What is the meaning and siginificance of a cat’s behavior when they climb on you and groom themselves?
Monday, November 30th, 2009 at
1:10 pm
I have always been a cat lover. Recently, I have been doing some investigational work into what you might call "cat psychology". Am wondering what meaning or significance there is or means when a very affectionate cat decides to crawl up on you and proceeds to groom themselves? Is it a sign of extreme love or contentment? Is a primevil sign of conquest, or is it just a very loving cat deciding that it is time to take a bath..LOL Please help as this behavior is making me "cat crazy" Thanks, Fred
Filed under: Cat Behavior
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Cats tend to groom themselves after they have eaten and when they are preparing to go to sleep (not to be mistaken with when a cat licks himself becuase he is at a loss or confused as to what to do next – you’ll observe this sometmes when a cat is playing with something, then you call him and he makes a move to come, then stops and proceeds to lick his shoulders – he’s confused or embarrassed or undecided).
So when a cat climbs on you and proceeds to groom himslef, it signals that the cat is totally content, comfortable and secure with you; so much so that he is prepared to sleep and be at his most vulnerable right there on your lap.
His grooming himself is one of his personal habits. He is comfortable and trusts you enough to do that on you.
awwwwww………. it ♥s you!!!!!
It’s a sign of trust. The cat trusts you enough that it lets its guard down around you to groom.
it is a sign of safety and comfort….cats have to let their guard down a little while grooming so they usually pick places to do it…i have 6 cats and they all groom in certain spots for the most part….
Grooming does seem to correlate to contentment, as it is what the mother did to/for them. MY cat will start to groom ME, all in the hopes of getting me to start petting her. I’ve noticed she’ll also start to groom her son — maybe just a couple of licks — and then stop & wait — for him to start grooming her.
So he is most likely wanting affection from you and also laying claim to you. It’s love, cat style.
People that don’t understand cats commonly refer to them as being unaffectionate. They’re just subtle, that’s all. But only a cat can get away with getting someone to love on THEM, and then be considered affectionate for doing so.
Gotta love ‘em.
Nothing special. Our 3 cats do it all the time on my bod. They just happen to be on you when they decide to groom themselves. Nothing more, nothing less.