Licking the balls is a common action for cats. But why are they so fascinated by this? The main reason is the physiological characteristics of cats.
First of all, cats have a keen sense of smell. Studies have shown that the body odor of male cats will become unique and rich due to the existence of testicular secretions. Therefore, female cats often use their sense of smell to understand the estrus state of male cats.
In addition, the cat's genitals are located in the taste glands at the back of the body, and the secretions in this area will spread all over the cat's face and tongue, indicating the cat's identity and status. Therefore, a cat licking its balls is actually studying the identity information of itself or other cats.
2. Is it normal to lick the ball?
For cat owners, it is inevitable to feel embarrassed to see their pets licking their eggs, but this behavior is actually quite normal.
In fact, behaviorists find that cats lick their balls more frequently in two situations. One is when individuals communicate with taste glands; The other is to maintain personal hygiene, such as cleaning hair.
Therefore, if cats only lick their balls occasionally, this behavior is as normal as grooming. However, if it is too frequent or intense, then this behavior may be a manifestation of some kind of health problem, and it is recommended to seek medical advice in time.
3. Should cats be forbidden to lick their balls?
Although it is normal for cats to lick their balls, it may cause some diseases or infections.
For example, if your cat is infected with parasites, the chances of spreading pathogens through oral licking will increase; Or their bodies are not clean, which may bring more bacteria into the licking area, leading to bacterial infection.
Therefore, if you are worried that licking the cat's balls is potentially harmful to the cat's health, you can consider washing the cat yourself to ensure the cat's health.
4. How to stop cats from licking their balls?
If you don't want your cat to lick its balls often, you can try some ways to help it change this habit.
First of all, you can give your cat more stimulation and toys to help it relax and reduce anxiety. Secondly, you can keep it as close as possible to yourself and reduce the time spent indoors alone. Doing so helps cats feel the care and warmth of their owners, thus reducing their anxiety.
In addition, you can also choose products such as chewing gum or oral spray to increase your cleanliness as much as possible. Of course, in this process, you can always consult an animal doctor to help you better understand the behavior characteristics of cats and provide professional care for their health.