Why do cats groom themselves? Pancakes, Tiller, and the latest theories

Hello, I’m Dr. Lauren. To learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller, please read my introduction.

Last night I witnessed Pancake in the middle of a dramatic grooming session, repeatedly spreading his legs in a desperate attempt to reach something near his perineum, in what I believe was actually a reverse split. I also watched a similarly frantic grooming session unfold earlier this week, this time with Tiller making a valiant effort to give Pancake a Mohawk. Luckily, Pancake, who is Al Pacino-esque when it comes to sharing his bed and other cats, tolerated the session well and no beatings ensued.

Eating and sleeping are two of the most common behaviors I’ve seen cats engage in, with grooming probably coming in a close third. Cats groom multiple times a day – after eating, and always before going to bed, and sometimes as early as 3am in between their various sleep modes. But why do cats love grooming so much?

Why cats groom themselves: speculation and theories

Cats have a natural tendency to groom themselves, and so they have long been considered to be fairly clean animals. There are several theories as to why cats groom themselves:

1. The idea that groomers have a higher social status than those groomed, and that grooming is a social forum for cats to act out aggressive issues without the need for overt violence. A little old paperbut still interesting…
2. New Paper A similar study found that familiarity and genetic relatedness improved grooming behavior between cats, again suggesting a social or bonding function.
3. Function: Eliminates external parasites such as fleas. A studyCompared to a control group of cats that were fitted with electronic collars and did not groom during the study, grooming activities helped to significantly reduce the flea population. Other theories suggest that grooming reduces the risk of predation by removing odors such as after eating.
4. It’s worth noting that grooming can (unintentionally?) spread anal gland secretions onto the fur. Very high amount Fel d 1 is one of the major cat allergens that causes cat allergies in humans.
5. Remember that grooming can also be a sign of abnormalities: for example, flea allergy dermatitis can cause excessive grooming, as can feline hyperesthesia syndrome, and urinary tract infections and urinary crystals can cause localized excessive grooming in the perineum.

Next time you see your cat grooming, take a moment to consider that there may be more going on than meets the eye: it could simply be licking, relieving an itch, removing external parasites or simply following a social structure. But needless to say, cats, as always, are not as simple as they first seem.