Why do they close their eyes when they clean themselves?

[katachtig]

Originally Posted by ddcats

Maybe they think it's too much work and closing their eyes might make cleaning themselves go faster so they can get on with their life.

Let's see - other areas of a cat's life - eating, pooping, napping, watching the birds.

 

[epona]

I love watching them wash their face best. Has anyone else noticed that they don't start washing their own face until they're about 6 months old, or are mine both slobs? Neither of them did it before that age. I love the 2 stage process of it - lick paw several times to dampen it, then rub paw over face. It's so cute.

 

[zissou'smom]

I've noticed Zissou does this generally when she does something close to her face, cleaning, eating, etc... I think it's cause they have bad eyesight close up.

Or because they're trying to multitask, like nap and clean at the same time

 

[dixie_darlin]

Originally Posted by Bella713

That's when they go to their Happy Place

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Never know

i wonder if they close their butt too..

I was thinking more along the lines of sandpaper on thier butts.... I'd close my eyes too!

 

[dragoriana]

This is meant to be sort of annoying but Charlie loves it. When he's in the middle of grooming or just laying on his back, i rub his ear really fast (not hard just gentle) and he puts his paw over his ea and gives me a cute look like ive made him itchy or hes about to lick his paw. Does anyone else do this?

 

[sarahp]

Originally Posted by Epona

I love watching them wash their face best. Has anyone else noticed that they don't start washing their own face until they're about 6 months old, or are mine both slobs? Neither of them did it before that age. I love the 2 stage process of it - lick paw several times to dampen it, then rub paw over face. It's so cute.

Oh yeah Smudge was like that. She makes the biggest mess when she eats - she gets food all over her face. For the longest time she would get rid of it my licking her face madly and sticking her tongue out as far as it would go until it was all gone.

She FINALLY learnt how to wash her face using her paw though, which was a huge breakthrough!

She still runs up to us after she's eaten with food everywhere and a big goofy grin on her face, then she eventually settles down to wash it all off. Crazy things

 

[epona]

Originally Posted by sarahp

Oh yeah Smudge was like that. She makes the biggest mess when she eats - she gets food all over her face.

I remember that photo of her when she was little with food all over her face... your description just brought that image back to me, what a little sweetheart

 

[fred&nermal]

Originally Posted by sarahp

Yeah but I don't reckon kissing someone is like cleaning yourself!!



It's not as though they lick their eyeballs though...

Thier eye could get caught up in their tongue....

 

[epona]

Originally Posted by Fred&Nermal

Thier eye could get caught up in their tongue....

This is so true. Radar is obsessed with licking my eyelids. I think he would prefer to lick my eyeballs but I instinctively close my eyes when he starts snuffling around my face looking for where to start licking

 

[cheylink]

I think they close their eyes cause they don't want to see all the fur they are going to cough up later! It would ruin the moment!

 

[samantha1979]

It is so cute when they do that!