Does Your Cat Groom You?
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
Canada
December 19, 2010 10:30pm CST
Ever since my cat was a kitten, he has taken offense to my hair being braided or bound in any way. As soon as I lay down, he starts biting and picking at my hair with his claws, pulling it out of ponytails and licking at it. Two of my other cats will jump onto my back or shoulders from the floor in order to do the same thing. They also spend a lot of time grooming each other. For animals that are supposed to be solitary, they spend a lot of time doing pack-like things like grooming and snuggling. Anyone else notice this or have stories about pack-like behaviour in cats?
7 responses
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
21 Dec 10
house cats and lions have one thing in common - they work well together
now, house cats, unlike lions, hunt alone and not as a pride, but lioness do hunt alone too at times
and cheetahs may have brother groups that will work together, at least for a few years
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
23 Dec 10
It is the dog's instinct to pack, but, as you say, that draws attention and is dealt with because they attack larger animals, like goats, cows... people. Even small towns find a way to deal with stray dogs, mostly by shooting them when they are caught attacking something. The dogs that survive are the loners, but even then people get tired of them. A stray dog population is more swiftly dealt with because of the danger and destruction they cause.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
22 Dec 10
It's true about the homeless cats. I've actually seen it before. I grew up in a small town where strays were very common; even stray dogs weren't that uncommon. Homeless dogs don't seem to band together like that, but it's probably just because they are bigger and that kind of thing would draw more attention than with cats.
1 person likes this
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
22 Dec 10
I read an article that sometimes homeless cats in cities that live on the streets will band together in loose groups for mutual benefit, as well.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32515)
• Calgary, Alberta
22 Dec 10
My cat is always waking me up nibbling in my forehead, she also tried massaging my back when I was asleep. I dont like it when cats lick, their tounges are like sandpaper. I pet my pets and groom them but I dont want them to groom me. pets are pets though, they like to lick people or bite them gently as a way of showing affection.
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
24 Dec 10
I don't mind the rough tongue. My cat thinks I'm a pillow and lays down on me whenever I am sitting or lying down!
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32515)
• Calgary, Alberta
30 Dec 10
I remember my cat always try to pull my hair with her fangs. I ddont know if that is grooming.
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
20 Dec 10
I have 3 house cats. They don't "pack" together but I have seen cats do that. My daughter has 5 kittens and they all snuggle, but they are all the same litter and that may have something to do with it.
We also have 2 rabbits and the kitten and the dwarf rabbit are playmates and they will even snuggle together and sleep when he is out of his cage. When she wants to snuggle she curls up on my shoulder and lays on me close to my ear. This is when I am laying on the couch watching tv.
My other cat, Angel, will sometimes come in my bedroom when I am laying in bed and proceed to "EAT" my hair.
The other cat "CAT", he has many names, has to lick my hands constantly when I am in bed. I will hide them under the blankets and he will go crazy trying to get to them. All the time he is licking he is puring, and like somone off key singing, he can't purr, he has a loud SQUEEK to his purr and the more he licks the harder he purrrs and the harder he purrs the LOUDER he SQUEEKS!!
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
21 Dec 10
Angel purrs so soft I almost cannot hear her. WE had one cat when she purred she would purr backwards! I Just don't know anyother way to describe it. but instead of the steady purr it would be in and out!
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
21 Dec 10
I love cats with unique purrs, but all 4 of mine just have regular purrs. All my cats pack constantly. They have little spats now and then, but more often they snuggle and groom each other and me and my husband.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
22 Dec 10
Hahaha! Yes my cat tries to groom me too. She always tries biting my earrings. I have 9 piercings in my ears altogether. You'd think that she'd be used to it by now, but she always still tries to do it whenever she notices them. Luckily, she doesn't pull hard on them or anything and she doesn't even care about my other body piercings.
She usually doesn't care if my hair is in braids, but I sometimes flip my hair at her when it's braided or down (I have pretty long hair) lol Just because it's funny.
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
24 Dec 10
Every time I pick up my cat he goes to work removing my earrings, and he has succeeded before. Now I'm nervous he's going to swallow one, so I keep him away from my ears!
@cicisnana (772)
• United States
20 Dec 10
I only have one kitty, her name is Callie Coco, and no, she doesn't try to groom me, thank goodness, I don't know if I could stand that!
@cicisnana (772)
• United States
22 Dec 10
Once my hubby comes in Callie Coco is on his lap the entire time, and then he goes to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night and reached over to him and there was Callie all cuddled up to him. She's so sweet.
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
21 Dec 10
Sometimes I wish my cat Cheddar would give me just a little more personal space. He spends much more time glued to me than my husband ever has!
@Cargoleta (723)
• Spain
20 Dec 10
I don't own a cat, but my boyfriend has 3 and I spend quite a lot of time with them. I don't think any of them take offense at me putting my hair up, but one of them has started licking my hair a few times whenever I've gotten close to him... it's kinda cute actually :)
As for pack-behaviour, the only thing I can say is that they tend to sleep quite close to each other pretty often, snuggling. I guess they do that because it's much warmer and nicer that way.
Take care!
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
21 Dec 10
It looks warm an snuggly when you see a bunch of cats all curled up snoozing together!
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
20 Dec 10
I once had a large male cat named Feodore which I rescued when I was a young man, we slept together with my cat (I was single then), he would include me in his grooming all the time , that is lick me, oh what a rough tongue
@RebeccaScarlett (2532)
• Canada
21 Dec 10
I find it very funny -- until I bend over and a cat leaps onto my back to get at my hair. Then I am stuck bent over until he decides to leave, or else I will end up with claws dug into my back for balance as I stand up!
