Cat Grooming Behavior

Cats are often found sleeping, but when awake, they spend about a third of their time grooming. It is important, however, to observe your self-cleaning family friend, understand her behaviors and know when something is wrong.

  1. Coat

    • Cats lick themselves to keep their coats healthy and clean. Cats have rough tongues, assisting them in removing loose hair and dirt from their fur.

    Nails

    • Cats will often be found scratching various surfaces; this is not for fun, but for grooming purposes. Scratching behavior helps remove old cuticles and sharpen the claws.

    Temperature Control

    • Sometimes it may seem that your pet is licking herself to clean, but she may also be controlling her temperature. Cats use their tongues to lay down their hair when cold, and use saliva to cool off in high temperatures.

    Coping Mechanism

    • When dealing with stressful situations, such as excessive noise, cats use grooming as a way to escape. This displacement behavior is often seen after a cat is disciplined—he will stop to take a quick bath.

    Warnings

    • According to the ASPCA, cleaning and grooming can become a compulsive behavior in cats. It’s important to observe your cat and speak with a veterinarian if your cat over-grooms. Over-grooming, caused by allergies, sickness or stress, can lead to hair loss and skin problems.