As an adult, a cat washes itself with its paw after sleeping, going to the toilet, walking down the street, or communicating with a person.
How cats wash themselves
Licking has its own functions. Some babies, who were taken away from their mother cat early, do not know how to lick themselves.
Other animals can teach them this.
The cat also licks itself to maintain healthy skin, remove parasites (fleas) and even to calm itself.
Cats' tongues are rough and covered with tiny papillae.
When grooming themselves after eating, cats typically use their paw to remove tiny bits of food from their face, sometimes stopping to lick the paw and clean it.
By licking, a cat or cat removes shed hairs, dust and dirt from the fur, paw pads, claws and other areas.
In this they are helped by keratinized hook-shaped papillae on the surface of the tongue, directed towards the larynx.
The sandpaper-like tongue helps cats keep themselves clean and cool.
As reported in an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, it has capillary papillae with cavities that allow saliva to penetrate deep into the fur.
Is it possible not to wash the cat
Cats are clean by nature, and there is no urgent need to help them with hygiene.
Shampoos and water strip away their skin's natural protective lipid layer, which can lead to dryness, irritation and itching.
In addition, for most cats, bathing is a serious stress.
