Why do cats lick themselves?

Updated 11/12/2023

Cats spend a hefty 30-50 percent of the day licking themselves, but is it because they’re just as obsessed with their own appearance as we are with their irresistible charm? We’ve got a lip-smacking list of answers to the question “Why do cats lick themselves?”, and we’ll find out why our furry felines spend so much time on their grooming routine and when their personal hygiene habits could be cause for concern.

Why do cats lick themselves?

Cats are experts in the field of self-care, and they spend hours cleaning and preening themselves to make sure their fur is always in tip-top condition. Keeping clean might be the number one reason why cats groom themselves, but cooling off and intuition also have a part to play. Let’s dig a little deeper into why cats lick themselves…  

To keep themselves squeaky clean

Our feline friends have pretty high standards for personal hygiene, and it’s one of the main reasons why cats are better than dogs! You may have noticed that you don’t really need to bathe your furry feline, and that’s because they take care of all the cleaning themselves. So what’s the secret to their silky smooth fur? They use their special barb-like tongues to stimulate the natural oils produced at the base of their hairs and spread them across their coats. This tongue also acts like a comb going through their fur. This cleaning tactic keeps their fur looking immaculate!  

Cats like to keep it cool 

Cats aren’t equipped with the most effective sweat glands, in fact, the majority of them are covered in fur. This leaves the job of releasing sweat down to the paws, but don’t fret, kitties have got other ways of cooling down. According to one study, cats use their rough tongues to deposit saliva on their skin when grooming, which can make them up to 25% cooler. Just like when we sweat, the saliva evaporates from the fur to help cool them down, which perhaps explains why kitties groom themselves more on hot days.  

It’s in their nature

Why do cats groom themselves? Well, kittens are taught the art of self-grooming from day one. As soon as they’re born, their fur mama will remove the amniotic sac and get to work cleaning her newborns, using her rough tongue to help stimulate their breathing. She will even encourage her kitties to urinate and poop by licking their rear ends. By the time they're a few weeks old, kittens have learned to groom themselves and probably their furry brothers and sisters too! It’s a sign of affection, a way of bonding, and it feels good! 

Why do cats lick themselves so much - when to be concerned

While it’s true our furry felines love their grooming rituals, the tables can turn from enthusiastic to obsessive for a variety of reasons. Signs your furry friend is over-grooming include licking their coat excessively or more frequently, pulling out tufts of fur (known as “barbering” or “fur mowing”), and even getting snappy when interrupted. If your cat’s licking itself too much, this can lead to sore patches on the skin and can even cause the fur to change color. That being said, what’s out of the ordinary for some kitties might be ‘normal’ for others, so it’s important to keep an eye on your furry feline’s individual behavior and contact your veterinarian if you’re concerned. It’s worth giving your cat sitter an overview of your feline friend’s typical antics so they’ll be able to notice if anything changes. 

So if you’re wondering “Why do cats clean themselves so much?” and you’re worried about your fur baby being a little over-attentive in the grooming department, here are a few things to think about.

Allergies

While our furry friends might occasionally have a runny nose due to allergies, the most common symptom is itchy skin, which can lead to over-grooming. Food, parasites (fleas and ticks), and atopic dermatitis (pollen, house dust, and mold) can cause cats to spend extra time on their grooming routine. Excessive licking due to dermatitis is particularly common in overweight kitties who may not be able to reach the problem area directly. 

Stress and anxiety

Grooming can be an excellent way of self-soothing, but if you notice your fur baby going above and beyond on their cleaning regime, there’s a chance they could be experiencing stress, anxiety, or even trauma. From psychological stresses like adapting to a new environment to physical stress caused by pain or discomfort, over-grooming can serve as a comforting method of self-massage. 

Skin infections 

Infections can be caused by mange, yeast, and ringworm, but excessive licking due to allergies and stress can also cause infections, resulting in a cycle of obsessive-compulsive behavior. Aside from going overboard on cleaning and scratching, you may notice your fur baby’s skin looking red and sore, and they may even lose some fur. 

Psychogenic alopecia

While the condition is extremely rare, psychogenic alopecia can cause kitties to intentionally pull out their fur. That being said, it is usually a form of displacement behavior in response to a stressful situation such as moving house or conflict with other cats, meaning your furry friend should stop their obsessive behavior once a solution to the problem is found.

So, why do cats lick themselves? From cleaning to cooling down, don’t forget that more often than not, your kitty’s grooming behaviors are completely normal. If you’re concerned that your feline friend’s becoming obsessive or compulsive with their grooming regime, speak to your vet about reaching a diagnosis and taking the correct steps toward helping your fur baby.  

Meet our veterinary expert, Aisling

This article has been checked by veterinarian Aisling O’Keeffe MVB CertSAM ISFMCertAdvFB. Aisling qualified as a vet 7 years ago from University College Dublin. She has worked in a mixture of UK small animal hospitals along with Irish practices. She worked for 3 years in a feline-only hospital where she further developed her feline medicine and surgery skills. She currently lives and works in a small animal hospital in Cork, Ireland.