If you never asked yourself “Why is my cat licking the floor?“, you probably aren’t a cat owner. It’s just one of the weird things our fluffy friends like to surprise us with every day. But it’s also one of the things that make us worried.
At first, we think it’s funny, but after a few seconds our brain shifts to panic mode. “Why is she doing it? Is she okay? Do I need to take her to the vet? How can I make her stop?” These are just some of the questions all cat owners ask themselves regularly.
Today is the day when you’ll finally get the answer to why is your kitty so obsessed with floor, and I don’t want to keep you waiting any longer.
The first thing you need to understand is that cats are very complicated animals. Maybe you realized that because they surprise you with some unusual actions every day.
It’s impossible to find a single answer for a single action. So here you are, looking at the 10 most common reasons your cat is licking the floor. Enjoy getting to know your fluffball even better.
1) You spilled something
Did you recently have guests? Or have you decided to make some special dinner for your beloved partner? Maybe you had a night for yourself so you bought snacks and watched movies the whole night? If the answer is yes, then it’s possible that at some point in the night you spilled something on your floor.
We know how fast ants travel from God knows where to our spilled drop of Coca-Cola. Then imagine how easy it is for our cats to notice the smell of it when they’re so close to it. And when they come to it, of course, they will be tempted to lick it so that’s what they do. They are just curious cute animals.
2) There’s water on it!
As I said, our fluffy friends are very curious and adventurous. So they like to discover new things and places, such as new water sources. That’s why we sometimes see them drinking from a faucet, licking water out of our sink, or trying to drink from a tall glass.
However, if your cat is licking the floor, it might also mean that she found a special water source she has never seen before. It’s usually some spilled or condensated water. And even if your cat has the most beautiful bowl of fresh water next to her, she might prefer the water on the floor.
Why? Simply because it’s more interesting. However, if you notice that she’s doing it more than usual, it might be a sign of dehydration. So make sure to always put new, fresh water in her bowl.
3) The texture and the temperature are perfect
It’s a fact that cats enjoy different textures and temperatures of some materials and surfaces. Your cat’s favorite activities probably include licking smooth surfaces, like tables, wardrobes, and floors!
Tile flooring is usually colder than the rest of the places in our home, so those unique temperatures might be especially interesting for our fluffballs.
It’s also possible that your cats started licking it because something was spilled, but then she figured out how much she likes the texture and the temperature. So she just continued doing it even after the smell and taste were gone from the floor.
4) It’s yummy!
A floor is a place full of different flavors. Every day when we walk on it, we bring something new. And no matter how many times we clean it, there’s always some smell or taste left on it. (It sounds gross but bear with me.)
So cats see it as their own free candy shop. As they are very adventurous and also always hungry, they might do weird things. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised if you see your cat happily licking the floor.
Even if there’s no fallen food on the floor, our fluffy buddies could be attracted to the actual material that the floor is made of. And it’s especially true if it’s made of plastic. That’s because many types of plastics contain gelatin or other animal-type derivates.
5) Your cat is just bored and it’s fun
Since we love our pets so much, we sometimes worry too much. And some situations really don’t require us to stay up all night wondering what’s the reason behind their certain behavior.
Licking is an important part of a cat’s life, and even though she usually does it to clean herself, she might also lick other surfaces like floors. Sometimes, our kitties just get bored so they decide to explore their surroundings with all their senses.
That’s why you might see your fluffy buddy doing some weird things you wouldn’t usually expect her to do. Licking the floor might not look like a super fun activity to us, but felines might look at it differently. Just like they probably aren’t impressed by us scrolling on our phones for a few hours.
I guess that we all have our vices!
6) She is anxious
If your cat is often licking the floor, then something might be making her feel a bit anxious. Cats are very good at reading the room. They feel the energy that surrounds them so if you’re constantly arguing with your housemates or you always seem very sad, your fluffy buddy might start worrying about you.
Or maybe you recently moved to a new place, and the change is stressing her out just like it’s giving you some anxiety too. We are not the only beings with feelings, but we all express them differently.
While we might stay in the room, eat, and listen to sad music or endlessly go out to forget about our worries, our cats can have their own coping mechanisms. And some of them might look weird to us, but we don’t need to worry about them. Instead, we need to find a way to help our fluffballs feel better.
7) Your fluffy friend wants your attention
How often do you play with your furbaby? I know it’s sometimes difficult to find free time, but we shouldn’t forget to pay attention to our pets. While we’re out there working, going out with friends, or studying, our cats are waiting for us to come back home.
They are truly happy when they see us after a few hours, and we should show them that we’re happy to see them too. Sometimes when they feel like we don’t pay much attention to them, cats might start doing some things they usually don’t in order to make us notice them.
They are smart animals, but they can’t tell us they miss us. So they need to do something else, and a change in their behavior is something that usually works well, and they know it.
8) She has behavioral problems
Did you know that humans are not the only ones who can suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder? Sadly, our pets can too. If you noticed that your cat has been licking the floor for weeks and nothing you do can seem to stop her from doing it, then she might be dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It probably started out as her habit, but now your fluffball just can’t resist it anymore. Don’t worry; it’s nothing dangerous for her. But you should still visit a vet, to talk about treatment options. Her vet will help you try to change her routine and possibly prescribe medication that might help.
9) She smells chemicals
Let’s talk more about taste and smell because that’s the most common reason for the change in our pets’ behavior. Your cat might enjoy the scent of some of your cleaning products and that might be the reason she does what she does.
Some of them love bleach. Weird, right? Well, it turns out that certain compounds in bleach smell exactly like the pheromones that we can find in cat pee. This is what attracts your pet to lick the floor after you’ve cleaned it.
10) It’s possible that it’s pica related
Have you ever heard of feline pica? It’s a condition where a cat has the urge to eat things that are inedible. Since they can’t really digest those things, they might lick and chew on them instead. So the reason your cat has been licking the floor might be pica.
Usually, the cause is a lack of nutrients in your cat’s diet. However, there are some other factors that may also cause pica, like anxiety, stress, boredom, compulsive genetic disorders, or other medical problems.
If you see your cat trying to chew or eat inedible items for a longer period of time, it’s best you contact your vet and check what’s going on.