Cats lick themselves to keep their coat clean, regulate their body temperature, care for their skin and calm down. It is a completely natural behaviour that your cat is born with, and an adult cat can spend up to half of its waking hours grooming itself. So when your cat sits and licks its paw, flank and tail hour after hour, there is generally no cause for concern. It comes down to how cats are built - and to what they get out of it.
It is nevertheless worth understanding what the licking behaviour actually involves. Precisely because it is so central to a cat's daily life, a change in it - either too much or suddenly too little - is one of the earliest signs that something is wrong. Here you will find the specific reasons why cats lick themselves, and when the behaviour should be taken seriously.
How licking behaviour keeps the coat clean and healthy
The most obvious reason is cleanliness. A cat's tongue is covered in small, backward-facing barbs of keratin - the same material as your nails - and they work like a fine-toothed comb. When the cat licks itself, the tongue pulls dirt, dust, loose hairs and food residue out of the coat, and at the same time it distributes the skin's natural oils evenly across the hairs. It is this distribution of oils that gives a healthy cat its glossy, water-repellent coat.
At the same time, licking massages the skin and stimulates blood flow, a little like when we brush our own hair. A cat that is thriving and has energy to spare will typically groom itself thoroughly and systematically, while coat care in a cat that feels unwell is often one of the first things to fall by the wayside. A well-groomed, shining coat is therefore a good indicator that your cat is doing well on the inside - and that starts in large part with the nutrition your cat gets through its meals.
Licking as the cat's own temperature regulation
Cats barely sweat through the skin the way we do. They have sweat glands in their paws, but these are far from enough to cool the whole body down on a hot day. Instead the cat uses its saliva: when it licks its coat wet, the evaporation of the saliva cools the skin down, exactly as sweat does for us. That is why you will often see your cat grooming itself more in warm weather - it is not only care, but active cooling.
This mechanism is also the reason why, during periods of heat, cats should have easy access to fresh, cool drinking water so that they do not lose too much fluid. If you notice that your cat starts licking itself conspicuously much, or conversely stops entirely on a hot day, it is worth keeping an eye on whether it is drinking and behaving normally otherwise.
Why cats lick themselves to calm down
Licking is not only about the body, but also about the mind. The repeated, rhythmic movement has a calming effect on the cat and releases a feeling of well-being. You will often see a cat lick itself right after a slightly embarrassing situation - a failed jump, a quarrel with another cat, or just after you have picked it up without it wanting you to. This is called a displacement behaviour: the cat channels unease or embarrassment into a familiar, reassuring action.
In the same way, licking is an important part of a cat's day when it is getting ready to sleep. A thorough round of grooming before it curls up is a sign of a cat that feels secure in its surroundings. When several cats that know each other well lick one another on the head and neck, it is the same principle - it strengthens the bond and marks that they belong together.
When too much licking becomes a sign that something is wrong
Licking only becomes a problem when it tips over into excessive behaviour. If your cat licks, gnaws or pulls out hair so that thin patches, bare areas or irritated skin develop, the normal grooming has turned into something else. This can have physical causes such as itching, pain, fleas or skin irritation, or it can be an expression of stress and boredom, where the licking becomes a comforting action the cat can no longer let go of.
Changes in the home are a classic trigger: a move, a new cat or dog in the household, a new family member, or simply a rearrangement of the furniture can be enough to make a sensitive cat feel uneasy. Conversely, it is at least as important to react if your cat suddenly stops licking itself and starts to look unkempt and greasy in the coat. This is often one of the earliest signs that the cat is in pain or feels unwell, because it no longer has the energy to groom itself. In both cases - both when the licking becomes excessive and when it disappears - you should contact your vet, who can examine whether there is something physical behind it.
Licking, hairballs and the cat's digestion
When a cat licks itself, it inevitably swallows a number of loose hairs. Most of it passes smoothly through the digestive system and leaves the body naturally, but in some cats the hairs gather in the stomach and are coughed up as hairballs. This is normal in itself, especially during moulting periods when there is extra loose hair in the coat. You can help your cat by brushing it regularly, so that you remove the loose hairs before they end up in the stomach.
A well-functioning digestion and a coat that does not shed unnecessarily much are closely linked to the cat's nutrition. Meals with a high proportion of animal protein and the right fatty acids support both skin and coat from within and make it easier for the stomach to handle the hairs that come with daily grooming. In our cat meals you will find meals composed with the cat's needs specifically in mind, and if you have a kitten in the house, kitten meals are tailored to the youngest ones. A good daily supplement of the omega 3 oil can also contribute to a soft, shining coat and healthy skin.
How to support healthy licking behaviour
The best way to support your cat's natural grooming is to give it peace, security and a nutritious foundation to thrive on. A fixed daily rhythm, fixed feeding times and a home where the cat has its own secure places to retreat to make it easier for it to relax - and that is directly reflected in how it grooms itself. Regular brushing helps with the coat, and well-balanced nutrition gives the skin the building blocks it needs.
If you are in doubt about what the right nutrition is for your particular cat - or how best to support healthy skin and coat through meals - ESSENTIAL FOODS' nutrition advisers are ready by phone, chat and email to help you find the meals that suit your cat's age, taste and needs. Licking is the cat's own way of taking care of itself, and with the right framework and the right nutrition you give it the best conditions to keep doing so.