yeah, cats are the cleanest animals I've seen as they spend a
great deal of time keeping themselves in tip top look (aka
grooming) & not forgetting what they do best - snoozing..
THE NATURAL WAY
The cat is well-equipped to groom
itself: tongue, teeth, pawsa and claws are all pressed into
service. The cat's tongue has a rough surface which, combined with
saliva, helps to remove grit and sticky substances from the fur.
Even though cats are very flexible, there are areas they cannot
reach directly with their tongue - so the front paws are licked and
used rather like a face flannel (washcloth). As the coat dries, the
cat nibbles the fur back into place with its small incisor teeth
and removes any foreign matter that the washing process failed to
dislodge.
The back
claws act almost like a wide-toothed comb and remove larger objects
from the coat. The front paws stimulate slight oily secretions from
glands around the head, and transfer them to other parts of the
body during grooming. The cat is preening its coat with its own
perfume, which can then be used to mark territory.
