Guide to Understanding a Cat's Grooming Behaviour

Cats’ grooming habits are well-known for being meticulous, and as cat pet parents will be aware, our feline friends’ grooming routine can take up a lot of time in their day. In fact, they spend up to 50% of their day licking and cleaning themselves—imagine if we humans spent that much time in the shower!

Although cats groom themselves a lot, it’s important to know the ins and outs of cat grooming behaviour so you can recognize the signs of when your kitty might be grooming too much. In this guide, we’ll help you understand more about our cat’s grooming behaviour and offer some advice about specific cat grooming habits to look out for.  

Why Do Cats Lick Themselves? 

For our furry friends, licking and grooming themselves is a natural behaviour that all cats do. They use it as a way to clean, cool down, and soothe themselves. By nature, cats are very clean animals, so it makes sense that they spend a large portion of their day self-grooming. However, there are many reasons why cats lick themselves beyond just being clean:

• Health and hygiene—Cats groom to remove any dirt, loose hair, mats, or parasites like fleas, but grooming also helps to keep their coat smooth and glossy. Licking themselves stimulates the production of sebum, an oily secretion that keeps their fur shiny and waterproof.
• Temperature regulation—Because cats can sweat via their paw pads, they also use grooming to regulate their body temperature. By spreading saliva on their fur, they can cool down quicker through the evaporation of the moisture. 
• Stress relief—Grooming can be a self-soothing activity for cats, which helps them to relax and reduce stress. Cats may groom themselves as a displacement behaviour when they are unsure about a situation or to relieve tension.  
• Social bonding—Cats groom each other as a form of social bonding, known as allogrooming. This behaviour helps reinforce social hierarchies and strengthen relationships within a group. It is usually seen in cats that have a close bond, such as littermates or cats that have lived together for a long time.

What Is Normal Cat Grooming Behaviour?

Even though all our kitties are different in their own way, on average cats spend between 15% to 50% of their waking hours grooming themselves. The amount of time a cat spends grooming can change depending on their preferences, age, and environment.

Although there is not a ‘normal’ grooming routine that each cat follows, healthy cat grooming habits include licking their fur and cleaning their face and ears. Cats usually groom themselves after eating, sleeping, or using their litter box.

As kittens, their mothers will lick them as a way of cleaning and building their bond. Then, at the age of 4 weeks, kittens will then begin to groom themselves. As cats grow, they will develop their own grooming ritual. They won’t necessarily groom all of themselves in one sitting, but at the times they are grooming, it’s important to avoid interrupting them as it’s a key part of their regular daily routine.

Why Is My Cat Grooming Me?

A part of your cat’s grooming habits might be to lick you too! There are many different reasons why they do this, such as:

• Social interaction—Much like a mother cat would to her kittens, our cats sometimes groom us to show their affection and to strengthen bonds. If your cat licks you, it shows they have accepted you as part of their family!
• Attention—Your cat may also start licking you if they want attention. If they have learnt that grooming you gets your attention, they’ll continue to do this to show that they want your focus.
• Comfort—Licking and grooming provides cats with comfort in a similar way to kneading. So, if your cat licks you and purrs, it shows that they would like some of your love and affection.
• Stress—Licking can also be used as a displacement behaviour by cats if they are feeling stressed. They will usually direct the licking to themselves, but if you’re close, you may also get licked. If your cat is showing signs of stress, see if there’s anything that needs changing to resolve this. Using FELIWAY Optimum is also a great way to significantly reduce feline stress to help your cat feel calm.

Is My Cat Overgrooming?

Regular cat grooming is healthy, but if your cat is overgrooming, this can lead to bald patches, skin irritation, and sores. So, it’s important to know what the signs of excessive grooming are.

Your cat may decide to groom so much that it interrupts their normal activities. Some signs of excessive cat grooming behaviour to look out for include:

• Bald spots—Noticeable areas of missing fur or shortened hair that are often symmetrical.
• Red or inflamed skin—Irritated areas that may develop sores. 
• Persistent licking—Continuous grooming that interferes with other activities. 
• Hairballs—Clumps of swallowed fur that accumulate in the stomach and are eventually regurgitated.

Overgrooming can occur when your cat is stressed, which can be triggered by a change in environment such as moving to a new home or the introduction of a new pet. It can also be a result of allergies to food, fleas, or their environment, which can cause them to feel itchy or uncomfortable. There may also be an underlying medical condition that is resulting in your cat’s excessive grooming—speak to your vet to rule out any health issues.

How To Manage Overgrooming

When managing this type of cat grooming, our advice is to firstly identify and address any stressors. Here are some ways you can do this:

• Make sure your cat has a calm space. Minimize any changes in your cat’s environment and provide them with safe spaces where they can retreat and feel secure. 
• Plug in FELIWAY Optimum to enhance your cat’s serenity, creating a comfortable space for them. 
• Maintain a routine as much as possible so your cat knows what to expect. 
• If changes to their routine or environment are unavoidable, try and gradually introduce them so your cat has time to cope and adapt to the change.

It can also help to increase their enrichment, offering them options for mental and physical stimulation. Activities such as playing with toys, puzzle feeders, scratching posts, and training sessions can all help to keep your cat occupied.

If you notice excessive cat grooming habits with your feline friend, it’s important to consult your vet. Regular veterinary check-ups can help rule out any medical issues and enable you to discuss potential ways to manage situations that your cat is finding stressful. 

As well as overgrooming, it’s also important to note that cats may also under-groom. This can happen if they’re feeling unwell, have dental issues, or a reduced ability to bend and reach parts of their body. Cats taken from their mother too early may also not know how to groom properly.

If you notice that your cat has greasy, harsh areas or mats on their coat, consult your vet for help. Mats can need professional help to resolve with electric clippers, so don’t try to remove mats with scissors as it is easy to accidentally damage your cat’s skin.

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