Why Does My Cat Clean Himself When I Touch Him?

[AIice]

I mean, I know God placed me inside a filthy human but my cat should bite me or move away if he's not happy with it. I just wanted to give him the heat from my hand and make him warm. The other cat usually purrs.

 

[Kflowers]

When you pet him, even though he enjoys it sharing touch reassures him, it fluffs his fur. By this, I mean even when one or two hairs are out of place they need to be put where they belong. Reach up and move three or four of your hairs from the right side of your part to the left side. See? You can feel them being 'wrong'.

Some cats are more sensitive than others. It's as though their nerves are closer to the surface (not really, but they experience things more intensely.)

Survival depends on having good functioning fur. Emotions depend on having good pets. You can have both.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I've been wondering this as well. There's one cat in this household and two adults.

The Big Poppy-cat isn't bothered by my petting him, but when Dean does he almost always cleans himself, whether Dean's just washed his hands after working in the shop, or not, etc.

I'll admit, I work pretty hard to avoid hand lotion, scented soaps et al, so maybe there's something there--I'll have to ask, but still, in this case it doesn't really make sense

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I think you're onto something there, Furballsmom. I use unscented lotion on my hands, and yet Milly licks herself after any of my touching. If my hands are clean of any products, she doesn't lick herself. It could have to do with both scents on the hands but, also, just ANY product on the hands, scented or not.

 

[Kflowers]

Here's a thought, does Dean have to drive to the shop and home? If so there's a chance that the scent of the shop soap gets on his car/truck handle and steering wheel and comes off on his hands even if he hasn't just washed them.

Maybe it has to do with Dean's car, or his tools. Opening a tool box is, well, I have to be prepared and hold my breath, experience.

It's possible Dean strokes the cat differently from the way you do. He probably isn't aware of how he strokes the cat beyond head to tail. I suspect, with only my own hair experiences, that being a millimeter (tiny distance) to one side or the other could do it.

Cats are a mystery. In fact, they probably invented mystery stories.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I've never even given it thought about the 'cleaning/licking while being petted' issue - Feeby has done this all of her life. My hands can be completely clean, or have lotion on them, etc. She just does this...period.

She also will twitch a little sometimes when I pet her in certain areas (back end mostly) - again done this forever. My husband can just give her a little pat on the head or face, and she has to clean that as well.

He accuses her of thinking we are giving her 'cooties' and she just has to get rid of them by cleaning.

This isn't really a problem, is it? I've never thought so...

 

[foxxycat]

Honeybee is like this. Spends hours lick lick lick if we ruffle her fur. They are weird creatures aren't they? My angel Flash was like this. Always licking after we pet her. She liked being picked up and pet. But grooming was a big deal to her. Same with Bee. Bee loves to be carried around the house but soon as I put her down she goes to fix that hair. I try not to use any lotion. I lotion first thing in the morning but with all the hand washing it's gone soon.