Why do cats clean themselves so much?

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A red Maine Coon cat with long fur licking its front paw while grooming itself, eyes closed in a relaxed expression.

Illustration of a cat with its mouth open, highlighting a close-up view of the rasplike, hook-shaped barbs covering the surface of its tongue.

Why do cats clean themselves so much?: Media

Images

A red Maine Coon cat with long fur licking its front paw while grooming itself, eyes closed in a relaxed expression.

Mighty-sized Maine Coon

A Maine Coon cat grooming itself.

© Professor25—iStock/Getty Images

Illustration of a cat with its mouth open, highlighting a close-up view of the rasplike, hook-shaped barbs covering the surface of its tongue.

A cat's tongue

Rasplike barbs on the surface of a cat's tongue help it lap up liquids and groom...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.