in mind: A cat who stops grooming is a cat in trouble. She’s either ill or severely depressed. If your cat isn’t grooming herself, it’s time for a trip to the vet.