Observing cats lick and groom each other is more than a simple act of cleanliness; it’s a deep-seated ritual of affection and communication. Through allogrooming, they not only keep each other clean but also strengthen their emotional bonds. This behavior showcases a survival instinct that unites furry housemates, making their communal grooming behavior a crucial aspect of their social life.
Cats’ grooming of themselves takes up 30 to 50 percent of their day, highlighting their skilled self-care. Their special tongue, akin to a shampooing comb with hook-like, hollow hairs, ensures they maintain cleanliness. It’s this meticulous attention to grooming whether licking themselves or each other that keeps them feeling fresh, akin to enjoying a sardine-pop on a hot day, reflecting the profound survival instinct that guides their actions.
Cats Groom to Show Their Bond
In the intricate world of felines, grooming transcends mere cleanliness; it’s a profound gesture of bonding. Steve Dale, a certified animal behavior consultant (CABC) and author of Good Cat!, emphasizes how allogrooming among cats the act of cats grooming each other is a sign of a special relationship.
This bonding ritual is particularly observed in outdoor colonies and among close family members, like littermates, mothers, and their kittens. It cements their relationship over months and years, showcasing a level of connection akin to sharing a bath.
Andrea Arden, a pet training expert, notes that this behavior makes cats feel comfortable and at ease with their preferred individuals or company, highlighting the benefit of such a special relationship. Through allogrooming, cats not only maintain their cleanliness but also express their bond, which can last an extended amount of time, illustrating the depth of their connection.
Survival Instincts: Clean Cats Live Longer
The instinct to remain clean through grooming goes beyond social bonding and enters the realm of survival. Both indoor cats and those in outdoor colonies exhibit this behavior, driven by the primal need to remove fleas, ticks, and other parasites that can compromise their health.
For indoor cats, the risk is minimal thanks to up-to-date flea preventatives, but the instinct remains strong. In outdoor colonies, this survival instinct is critical, as grooming helps keep cats healthier and, by extension, live longer. Allogrooming among these cats is also a social activity that reinforces mutual trust and helps maintain a harmonious community.
The bonding observed through grooming, whether it’s in removal of parasites or just keeping each other clean, highlights the multifaceted benefits of this behavior. It’s a fascinating blend of survival instincts, health maintenance, and social communication.
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Allogrooming Helps Other Cats Groom Unreachable Areas
When observing our feline friends, it’s common to see them engaging in a meticulous grooming session. This practice, known as allogrooming, serves more than just the purpose of cleanliness. In my experience, cats often focus on cleaning areas they can’t easily reach by themselves, like the top of the head or beneath the chin. My cat, Dale, for instance, has formed a special bond with Arden, another cat in our home.
They frequently groom each other’s hard-to-reach spots, with Dale tenderly licking Arden’s head while Arden returns the favor by focusing on Dale’s cheeks and under his chin. This behavior underscores not just a quest for cleanliness but a deep trust between these closest companions. They exchange pheromones through their scent glands, using this chemical communication to convey information and reinforce their social bonds.
Mother Cats Groom Their Kittens
Observing Mama cat meticulously grooming her newborn kitten not only warms the heart but also highlights a crucial aspect of feline behavior known as maternal allogrooming. Right from when they are born, kittens rely on their mom to clean them, which plays a pivotal role in their health and development.
This process helps stimulate elimination and keeps the little ones clean. Beyond cleanliness, mom’s tender licks provide comfort and support, fostering a strong bond between her and her kittens. It’s fascinating to watch how these young creatures learn about hygiene and grooming through their mother’s actions, laying the foundation for them to take care of themselves.
Arden, a kitten I once fostered, mirrored this behavior early on, demonstrating how maternal grooming is among the main factors that help kittens develop and learn to lick and clean themselves, thus continuing the cycle of hygiene and bonding within the feline world.
It Can Signal Health Problems
When Dr. Louis DelGiudice, DVM, and National Emergency Specialty Director at AmeriVet Veterinary Partners, notes a cat licking excessively, it may be more than just a grooming habit. Conditions such as skin inflammation, itchiness, parasites, fleas, food allergens, or contact allergens can trigger this behavior.
Cats with close attachments to their feline housemates are often in tune with each other’s emotional and physical state, mirroring behaviors like grooming. Arden, a cat I once observed, would lick more frequently when his health took a change, showcasing the importance of paying attention to grooming habits as they can reflect changes in health and proximity to potential issues.
Contrary to popular belief, while cat saliva is often touted for its healing powers, Young-Williams Animal Center points out that a cat’s mouth harbors harmful bacteria that can actually infection or reopen a healing wound. The comb-like hairs on their tongue can discourage the healing process. Noting baseline behavior and behavioral changes in grooming can be key in identifying health issues early on. If you notice your cat, like Arden, altering their grooming habits, it’s crucial to consider contacting a veterinarian for advice.
Grooming Redirects Aggression
In a multi-cat household, the act of grooming can often be observed as a way to redirect aggression and express dominance. Cats, much like humans, have their own way of expressing dominance within their social structure. Dale, for example, would allogroom other cats in the home, not just as a sign of affection but also as a subtle show of his dominant status. This behavior, while seemingly benign, plays a critical role in maintaining peace and asserting hierarchy among people and their cats.
“Cat-to-cat relationships are very complex,” Dale says. “It depends on context.”
Within a clowder, or group of cats, hierarchical dominance is a significant aspect of their social life. Allogrooming among household cats helps to establish and maintain this hierarchy, effectively avoiding serious conflicts. It’s a calming and bonding moment that serves more than just cleanliness—it’s a complex interaction that allows for lower-ranking individuals to accept their place without the need for aggression, such as marking territory or blocking access to the food bowl. Through grooming, cat-to-cat relationships are nurtured, demonstrating how these social creatures redirect potential aggression into positive, bonding activities.
Also Read: Why Do Cats Bite?
Reasons Why Cats Groom Each Other
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Communicating Relationships
Cats groom each other as a way of communicating relationships, expressing trust and respect among members of the same group. This behavior, rooted in the instincts of wild cats, fosters a closer bond within a colony or in a home setting. Observing my own cats groom in front of you can be a sign they recognize and include you in their circle of trust.
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Showing Dominance
In the animal kingdom, big cats, like lions in prides, often show dominance through grooming. This is not just an act of cleanliness but a display of who is in charge, with higher-ranking individuals grooming lower-ranking ones as a submissive response. Domestic cats mirror this dominance-induced grooming, especially in groups of three or more sharing a territory within the same home, engaging in social grooming as a complex interaction of living together.
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Acceptance
When cats groom each other, it’s a powerful way to communicate acceptance within their territory or colony, akin to being welcomed into a family. This behavior, one of the common reasons cats interact with their human family members, symbolizes that the one being groomed is no longer viewed as a threat or stranger but as part of the group. Watching my cats, adopted at separate times, get used to each other and eventually see each other as family by grooming each other has been a rewarding experience, showcasing the beautiful process of acceptance and integration.
Why Do Cats Lick Themselves?
Cats are known to be incredibly clean animals, and the primary reason they lick themselves is to keep clean. Observing my own furry friend, it’s clear that grooming is an essential part of their routine, but there are other reasons behind this behavior as well.
To Cool Down:
On hot days, cats can’t sweat through their skin like humans do; their paws are the only places equipped for that. Instead, their primary method of keeping cool involves depositing saliva on their fur, allowing the saliva to evaporate and cool them down.
To Feel Safe from Predators:
In the wild, a mother cat will wash her kittens after eating to remove any smell that might attract predators. This behavior is deeply ingrained, showing that grooming is also about survival and safety.
To Keep Their Skin and Coat Healthy:
Licking helps remove dirt and parasites like fleas. The barb-like tongue not only cleans but also stimulates sebaceous glands, keeping their coat well-oiled and healthy.
To Remove Loose Hair:
The barbs on a cat’s tongue act like tiny combs, removing excess hair. This trapped hair is either spit out or swallowed, leading to the coughing up or pooping out of hairballs.
To Deal with Injuries:
Cats often deal with their injuries by licking their wounds, literally. This instinctive action helps clean the wound and can speed up the healing process.
Licking is Natural Cat Behavior
From day one, a mother cat licks her newborn kittens to remove the amniotic sac, clean them, and stimulate their breathing. This natural behavior is hard-wired into cats.
Because they Enjoy It!
Cats enjoy the act of grooming. Whether they’re licking themselves or others, including you, it’s a sign of contentment and affection.
To Soothe Themselves:
When stressed or anxious, cats may lick more frequently. This behavior can be a concern, as excessive grooming is one of the signs a cat is stressed and trying to soothe themselves.
Also Read: Why Does My Cat Headbutt Me?
Why Do Cats Lick Each Other?
In a household with more than one cat, you’ll often see licking as a way to stop and clean themselves and each other. This proper name for this behavior is allogrooming, a vital part of their social interaction and cleanliness.
For Stress Relief:
When a cat licks another cat or even a human, it’s not just about cleanliness; it’s often a way to soothe themselves when feeling anxious. This anxious and licking behavior can be a comforting act, offering stress relief to both the giver and the receiver.
Why Do they Lick Themselves after Eating?
After eating, a cat licks itself to remove tiny particles of food and smells from its whiskers, face, and front legs. This clean-up is instinctive behavior; in the wild, any food remnants must be quickly removed as they can attract predators and prevent the build-up of bacteria that could lead to skin infection.
Why Does Your Cat Lick You?
When your feline friend licks you, it’s a compliment, signaling that you’ve been established as a part of their social group. This behavior is a sign of affection, showing they see humans as trusted members of their family.
Can Licking Be a Sign a Cat is Stressed?
Excessive licking can indeed be a sign of stress in cats, alongside potential allergies, skin infections, dietary issues, or pain such as arthritis. Consulting a vet can help ease cat anxiety and ensure your home remains a happy place for cats.
Conclusion
In the intricate world of feline interactions, grooming plays a pivotal role, transcending mere cleanliness to encompass affection, social hierarchy, and stress relief. The seemingly paradoxical behavior of cats licking each other before a skirmish underscores their complex emotional landscape and the fine balance between affection and overstimulation. Mutual grooming, or allogrooming, is a testament to the deep bonds cats share, enhancing their social cohesion and health. Dominance among cats is subtly communicated through various behaviors, underscoring their social structures. Interestingly, cats’ ability to recognize their siblings after prolonged separations speaks volumes about their remarkable sensory capabilities. Understanding these behaviors enriches our appreciation of the nuanced ways cats communicate and maintain their social bonds, revealing the depth and sophistication of their world.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why do cats lick each other and then fight?
Overstimulation can lead cats to switch from grooming to fighting. While being pet or groomed too long, their energy can get built up and unexpectedly be released through bites and fights. Though they groom people and fellow cats as a sign of affection, such encounters rarely escalate into a real fight.
Also Read: How to Become a Cat Groomer?
Is it good when cats groom each other?
Grooming each other is very normal and a sign of love and close bonds in cat terms. It’s beneficial for their health, helping to keep them healthy and free from parasites.
How do you know which cat is dominant?
Simple dominance is exhibited in various ways, including marking territory with spraying urine, stealing or hoarding toys, rubbing their face on items to claim them, claiming specific areas for sleep, pushing others away from the food bowl, or starting at and physically intimidating other cats.
Do cats know they are siblings?
Cats may not remember their siblings in the way humans do, but they can recognize the unique scent of a brother or sister, even if they’ve been separated for a year or more later. This recognition helps them understand when they’ve bumped into a familiar face.Top of FormTop of Form
