About Cat Grooming Behavior

If you have a cat, you may have noticed that it spends a lot of time grooming itself. Your cats grooming behavior can be an indicator of its overall health. Your cat may exhibit both normal cat grooming behavior and abnormal cat grooming behavior. It is important to know the difference between the two.

Normal Cat Grooming Behavior

Most cats spend a good portion of their day grooming themselves. In fact, this is one of the reasons that cats do not need to be bathed by their owners very often. They use their tongues to groom their entire bodies, including their front and back paws. Grooming helps cats stay clean. Normal cat grooming behavior also helps cats keep cool, because they do not sweat. If you have two or more cats, it is perfectly normal for them to groom one another. Also, if your cat likes you, it may try to groom you as well!

Abnormal Cat Grooming Behavior

If your cat stops grooming or starts grooming excessively, you may need to take your cat to the vet. A cat may suddenly stop grooming if they are ill or experiencing trouble moving. Excessive grooming is not normal for a cat either. When a cat over-grooms itself, it may end up with bald spots and irritated skin. You may even catch your cat pulling out its own hair! Excessive grooming can be a signal that you cat is under stress or feeling anxious. This behavior can also mean that your cat has developed an allergy or other skin irritation.