27/04/2023
While hours of grooming do help a cat keep clean, ensuring a shiny coat and removing dander and loose hairs, this process is about more than just cleanliness. Among the other benefits of dedicated grooming is that cats are able to control their temperature—while they can sweat through their paws, they can't sweat much elsewhere, so licking serves as a cooling system with their own saliva helping chill them out.
It's also a way for the cat to ensure they smell like themselves. Ever notice a cat immediately start to groom after you pet them? It's no knock against you, they just want to make sure they are giving off their own unique scent.