Unlike humans, cats don’t groom themselves to be more attractive or presentable, or to find or keep a mate. Cats groom for important reasons that have nothing to do with vanity, and explain why they aren’t content with the feline equivalent of a quick brushing or combing, but meticulously clean every single hair.
Here are the top four reasons cats groom:
1. Fur-get Gortex. When you’re a cat, you don’t need hi-tech synthetic fabrics to repel water and let your skin breathe. Cats use their raspy tongues with lots of papillae (a small, rounded protuberance on an organ or part of the body) to separate each clump of hair and then the individual hairs, keeping the coat clean and maintaining trapped air to protect against both heat and cold. This method of grooming also spread oils from the skin onto the hair, giving a waterproofing effect.
2. Scents of security. Every cat has a unique bouquet of scents that distinguish it from all others. Grooming helps to distribute pheromones, which is a necessity for an animal who values smell probably more than any other sense. When you see cats rubbing up against furniture (or you) with their cheeks, or clawing a tree in the yard, both actions leave secretions that serve like highway signs pointing to either “stop” -- no entry-- or “go” -- this way is safe. Watch the next time you pet your cats. They often go immediately into “beauty shop mode” and clean off your scent and redeposit theirs.
3. Bug off. While cats are no match for the latest feline parasite control, in the wild or with cats who aren’t adequately treated, they pick off fleas by the hundreds.
4. Love. In a multi-cat household, you often see certain cats grooming each other. This is the human equivalent of holding hands, a hug, or a kiss on the cheek. Translation? “I love ya, man!” NOTE: This happens more often with littermates.
Here are the top four reasons cats groom:
1. Fur-get Gortex. When you’re a cat, you don’t need hi-tech synthetic fabrics to repel water and let your skin breathe. Cats use their raspy tongues with lots of papillae (a small, rounded protuberance on an organ or part of the body) to separate each clump of hair and then the individual hairs, keeping the coat clean and maintaining trapped air to protect against both heat and cold. This method of grooming also spread oils from the skin onto the hair, giving a waterproofing effect.
2. Scents of security. Every cat has a unique bouquet of scents that distinguish it from all others. Grooming helps to distribute pheromones, which is a necessity for an animal who values smell probably more than any other sense. When you see cats rubbing up against furniture (or you) with their cheeks, or clawing a tree in the yard, both actions leave secretions that serve like highway signs pointing to either “stop” -- no entry-- or “go” -- this way is safe. Watch the next time you pet your cats. They often go immediately into “beauty shop mode” and clean off your scent and redeposit theirs.
3. Bug off. While cats are no match for the latest feline parasite control, in the wild or with cats who aren’t adequately treated, they pick off fleas by the hundreds.
4. Love. In a multi-cat household, you often see certain cats grooming each other. This is the human equivalent of holding hands, a hug, or a kiss on the cheek. Translation? “I love ya, man!” NOTE: This happens more often with littermates.
Wags, meows, and the occasional neigh,
Dr. Marty Becker,
"American's Veterinarian"
No comments:
Post a Comment