Why does my cat eat my hair

If you live with your cat for a long time, you will notice that your cat spends a lot of time grooming itself, but at the same time, you may also notice that your cat also licks people other than itself. The object is even you!
In fact, some cats are not content with licking the skin of their human owners and have developed the habit of licking our hair. Although this licking behavior may seem a bit strange, in most cases it is actually a sign of affection from the cat and should be viewed as an intimate gesture. In this article, we’ll discuss why cats groom, why they lick human hair, and whether there are any health issues to be aware of with this behavior.

If your cat does start licking your hair, you’ll find that it’s not a pleasant sensation because the surface of a cat’s tongue is rough (feels like sandpaper) and your hair (especially in women with long hair) is likely to get stuck to it. on the cat’s tongue. The reason for this is because a cat’s tongue is covered in hundreds of barbs – small, backward-facing barbs (thorns) formed from keratin. Keratin is the same tough substance that forms your cat’s claws and fur. These barbs help cats sort out loose hair, dirt, parasites, etc. when grooming.
An interesting scientific study shows that cat tongue barbs, shaped like a spoon with a hollow tip, absorb saliva and distribute it over the hair and all the way to the surface of the skin during grooming. Not only does this help clean the skin and remove tangles from the fur, it also helps control your cat’s body temperature. You may not know that mother cats licking their kittens immediately after birth is an instinct-driven behavior because it removes odors and tissues on the kittens that may attract predators. Over the next few weeks, the mother cats will continue to lick their kittens, which stimulates them to go to the toilet to keep them clean and rid of nasty parasites such as fleas, until the kittens are 4 weeks old. You can do this independently.

From the above scientific analysis and research, it seems that the most likely reason why your cat licks your hair is to express their love for you and strengthen their social connection with you by sharing their scent (such as treating you as their own). Children who will not grow up). Cats in the cat enclosure will groom their favorite companions’ heads and bodies by licking them, so this behavior may also be a sign that they like the attention you give them when licking their hair, especially when you gently stroke and rub their hair. head in return.
Some cat owners describe their cats licking their hair right after they take a bath, and I feel like these cats may be trying to re-establish their scent on a family member who has just had a bath, or they may be protected by human use. Attracted by the smell of hair products. As most of us are aware, cats have extreme reactions to catnip. It turns out that peppermint comes from the same plant family, and if your shampoo or conditioner bag smells like peppermint, that’s probably why your cat is trying to lick and rub your hair. But you don’t need to worry; as long as the products you use on your hair or skin are not toxic to cats, they usually don’t have any health problems from licking people’s hair.
But then again, if they’re eating your hair, that’s a different story, as the different lengths and structures of human hair can cause large clumps of hairballs to form in the intestines of an ingested cat, although these hairballs may It will be excreted in feces or vomited out, but if the amount is large, it can also cause intestinal obstruction in cats and cause disease. So it’s okay if you agree with this kind of loving behavior, but the cat’s behavior cannot go too far, and it must be stopped if it needs to be stopped.

Cats are not people. But they will do all kinds of things that look strange to their owners, such as biting their hair, which usually surprises people. There is not a single reason for this. Here are some reasons why cats bite people’s hair. Let’s take a look.

Expression of closeness

Cats are known to express their affection by grooming other cats. This is not something a cat would do to any other cat, grooming is only between parents and siblings and is a sign of bonding. Therefore, cats biting their owner’s hair may be a sign of affection, because this is very common between cats, so they choose to bite your hair to express closeness.

Relieve stress

It’s no surprise that cats get stressed just like humans. When this happens, they engage in some rather strange behaviors as a way of managing the stress to the best of their ability. In part, this may be the bond between cats and their owners, much like humans seek to relieve stress by spending time with friends and family. Likewise, chewing something can be a stress-relieving process in itself. This is not uncommon in cats.

Compulsive chewing

Cats experience mental health issues just like humans, so their chewing behavior may be a sign of some form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. For example, it is hypothesized that premature weaning can cause cats to develop oral fixations in the form of chewing and sucking. At the same time, some cats may start chewing constantly because they are so stressed. Regardless, compulsive chewing is a behavior that cat owners should be aware of as early as possible. In addition to this, mental health issues are not a pleasant experience for cats, so it is best to seek professional help for them as early as possible.

Smell

There is also an interesting situation where cats bite their owners’ hair because they like the smell. There’s a good chance this has something to do with the shampoo and conditioner you’re using, but it’s something cat owners should try to prevent. Hair products are not meant to be eaten, not to mention some substances that are harmless to humans but slightly dangerous to cats, such as citrus fruits.

Medical issues

Medical problems can cause cats to start exhibiting strange behaviors. One of the causes is hyperthyroidism, a condition where the thyroid is overactive. This special symptom often appears in older cats around 12 or 13 years old, so cat owners must pay close attention. Another cause is pica. Yes, pica can occur in cats, which means we need to be extra careful with individual cases like this. Once a medical problem like this arises, we should take the cat to the veterinarian immediately, as faster intervention often yields better results.