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Cat Saliva
Cat saliva is secreted in response to the smell and sight of food (my
cat also goes to the toilet before eating her fish!). Excessive
production - cat drooling
- is a sign of mouth disease.
As for all species, the cat's mouth masticates food and mixes it with
its saliva. It is the first stage in bringing "food into the body"1.
It serves as a lubricant, making chewing and swallowing easier and more
efficient. It also dilutes some of the food making it more tasty. It's
primary purpose is to pre-digest food before the stomach finishes the
job. it is an alkaline solution (higher than neutral pH).
However, cats swallow bites of food with little chewing. A cat's teeth
as more efficient at holding, killing and tearing prey than chewing it.
The cat has four main salivary glands draining saliva into the mouth,
one of which can be felt "below the cat's ear at the back of the cheek"2.
Cat saliva is responsible for human cat allergies - please see Cat
Allergen Fel D1.
Cat saliva does a lot more that just pre-digest food, however!
Warming and Cooling Cats
groom with teeth, legs, tongue and saliva. The grooming process
acheives more that simply removing particles from the surface of the
fur.
Licking the fur also helps to keep it smooth. Smooth fur is a better
insulator for the cat than ruffled fur as it is better at trapping the
warm air around the cat's body; keeping the cat warm in winter.
Saliva also keeps the cat cooler in summer. Cats don't sweat. When a
cat licks its fur the cat saliva gradually evaporates thereby acting in
the same way as sweat, cooling the body through the scientific
principle of the latent heat of evaporation. We
can help to keep the fur smooth. Cat
Grooming with GROOMIT and KONG ZOOM GROOM.
Vitamin D
Saliva also allows our cat to obtain its daily dose of essential
Vitamin D. Vitamin D is important as it promotes bone growth, regulates
Calcium and Phosphorus and supports the immune system. When a cat licks
its fur it ingests Vitamin D which has been produced by the action of
sunlight on the fur. Cats groom more in the sun.
Displacement Therapy
A form of displacement therapy (an action which diverts attention from
something that makes the cat feel uncomfortable) is licking fur.
Another is licking the nose. You will see the latter quite often. When
cat licks its nose it is a sign that it is unsure and thinking.
Observing this can help us interact with our cats better. (please see cat body
language)
Tasting Us
A cat will also lick fur to taste his or her human companion who has
just touched or stroked her. This is comforting for the cat; a bonding
and communication process.
Stimulating Oils
When grooming a cat will sometimes nibble its fur. This is the process
of tugging and disturbing the hair, which stimulates the secretion of
oils from the hair follicles. This oils the fur and makes it more
waterproof.
When we stroke our pets they particularly like it when we touch those
areas that cannot be reached by them (e.g. under the chin). Stroking a
cat is an act of licking from the cat's standpoint.
Note:
1. The Cat, Its Behavior, Nutrition &
Health by Linda P Case - page 311.
2. Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by
Drs Carlson and Giffin - page 181.
From Cat Saliva to Cat Health
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