A cat’s tongue is rough, surprising, and often confusing when it touches your skin. One moment you are enjoying a quiet cuddle, and the next your cat starts licking your hand, face, or even your hair.

Cats spend as much as 50% of their waking hours licking themselves. But why do cats lick themselves? Licking is instinctual in cats. Cats groom themselves through licking. A mother cat’s first job is ...

This is an excerpt from The Cat: A Natural and Cultural History by Dr. Sarah Brown, a cat behavior expert with 30 years' experience working with cats and their humans, with rescue organizations, and ...