The main reasons for frequent washing of a cat
Felinologists note that cats spend almost a third of their lives washing themselves. The main reasons for this.
Hygiene procedure
The cleanliness of pets is at a very high level. Cats wash themselves after sleeping, visiting the litter box, walking down the street, even after interacting with humans.
Washing is often accompanied by biting off irritants invisible to humans. But this is not necessarily a louse or a flea; this is how pets cleanse skin impurities.
Combing
Cats have a hard and rough tongue. Therefore, after a thorough wash, pets look well-groomed and combed. At the same time, they lick the fallen hairs from the fur, which settle in their stomachs. This can lead to the formation of hairballs and complications of the gastrointestinal tract.
In nature, wild cats know the need to regularly cleanse their food tract and eat special grass in order to expel the contents of their stomach. At the same time, they unmistakably know when the right moment has already arrived.
It is sometimes enough for pets to be given a special paste, a treat, or fed with grass, which is sold for this purpose in pet stores.
Also read: Why cats are afraid of water and what to do about it.
Preparing for the hunt
After the owner strokes the cat, it smells a foreign odor. And, as a born hunter, the pet is always ready to stalk prey. Moreover, the animal can do this for several hours, licking itself regularly. This is already a kind of masking of one’s own fluids.
It has been noticed that cats lick themselves more thoroughly and longer than males. This is also explained by the hunting instinct. After all, it is the females in any pride who are the best breadwinners.
Optimal body temperature
Cats constantly lick themselves regardless of the weather, but they do this especially actively when it is extremely hot or cold. At the same time, pets adjust their thermoregulation in a certain way.
At high ambient temperatures, the wool is moisturized and fluffed, the air between the hairs helps cool and protect the skin.
In winter, animals lick themselves so that the fur lies tightly, hair to hair, providing maximum protection from hypothermia.
Moisture protection
By moistening the fur with their tongue, cats not only trigger the thermoregulation mechanism, but also form a kind of water-repellent layer on the fur.
At the base of the hair there are glands that produce a special oil secretion - sebum. By evenly distributing it over the skin, animals give their fur protective properties.
In some breeds this ability is more developed due to genetics. These are, for example, the Turkish Van or the Norwegian Forest - natural hunters and fishermen. They can bathe without fear of their fur getting wet.
Communication
Despite the fact that cats are loners by nature, they communicate remarkably well with their fellow animals and with other animals through licking. They not only help each other wash hard-to-reach places (head, back, neck), but also exchange scents and show signs of attention and affection.
Rutting cats happily lick their friends, leaving a kind of mark on them. Nursing females wash their offspring all day long, not only performing hygiene and massage procedures, but also expressing love for the kittens.
Stress
By licking themselves, cats perform self-massage of the body - after all, their tongue is an extremely developed muscular organ that can exert high pressure on the skin and areas of the body.
This promotes relaxation, decreased muscle tone, and relief from fear and the effects of stress.
A frightened or irritated animal, as soon as the imaginary or actual danger recedes, immediately begins to lick itself, as if removing all the negativity from itself.
Thermoregulation method
Kittens and adult cats wash themselves to normalize their body temperature. Washing is aimed at forming a moisture-repellent layer on its surface, which is responsible for maintaining the process of thermoregulation. Frequent licking activates the glands that are located at the base of the hair follicles and produce sebum. This substance is an oil secretion that creates a special barrier that serves to protect the cat’s skin from external negative factors - excessive influence of moisture, dry air, low and high temperatures.
The goals that cats pursue in the process of washing themselves depend on the time of year and the temperature conditions in the room in which they live. They have an air gap between their skin and fur. With the help of their tongue, these animals can change its thickness, cooling themselves in the heat and warming themselves in the cold.
If the cat stops licking itself
In this case, very quickly her appearance becomes unkempt and unkempt. Giving up a natural habit always indicates serious problems and should cause concern to the owner.
Oral diseases
Often the reason for refusing to wash your face is diseases of the gums and oral cavity. For example, gingitis, the initial stage of periodontal disease.
An inflamed, red area appears around one or more teeth, and over time it becomes covered with ulcers and sores. Any movement of the tongue causes severe pain to the animal and, along with other signs such as putrid odor from the mouth, refusal to wash also indicates this unpleasant disease.
Arthritis of the joints
If a cat develops arthritis of the joints, any movement causes him pain. He washes himself less often and less effectively. If the front paw is affected, it is difficult for the pet to wash its face. But if the back hurts, then usually nothing prevents you from reaching the sore spot, and the animal will lick it especially long and carefully, trying to reduce the discomfort.
Excess weight
Obesity is another problem in modern pets, especially after spaying and neutering. If pets are not switched to proper nutrition after surgery, excess weight will inevitably appear in a few months.
In addition to changes in appearance and gait, insufficient washing is another symptom of this pathology. It is caused by difficulty in mobility and the clumsiness of overweight animals.
Stressful conditions
Sometimes a cat stops licking itself due to severe stress. This is, for example, how a young animal behaves when it changes its owner and place of residence. It has been noticed that a pet sometimes does not drink, eat, go to the toilet or wash itself for several days.
Usually, the patience and affection of a person helps the kitten cope with its depressed state and return to normal life.
Sometimes, out of fear and stress, a cat, on the contrary, begins to wash itself incessantly. This is also a reason to seek veterinary help. Your pet will most likely be prescribed sedatives.
Systemic and infectious diseases
If the cat has stopped licking itself, its fur looks greasy, dirty, this is accompanied by apathy and lethargy, loss of interest in food and games, you should immediately consult a veterinarian.
All severe infectious diseases and chronic pathologies fit this set of primary symptoms, and it is important to quickly establish a diagnosis and begin treatment.
Veterinarians note that in the presence of fleas, other external parasites, helminths, and allergic reactions, the pet, on the contrary, becomes overly active, even more irritable and constantly licks itself.
Hunting instinct
Cats are believed to be very clean. But this is only one of the reasons for frequent licking. During walks, animals can tinker in the sand or soil for a long time, and they are not bothered by dirty fur. However, cats wash themselves frequently at home. Why is this happening?
One of the main reasons for licking is the desire to get rid of foreign odors. Sometimes you can notice how cats begin to wash themselves after stroking or playing with the owner. This habit was left to them from the ancestors of domestic cats. Wild representatives of the cat family eliminated odors in this way in order to be invisible during the hunt. In addition, pets have a very sensitive sense of smell. They do not like other people's smells and recognize only their own.
Folk signs about a cat washing itself
There are many signs associated with washing a cat:
- If a cat washes its back and tail, there will be rain and bad weather, cheeks and nose - to clear and sunny weather.
- When a cat rubs its face with both paws, you need to track which direction it turns its head, since it is from there that the strong wind will soon come.
- If a pet washes its left ear, a woman will soon come to visit, and the right ear, a man will come to the house. The cat’s paws at this moment are warm - relatives will come, cold - to unexpected visitors.
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Where did the belief come from?
Cats are very sensitive to climate change - this is where weather signs come from.
It is not yet known exactly how, but cats anticipate the appearance of people in the house. According to esotericists, they see how energy is changing. There is no exact explanation, but many know from experience how a pet sits at the front door shortly before the return of a beloved family member.
It is believed that the arrival of guests is known to cats in advance. Strangers are stressful for animals and they try to “calm their nerves” by thoroughly washing themselves.
And finally...
It’s not for nothing that cats bear the title of one of the most mysterious pets: their habits and everyday pranks often represent actions of importance unseen by the human eye.
Only one thing can be said with certainty: these purring pets never do anything without specific reasons, and even the most innocent and touching washing satisfies not only the hygienic needs of cats, but also serves as a survival tool, a form of communication, and also a means of expressing the broadest spectrum of emotions and feelings.
Excessively active licking is a symptom of stress in a cat or a mental disorder
A trip in a car, severe fright, the appearance of a child in the family, or a change of owner can develop into stress for a pet. Self-massage does not always help kittens and adult cats cope with severe emotional shock. One of the signs that a stressed animal needs help is fanatical licking until bald spots and wounds appear on the body.
- has lost interest in food or, conversely, often demands food;
- has become apathetic and does not respond to the owner’s call;
- does not come out of hiding for a long time;
- tries to chew inedible things;
- chasing his own tail without being a kitten;
- wanders aimlessly around the house.
Fanatical licking can also be a sign of mental disorder. Animals with mental disorders exhibit inappropriate behavior:
- unmotivated aggression;
- fear of familiar things, other animals and people;
- a sudden change in mood (for example, a pet can fawn on its owner - and the next second rush at him with a ferocious look);
- atypical reaction to touch;
- prolonged lack of sleep, etc.
If your pet has at least a few of these symptoms, it should be taken to a veterinarian. In cases not aggravated by complications, sedatives will help remove the animal from a state of stress and eliminate its mental disorders. In severe situations, serious long-term treatment may be needed.
Source
But there is no dog: what is the reason?
Scientists pondering this question have come to the conclusion that evolution is the explanation. The fact is that the cat’s ancestors, who inhabited the earth thousands of years ago, used cunning to hunt, waiting tactics to track prey, and a lightning-fast form of attack that discouraged the victim to attack.
Dogs descended from wolves, whose reprisal against potential prey is always open, and success in fights with prey was achieved through numerical, speed and strength superiority. In addition, dogs are pack creatures by nature.
The coexistence of individuals within a group is possible only if there is a certain individual smell on the fur, which serves as an identifier for dividing into “friends” and “strangers”.
The ritual of licking is a means of self-soothing
The cat washes itself because it wants to calm down. These animals have a flexible psyche. They can be upset by things like traveling in a car, visiting a veterinary hospital, moving to another room, or having another pet in the house. The sensations they experience when a rough tongue touches their body are similar to what people experience during a relaxing massage.
While washing, the animal concentrates. It can devote a lot of time to this process. So that no one disturbs the pet and does not interrupt it from relaxation, it tries to choose a secluded place for self-massage. Do not disturb your pet while it is washing itself.
Cats are not always able to cope with stress on their own. In case of severe emotional shock, massage alone is not enough; the use of sedatives is required.
