Why Is My Cat Grooming Herself All the Time?

Cats groom themselves for several reasons. They groom to remove debris from their fur, to regulate their body heat and to remove themselves from a stressful situation. If a cat is paying too much attention to one particular area, or if she is beginning to remove fur, the cat could be suffering from too much stress, fleas or other environmental factors. Consulting a veterinarian is the best way to determine what is causing a cat's obsessive grooming.

  1. Pregnancy

    • One factor that can cause excessive grooming, especially around the cat's genitals, is pregnancy. Female cats will constantly groom their genitals as a part of the nesting process, a way to prepare for the impending birth. This grooming might seem excessive, but it is completely natural.

    Fleas

    • Outdoor and indoor cats can come into contact with fleas. Fleas gain nutrients by attaching to the cat's skin and sucking out her blood. When the flea's saliva comes in contact with the cat's skin, it can cause an allergic reaction, which leads to the cat's excessive grooming. Making the cat more comfortable by removing all of the fleas will help this behavior cease.

    Stress

    • Stress grooming, or psychogenic alopecia, is one of the main causes of excessive grooming in cats. When a cat goes through a stressful time, such as a move or the introduction of a new pet, the cat will focus on one area to groom and will lick this spot obsessively, sometimes until the fur is removed or a wound forms. A cat that is suffering from this disorder will generally pay close attention to her abdomen, near the groin and inside of the thighs.

    Ticks

    • Ticks are another parasite that can come in contact with the cat's skin and cause her to obsessively groom an area. The tick will attach itself to the cat to drink her blood, and the bite can cause the allergic reaction and lead to excessive grooming.

    Food Allergies

    • Cats can develop allergies to commercial cat food and the ingredients commonly found in these foods, such as chicken, fish, corn, wheat and beef. These allergies can form without warning in cats that are as young as 5 months old or as old as 15 years old. The allergy often occurs when a cat is consistently given the same type of food for several months or years. If the cat develops a rash from the food, she will obsessively lick her skin--particularly her legs, stomach and paws.