Overgrooming in Cats

One of the key characteristics of cats is how they keep themselves clean by constantly licking themselves, but did you know there’s more to it than just being clean? In this blog, we take a look at why cats are constantly licking themsleves, and when to be concerned your cat is overgrooming. 

•  Overgrooming in cats is a common sign of stress or anxiety as your cat tries to self-soothe by grooming themselves. 
•  To treat overgrooming, you first need to find the root cause. This could be stress, illness, injury, or something else. Your vet can help you determine the cause of overgrooming. 
•  If not properly treated, cats who overgroom can sometimes suffer hair loss, dry skin, or other skin conditions. 

Cats lick themselves a lot, but their mothers instil this behaviour in them from an early age. Mother cats (known as Queens) begin licking their kittens from birth and continue to do so the entire time they're together. Not only does this keep the kittens clean and comforted, it also encourages them to suckle and stimulates them to urinate and defecate, which they can't do until they're 3-4 weeks old. 

Most kittens mimic their mothers and begin cleaning themselves or their littermates once they're four weeks old. This behaviour then becomes crucial to them throughout their lives as self-grooming allows them to:

• Clean and smooth their coat by distributing natural oils
• Regulate their body temperatures
• Stimulate circulation 
• Prevent hairballs
• Self-soothe

With this in mind, it shouldn't come as a surprise if your cat seems to be licking themselves whenever you see them, but when does licking cross the line into overgrooming? 

Overgrooming occurs when your cat's grooming behaviours become compulsive or almost obsessive, to the point of impacting their own well-being. Excessive licking can lead to skin irritation or inflammation and even hair loss if not properly identified and handled. 

Studies from the Cornell Feline Health Center suggest cats spend between 30% and 50% of their day just grooming themselves, making it difficult to determine whether your cat is overgrooming or just displaying natural grooming and hygiene habits. That said, while overgrooming might start indiscernible from regular grooming, it can quickly cause problems such as: 

• Hair loss
• Inflamed skin
• Sores
• Clumps of hair around the home

If you notice any of the above symptoms, then it could be a sign that your cat is overgrooming themsleves, the question now is why.

Overgrooming, while problematic, is not considered a health condition by itself, but rather a symptom of a larger issue. The trick to finding the best treatment plan to stop your cat from overgrooming is to find the root cause. Some of the most common causes of overgrooming in cats include:

• Parasites (fleas, ticks, etc)
• Stress/anxiety
• Allergies (food or environmental)
• Injury

Sometimes, the place where your cat is overgrooming can also indicate what’s wrong, such as an injury they’re trying to clean, or a spot they're being bitten by fleas.

A common place for cats to overgroom is their hind legs, especially if they're a short-haired breed. Unfortunately, the reasons for cats overgrooming their back legs vary as much as their overgrooming anywhere else. Cats overgrooming their back legs can be a sign of stress or skin irritation, but you should consult your vet for a professional opinion. 

If your cat is specifically licking at the points over their joints, such as their knees or hips, then it could be a sign they're suffering from stiffness or pain, especially if they are also showing the following signs: 

• Limping/lameness
• Stiffness
• Reluctance to jump, run, or play
• Difficulty on stairs
• Behavioural changes 

In this instance, you should consult your vet as soon as possible as it may be a sign of arthritis, especially in older cats, and they may benefit from starting on a cat joint supplement. 

If your cat overgrooms the base of their tail, then it could be a sign of fleas, since the base of the tail is one of the prime spots fleas accumulate because of its warmth and relative protection. If you can, try parting the fur where your cat is overgrooming so you can see the skin and look closely for any signs of adult fleas or flea dirt (tiny red-brown flecks). If you can't see anything, or your cat has long hair making visual confirmation a challenge, we recommend using a suitable flea comb in this area and other spots fleas like to gather, such as armpits, groin, and around the neck. 

Cats overgrooming their tummies is also quite common. Some cats do it because they're bored or stressed, so they lick themselves to self-soothe, like their mother licked them. On the other hand, a cat overgrooming their belly could be a sign of something more serious going on internally that's causing them pain, such as: 

• Bladder infections
• Cystitis (which can be life-threatening in male cats) 
• Gastrointestinal problems

If you're concerned about why your cat is overgrooming their tummy, book a consultation with your vet and they'll be able to help determine the cause. 

In order to stop your cat from overgrooming, you need to figure out the reason they're doing it. Below we have some advice based on the most common reasons your cat may be overgrooming. However, if your cat's overgrooming gets worse, or they develop any other symptoms, you should consult with your vet. 

Cats may overgroom themselves because of a flea infestation, in which case, treating them with a suitable flea treatment for cats that kills fleas on contact should do the trick. Just bear in mind that getting rid of fleas is a much larger job than just treating your pet once. Check out our guide to getting rid of fleas to learn how to effectively break the flea life cycle. 

When you treat a cat for fleas, you should treat them for worms as well, specifically tapeworms. This is because tapeworm eggs are carried by fleas that are then ingested by your cat while they're cleaning themselves, allowing the eggs to make it into your cat's intestines where they start to mature. It's recommended you maintain a routine flea and worming treatment for cats because prevention is much quicker and easier than treatment in these cases. 

Skin irritation can be a common cause of cats' overgrooming, and the most common cause of skin irritation in cats tends to be allergies. These allergies may be environmental or food-related, and finding out which can be long-winded. The key to stopping your cat from experiencing an allergic reaction, such as skin irritation, is to reduce their exposure to the particular allergen. For cat food allergies, switching your cat to a hydrolysed protein diet, like this Hill's™ PRESCRIPTION DIET™ z/d Cat Food, can help lessen their symptoms while you perform an elimination diet to find the food allergen at fault. 

Environmental allergens, such as pollen, dust, mould, or other pets, can be harder to determine. Your cat may need prescription allergy medications to manage their condition, which your vet must prescribe. Book a vet consultation as soon as possible if you think your cat may have allergies. If you want to offer your cat some relief, we offer a range of cat allergy treatments without a prescription that can soothe your cat’s itching skin and, hopefully, their excessive licking. 

You can learn more about managing your cat's allergies in our guide to cat allergies. 

Cats are creatures of habit and like to stick to their routines. Upsetting this can quickly cause your cat to become stressed, and they may turn to over-grooming themselves as a self-soothing measure. Since cats don't understand that loud noises, visitors, or other things that may interrupt their routine are not a threat to them, it can easily lead to stress or anxiety. The easiest way to ease your cat’s stress is to remove the cause of it; however, since not all stressors can be avoided, you can also check out our range of cat stress relief from top brands like FELIWAY, which use synthetic pheromones to offer your cat a sense of calm in daily chaos.

Cats are so good at hiding when they are sick or in pain, so it's essential to be vigilant regarding your cat’s behaviour, as any changes may indicate something is wrong. If your cat is overgrooming and you can’t figure out why, consult your vet as soon as possible for a professional diagnosis and get your cat feeling like their old self again. If you want to offer your cat's skin and coat a little more support, then why not browse our range of skin and coat supplements formulated to nourish your pet's skin and help restore their natural skin barrier? 

This post is an opinion and should only be used as a guide. You should discuss any change to your pet’s care or lifestyle thoroughly with your vet before starting any program or treatment.