cat grooming reflex?

[r_salis]

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If I scratch my cat on her back at the base of her tail it seems to trigger her grooming reflex -- she starts licking and biting (in a grooming sort of way) anything she's close to. I've tried this on a couple other cats and it seems to do the same thing. Is this a known reflex?

 

[HeartSong]

If I scratch my cat on her back at the base of her tail it seems to trigger her grooming reflex -- she starts licking and biting (in a grooming sort of way) anything she's close to. I've tried this on a couple other cats and it seems to do the same thing. Is this a known reflex?

I've heard of this more as a nursing reflex than grooming. When a cat experiences something pleasurable, like scratching her back, it will "remind" her of when she nursed and found pleasure it that. Like the kneading of the paws in a pleasurable situation is similar to the way that a kitten will knead her mom to increase milk flow. The licking and biting could be an extension or replacement of that action. It would be like how a kitten would lick and mouth her mom to find a nipple and start nursing. It might be a grooming reflex, on the other hand, since that is also a pleasurable experience that cats naturally have. Though it is usually them as kittens being groomed rather than them doing the grooming. In either case, I believe the reason for the action is because the sensation of pleasure triggers something in them that causes them to physically replay an action that is a natural pleasure for them and that they knew from birth at intimate times with their mother.

 

[VeganSoprano]

I've had that happen - once I was holding the cat over my shoulder and he started preening my arm! It was definitely preening, not nursing. Can't offer an explanation, though.

 

[SMW83]

If I scratch my cat on her back at the base of her tail it seems to trigger her grooming reflex -- she starts licking and biting (in a grooming sort of way) anything she's close to. I've tried this on a couple other cats and it seems to do the same thing. Is this a known reflex?

I had a Cat that did that.... it was hilarious as hell... lol....

Nothing to worry about, but if you want some laughs.....