Cats are fastidious about their grooming and can spend up to 50% of their time awake doing some kind of grooming. They learn this habit from their mothers, so if Mom wasn’t such a great groomer, the litter may not groom as fastidiously either.
This may just seem like a silly habit, but grooming does more than just help them look good. It attributes to a great many things:
• They may groom right after eating to remove the smell from their fur.
• It helps keeps their coats smooth.
• It helps them cool down during the hot months as their only sweat glands are on their paws and it helps prevent evaporation.
• It’s a social activity and you may see them groom your other cat and vice-versa – or you sometimes if they feel the urge.
• It’s an indication that something can be wrong if they are over-grooming. It can be a sign of stress, injury or parasite. Make sure to keep track of your cat’s habits.
Would you like to groom your cat? Sure, feel free. Be careful, though. Some cats don’t want to be groomed with any tools other than their own. In this case, if your cat is prone to over-shedding, matting or other grooming issues, you may want to leave it up to a professional to take care of.
