Why does my cat start licking himself when I scratch his back?

Cats spend a lot of time grooming themselves, and that's normal and healthy for them. Their rough, barbed tongues remove loose hair, dirt, and parasites from their skin.

However, sometimes a cat might over-groom, licking too much and irritating themselves. This can result in skin lesions and infections. An overly itchy cat might also scratch with the hind claws at their face, ears, or neck.

Cats Lick and Scratch Due to Allergies

One of the most common causes of over-grooming and excessive scratching in cats is allergies. Cats can be allergic to many things, and the most common allergies that cause itchy skin in cats include:

• Flea allergy. When a cat is allergic to flea saliva, even one bite can cause a general allergic reaction. Sometimes flea allergy is difficult to diagnose in cats because they are such fastidious groomers that fleas and flea dirt can be hard to find on their skin.
• Food allergy. Cats can develop allergies to one or more components of their diet, usually the protein and/or carbohydrate source. Some of these cats show gastrointestinal signs, but itchy skin is actually a much more common sign of food allergy in cats. Cats can become allergic to these compounds over time, so even if a cat has not changed foods recently, they might suddenly develop food allergy signs.
• Inhalant allergy. Cats may be allergic to substances they breathe in, including mold, spores, pollen, and dust. These cats might be itchy during specific seasons each year, but they may also have multiple allergies and be itchy full-time.
• Contact allergy. When a cat comes into direct physical contact with a substance he's allergic too, itchy skin might result. This is often the case with detergents used on laundry.

Other Itchy Conditions in Cats

Some other conditions that can result in itchy skin and its resultant over-grooming and scratching in cats include:

• Mites. Scabies and demodex are two types of mites that can inhabit a cat's skin and cause severe itchiness.
• Ringworm. This is a fungus that can infect a cat's skin and cause itchiness and hair loss. It's transferable to humans, and it doesn't usually create the typical ring appearance on cats' skin that it does on humans'.
• Autoimmune skin conditions. Cats can develop autoimmune diseases like lupus that may affect the skin or nails and cause licking and scratching.

More About Fleas in Cats

Fleas can cause over-grooming and scratching in cats for more than one reason. First, cats can be allergic to the flea saliva as described above. When that's the case, the allergic reaction can be sudden, severe, and widespread. Cats often become itchy on their rumps when they are suffering from a flea allergy.

Cats can also start to over-groom just due to the presence of fleas and flea dirt on their body. Cats like to stay clean and will diligently clean themselves when they have external parasites.

A Cat Might Lick Too Much Because of Stress

Cats sometimes develop psychologically-induced over-grooming. This is usually limited to licking and doesn't involve scratching with the back claws. It can also be limited to a specific body area like the front legs or paws.

If a cat is showing other signs of stress, like inappropriate elimination, scratching inappropriate household items, hiding, or clingy or aggressive behavior, stress might be the culprit.

Ear Conditions Can Cause a Cat to Scratch

Ear conditions like ear mites and ear infections can cause a cat to scratch their ears and around their heads excessively with their back claws. They may also hold their ears or even their whole head at a funny angle.

Pain Can Cause a Cat to Over-Groom an Area

Pain, usually from arthritis or a urinary tract infection, can cause a cat to focus on licking one area of the body—the part that hurts—to help it feel better.

Again, these cats don't usually scratch in addition to the licking and may show other signs related to the painful condition as well, such as limping or inappropriate urination.

What to Do If Your Cat Is Licking and Scratching Excessively

If your cat is licking areas of the body to the point of baldness or causing redness on their own skin or if he is scratching excessively with his back claws, make an appointment with the veterinarian right away.

Your vet will take a complete history from you of what you noticed and when and might ask some questions about diet changes, parasite control, and exposure to other cats. Then, the doctor will do a thorough physical exam. Once that's done, he or she might recommend some testing to narrow down the problem. Those tests might include:

• Skin cytology
• Skin scraping
• Blacklight test
• Fungal culture
• Bacterial culture and sensitivity

Once a diagnosis is made, your vet will prescribe medications to help with the itchiness, treat any secondary infections caused by the over-licking and scratching, and make a plan to manage the primary cause. You might be applying topical ointment, giving oral medication, using special shampoo, or your vet might give some injections.

Follow the vet's instructions carefully, and follow up as necessary with reports and re-checks.

While you are treating your cat, Soft Paws applied to the rear claws can help decrease self-inflicted damage.

You May Also Like These Articles:

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6 Common Causes of Fear and Stress in Cats

How to Ease Introductions Between Dogs and Cats

Tips for Keeping Your Indoor Cat Mentally Stimulated

How Fostering Cats Makes a Difference

Can Special Playtime Decrease Problem Scratching?

Disclaimer: This website is not intended to replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed veterinarian. If you require any veterinary related advice, contact your veterinarian promptly. Information at CatScratching.com is exclusively of a general reference nature. Do not disregard veterinary advice or delay treatment as a result of accessing information at this site.

Cats engage in many behaviors that can leave us scratching our heads and wondering what’s going on. If you’ve found that your cat is doing something you can’t explain, it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong, though it could be an indication of an underlying issue. Really, the only thing for sure is that we don’t always understand the subtle signs our pets are giving us.

One behavior that often throws cat owners off when is licking during or shortly after petting. If your cat tends to lick itself or the air while you pet it or immediately after, you might be worried that your cat doesn’t like your attention or that something else is wrong. In truth, you might not be far off, but it depends on the cat. In reality, there could be several explanations for your cat’s behavior. Once we explore them, you’ll have a better understanding of why your cat is licking when you pet it.

1. Mutual Grooming

We’ll start with the most satisfying possibility first. If you have multiple cats, you may have noticed that they tend to groom each other simultaneously. It’s quite possible that your cat is simply trying to return the favor when you groom it by grooming you at the same time.

Most cats do an excellent job of cleaning themselves, they will spend countless hours grooming themselves to get rid of loose fur. But with the Hepper Cat Brush, your cat will no longer need to spend their days grooming. The brush is designed to be gentle yet effective, removing loose hair and stubborn knots without any painful pulling. What better way to bond with your favorite feline? Click here to try it for yourself!

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Most cats do an excellent job of cleaning themselves, they will spend countless hours grooming themselves to get rid of loose fur. But with the Hepper Cat Brush, your cat will no longer need to spend their days grooming. The brush is designed to be gentle yet effective, removing loose hair and stubborn knots without any painful pulling. What better way to bond with your favorite feline? Click here to try it for yourself!

At Excited Cats, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

2. An Itch You Can’t Scratch

Another common reason for licking during petting is that you’re triggering a reaction by petting or scratching an area they can’t reach during self-grooming. Your cat has a deep desire to groom all over. Those areas they can’t reach are generally the dirtiest and itchiest areas since they don’t get cleaned regularly. When you touch one of those areas, your cat might simply lick at whatever part of its body can be reached since it can’t get at the part you’re touching.

3. Underlying Skin Conditions

Your cat might be feeling uncomfortable with your touch because of some type of underlying skin condition. Several causes could be the culprit, including mites, fleas, or even allergies. If your cat reacts very harshly to your touch, it might be something as serious as feline hyperesthesia syndrome. This condition causes your cat’s skin to be incredibly sensitive, which means petting them could be quite painful.

4. They Might Not Like It

The final option is that your cat simply doesn’t like it when you pet them. This is probably not what you want to hear, but it is a possibility. Not all cats like to be touched, and you might just have a finicky feline who doesn’t want to be pet. Or, it might be that your cat doesn’t want to be touched in certain places. Petting in other areas might not induce the same response.

What to Do if Your Cat Licks While You Pet It

It may not be an indicator of anything bad, but you do want to know what it means when your cat displays this type of behavior. So, you need to do some detective work. First, check your cat’s body over gently and ensure there are no signs of any skin conditions that might make them uncomfortable. A veterinarian check-up might be necessary.

Also, try petting your cat in different places and see if the reaction is the same. It might just be the area you’re petting. If your cat leans into while petting in a different area, they probably like it. So, look for the subtle signs that can clue you into what your cat is feeling.

Conclusion

It can be alarming when our pets start exhibiting behaviors we don’t understand or care for. But these behaviors can often offer us clues into how our pets feel about our actions. They can’t speak to us, so it’s up to us to look for these signs and glean what information we can. If your cat is licking you or itself when you pet it, it may not mean anything is wrong. But it’s worth looking into to ensure your cat is healthy and happy and you’re not doing anything accidentally that’s causing it discomfort.

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