When if doubt, wash.?

Hi Prettypaws,

While I have not read the books, I chuckled with the question as I have frequently observed this behavior in my cats. It is right on!! As far as I am concerned, you are not "reading something into your pets" at all.

In fact I think it is a major strategy, especially in the interaction between cats. It looks to me as a kind of "time out", to give a cat a chance to think something through. I have noticed that cats do not "attack" or charge at a kitty who is grooming. So it is to me a major strategy action which is fairly common in our household at any rate. I think it is brilliant, actually.

I researched the web to see if there were any refererence to this behavior, and could find none. However, if one really observes feline behavior it is obvious that this behavior is often seen in times of stress, mainly pertaining a perceived threat from another resident cat with whom the "washer" is familiar, or possibly in a moment of embarassment or confusion.

Hope this helps. Great question.

Troublesniffer

Owned by cats for over 40 years

Member Cat Writer's Association

It is a good book and l have read it and thoroughly enjoyed it.Cats when embarassed or under some sort of stress do wash themselves so the saying when in doubt wash is very true.l know when my siamese fall down from the scratching tree they immediatey start washing themselves as if notthing had happened.The is cat behaviour although as your realize cats wash themselves after meals etc and some to excess.No you are not reading more into a cat then what it does if you do not attribute human emotions bviour to a cat then you are fine too many people never undertand how animals think and behave which is a shame as if they coudl talk boy would they give their owners an earful especially why feed me just on crap and not like what you eat very well thankyou.A dog and cat both think entirely diffeently they are animals and no matter how much we personify them into human traits they are not human and do not have the capacity to think like we do although l have had a few dogs that are far more intelligent then many humans l know and that includes cats who actually work on instict for survival as long as they are fed have a warm comfortable home they are happy.Unfortunatelyy you will get people stating that their cats or dogs think and behave like they do,not true although l have noticed that some people start looking like their cats and dogs and if l start growing a beard and whiskers and shaggy eyebrows that is the time to stop breedeing my dog breed;on theother l do not want to look like my siamese either to tell you the truth as alreay have bright blue/violet eyes.(l am a female not a man)

dont wash your cat. please