Why Cats Lick Themselves

As from goggle, cats lick to keep them clean, to rid themselves of varmints like fleas, to cool themselves, to absorb Vitamin D, and to release stress.

During warm weather, cats lick themselves to keep cool. They do not have sweat glands or pores, so the layer of saliva acts like human sweat by drying and evaporating, lifting heat away from the cat's body.

Cats lick their fur to rid it of dirt and to keep their coat waterproof. The licking also helps strengthen the cat's own scent. By repeatedly licking themselves, cats smooth their fur, thus providing better protection against the cold. When cats tug at their fur, they stimulate glands that release a secretion that helps to keep their coat waterproof. Although cats often enjoy being petted, they will usually groom themselves afterward, in order to rid themselves of the human scent and increase their own scent. Petting also ruffles their fur, and licking will smooth it.

So basically, cats keep licking themselves not because they are a clean freak but it helps to maintain their body temperature based on the current weather.