A study at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that felines spend between 30-50% of their day grooming themselves. Between licking their coats, cleaning their paws and claws, and preening their heads, noses, ears and tails, it is no wonder cats are regarded as high maintenance house pets!
Cat grooming usually includes pawing and wiping the fur, but primarily relies on their tongues to do the trick. Cat tongues resemble surfaces that humans use to exfoliate themselves, such as a loofah, pumice stone, or body brush. The small barbs and mini hooks (which are called rasps) in a cat’s tongue help them to sift through their fur, weeding out the dandruff and build up caught in their coats. Though cats groom instinctively to tidy their coats, there are also numerous other reasons why cats spend so much of their time grooming.
Reasons Why Cats Groom
- Cleaning: Felines shed hair and dandruff, and their coats can pick up dust and lint, as well as the leaves and dirt particles from those who adventure often outside. By licking their coats, cats are able to “comb” out the grime and build up that accumulates throughout the day. The small fissures on the tongue easily catch the excess hair and dirt, making their fur smooth and tidy.
- Temperature control: By licking and moistening their coats, cats are able to lower their body temperature, instead of relying solely on their paws to release heat and sweat.
- Protection: This goes beyond hygiene, and is actually a protective measure against predators. Cats in the wild would clean and preen their paws and coats of any traces of their meal so that they themselves wouldn’t attract any attention from larger predatory creatures.
- Pain relief: If a certain part of a cat’s body is uncomfortable, wounded or ailing in any way, their saliva possesses enzymes that work as a natural antibiotic. Licking cuts, scrapes and wounds can actually help the kitty heal much more quickly.
- Relaxation and blood flow: By steadily and rhythmically licking their coat and paws, the cat is giving himself a gentle massage. Not only does this increase blood flow promoting circulatory health, but it gives him a relaxing massage over muscles that might be sore from climbing, stretching, stalking and jumping. Going through the motions of grooming also releases endorphins which allows your cat to feel comforted.
Too Much Grooming
Cats also tend to groom when they are stressed or ill. Nervous felines will over-groom, even to the point of leaving bald patches in their coat, or result in frequent hairballs and painful digestion. Food allergies also often cause itchy skin, which leads to over-grooming. Finally, cats who suffer from diseases like hyperthyroidism (an over-active thyroid) can cause cats to groom incessantly. If your cat shows signs of hot spots in their coat, or seems to spend an inordinate amount of time licking and preening her fur, it might be worth taking the kitty to the vet. Hyperthyroidism can be fatal and ought to be addressed as soon as possible.
