Then why does the cat love to lick fur so much that the owner is afraid that he will eat too much fur so many times it will be useless to stop him? Let us tell you why cats like to lick their fur?
Before we understand why cats love to lick their fur, let’s first understand the cat’s licking tool, the cat’s tongue. Owners who have raised cats know that it is very itchy when being licked by cats. That is because there are many “barbs” on the cat’s tongue. These barbs are milky protrusions composed of keratin, with a hardness similar to that of humans Nail hardness is similar.
The most important point is that the barbs on the cat’s tongue are not solid, but hollow, which can collect saliva in the mouth.
The problem of returning fur licking comes up. First of all, cats are very clean creatures. Of course, it is necessary to have such a tongue. Lick the hair frequently. The barbs on the tongue can dredge the hair very well, and remove the dirt, dander, etc. from the hair.
The second is that licking the hair can help the cat dissipate heat. We know that the barbs on the cat’s tongue contain saliva. When the cat licks the hair, the saliva can be well attached to each hair. It can bring a touch of coolness to cats on hot summer days.
Furthermore, the cat’s fur is rich in cholesterol and ergot, which becomes vitamin D after being exposed to ultraviolet rays in the sun. Human skin can directly absorb and utilize vitamin D after being exposed to the sun, while cat’s skin cannot, so cats should often lick their fur to get vitamin D.
Finally, cats love to lick other cats in addition to licking themselves. Cats will strengthen by licking other cats. The connection with each other and the taste of each other can make communication and familiarity faster, and also help to reduce stress and friction!
Licking is a cat The behavior of social and emotional expression since childhood. If your cat likes to lick you, it proves that the cat likes you very much and treats you as a companion or family member.
Of course, in addition to the good aspects, there are also bad aspects to licking. When the cat licks too much, it may be too stressful, such as moving to a new house, a new pet member, or a stranger in the house will increase the stress on the cat.
An interesting little point of popular science is that when a cat licks its fur and loves to wash its face, it means it will rain that day.
In fact, there is a certain basis for this. When the air has enough moisture, water droplets will hang on the cat’s beard. The beard is an artifact for maintaining balance and measuring distance when the cat is moving. Cats can’t stand water droplets, so they wash their faces and lick their fur frequently.
Seeing this, can the owner feel relieved? As long as it is not excessively licking, it is not a big problem for cats to lick their hair. Usually, you can let cats eat cat grass
or hair removal cream.
