Page 48 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

At the cat wash

Many people are fascinated as to why the typical domestic cat seems to have so much time to clean itself.
It is partly because the pet cat has no real need to spend time hunting - food is provided. Cats may groom
when they have nothing better to do. They also groom as a “displacement activity.” A cat that has pounced
and missed a bird may sit and wash itself, allowing the awkward situation to pass.

TWO HORSES ARE BETTER
THAN ONE
Mutual grooming in horses helps
remove lice and ticks from difficult-
to-reach parts such as the withers
(shoulder point) and top of the tail.
One horse can scratch and rub itself
on a favorite post but a helper
improves efficiency. One horse
approaches the other, mouth
slightly open to signal a grooming
session. The pair then stand neck-
to-neck or head-to-tail and nibble
each other for 5-10 minutes. In a
herd, horses develop special
grooming friends.

Supple spine allows cat
to bend forward U-TURN
The cat’s supple, agile body allows its
mouth to reach most parts easily.
Lying down is more relaxing than
balancing on three legs while the
fourth is being washed. Paws
are especially important, since
if they become injured or
infected the cat’s mobility
is reduced, and with it (in
the wild) the ability to
obtain food. The sole pads
are freed of dirt and the
claws exposed and
examined to check for
still-stuck bits of prey.

Leg outstretched for balance

THAT SHOW-RING SHINE
Horses remove parasites and loose hair themselves, but
human preference at the horse show is for a squeaky-clean
coat that outshines the competition. Horses probably judge Front paw
each other on different points. moistened with saliva
used to clean behind ears
THE FACE RUB
Many mammals (including humans) lick their lips after a meal to clear bits
of food from around the mouth. The rest of the face cannot be reached so
easily by the all-important tongue, which carries saliva that moistens and
removes dirt. So the cat licks saliva onto its front paw, and wipes and rubs
the paw over neck, ear, eye, and whiskers to clean them.
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