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Why does my cat lick herself after I touch her? Does she feel that I contaminate her with germs?!?

Kristin Bell asked in Cats about 1 year ago | Report

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  • Sacri_ordines_by_charism_small
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    Pretty much. Though it's more likely about smell than germs per se. She's reasserting her scent over yours. Secretly she loves you though, and probably wants more of your scent, so you can look at it as 'she's lovingly prepping herself for the next onslaught of lovely human scent'. ;)

    Rev.Enant answered in Cats about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Sleestak_small
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    What Rev said, although it's also a nature instinct. Cats clean themselves before they sleep (which is often, as I'm sure every cat owner knows) because they want to remove any foreign scents from their fur. It makes them feel safer. They also clean themselves after you pet them because they constantly incorporate your scents and the scents around them so they feel more familiar and safe in their surroundings.

    Urgutha Forka answered in Cats about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Medium_2868373187_b2c11c89cf_o_small
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    I'm pretty sure cats don't understand germ theory it probably has more to do with your cat enjoying grooming itself and putting its hair in perfect order.

    Basil answered in Cats about 1 year ago | Report
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