If you have multiple cats at home, you’ve probably seen it happen on occasion. When it did, you undoubtedly smiled, and your parental pride was triggered as one cat started licking and grooming the other.
What Is Allogrooming?
Before answering the question, “Why do cats groom each other?” let’s discuss this feline behavior. Scientists call this adorable behavior “allogrooming.” But why do cats groom each other? Our human intuition tells us this might be a sign of affection between our cats, but it’s more complex. It’s complex enough that scientists have studied grooming behaviors in domestic cats, lions, primates, and many other species. In a 2016 study called “Sociality in Cats: A Comparative Review,” published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, researchers from the University of Bristol in the UK found that allogrooming is one of three ways cats express cohesion in colonies. The other two ways are allorubbing and transmitting scent signals.
Some reason why cats groom each other?
Sign of Social Bonding
Why do cats groom each other? A social bond. In a 2004 study, “Social Organization in the Cat: A Modern Understanding,” researchers from the University of Georgia observed feline social interactions in free-roaming cat colonies. They noticed that allogrooming occurs among cats who already have a social bond. Cats outside the colony are only recipients of allogrooming if integrated into the colony. In other words, cats will not groom another cat they don’t know, which makes sense. But there’s more to it than that. The researchers observed that recipients of allogrooming are usually highly cooperative and will tilt and rotate their heads to provide access to the groomer, often while purring. Cats might solicit allogrooming from another cat by approaching the other cat, flexing their neck, and exposing the top of their head or the back of their neck. This is a part of their bodies that cats cannot easily groom themselves so that the solicitation could be motivated by a practical need for help in the bathing department.
Allogrooming Is Not Always Reciprocated
Another interesting point to consider when asking, “Why do cats groom each other?” The researchers also observed that cats with a closer bond usually engage in allogrooming, which may or may not be reciprocated. They gave one specific example of a female cat with two of her adult offspring. Each cat groomed the other two cats over several minutes and took turns helping each other with their bathing needs. We can better learn how to treat our cats by understanding allogrooming among colony cats because these relationships are transferred to their relationships with humans. So when we pet and scratch our cat’s head and neck, we are, in a sense, grooming them in an area where they typically groom each other. You may have noticed that cats like it when their human pets them on the head and neck, but we also pet cats on different areas of their bodies that aren’t typically groomed during allogrooming. This could be a contributing factor in petting-induced aggression, the researchers concluded.
Allogrooming and Social Hierarchy
Why do cats groom each other? It has to do with a higher rank. A 1998 British study from the University of Southampton called “The Function of Allogrooming in Domestic Cats (Felis Silvestris Catus)” also noted that allogroomers generally groom the head and neck area. These researchers also observed that higher-ranking cats groomed lower-ranking cats more than vice versa. Allogroomers also took higher postures, standing or sitting upright, while allogrooming was sitting or prostrate. Allogroomers showed defensive behavior more often than allogrooming, most often after grooming the other cat. Allogroomers frequently groomed themselves after grooming the other cat. The researchers hypothesized that allogrooming may redirect potential aggression when displays of aggression might be too costly. In other words, the cat shows dominance by grooming the other cat rather than picking a fight in which someone might get hurt.
Maternal Instinct and Allogrooming
Why do cats groom each other? A maternal instinct might be at play. Another thing to consider when thinking, “Why do cats groom each other?” When kittens are born, they are met with their mother’s tongue. Kittens rely on their mothers for everything, including bathing. This behavior is both a sign of affection and protection from their mothers. Queens clean their babies immediately after they are born because the smells associated with birth could draw predators. By the age of four weeks, kittens can bathe themselves and spend as much as 50% of their lives keeping themselves clean.
Another reason the cats grom each other
- One primary reason cats groom is for pleasure. Grooming provides them with a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction.
- Cats perform a general wash down after exercising or other activities to clean themselves.
- Their tongues are quite antiseptic, which helps in removing dirt and debris effectively.
- Cats also groom after mealtime, functioning similarly to how humans use napkins to clean their faces.
- This behavior aids in temperature control, as grooming helps keep their bodies cool beneath all that fur.
- Beyond cleanliness, grooming is a form of relaxation and stress relief, similar to a massage, that helps them release tension.
- Another important aspect of grooming is lubricating their skin and fur, comparable to using body wash or lotion to maintain a healthy coat.
- However, grooming can sometimes become obsessive, acting as a self-soother. This is similar to how humans might bite their fingernails out of habit.
Why It Sometimes Leads to Conflicts.
With the basics of grooming covered, let’s discuss social grooming and why it can sometimes lead to conflicts. Social grooming is an act of bonding among cats, but every cat has a breaking point.
Overstimulation
Imagine being hugged a bit too long or having a firm handshake that feels prolonged; cats may react negatively if social grooming continues for too long. When a cat on the receiving end needs a break and is not given the space, it might initiate harmless play-fighting to end the grooming session.
Aggression
Aggression is another factor that can arise from social grooming. If the grooming extends beyond a cat’s comfort level, it can escalate into full-blown fighting. Depending on a cat’s temperament, what starts as social grooming can quickly turn into hissing, squealing, and kicking. This aggressive reaction often stems from unwanted social grooming when the mood for such interaction isn’t right.
Illness Detection
Lastly, social grooming can sometimes be related to the detection of illness. Although rare, if a cat accidentally grooms a painful area, such as a wound on the neck, the receiving cat may respond with displeasure through slaps or hisses. Repeated attempts to groom a sensitive spot can lead to a brawl between the two cats.
Conclusion
While bonding and shared affection from being born in the same litter encourage positive social grooming, not all interactions remain friendly. Cat owners must closely monitor social grooming to ensure it doesn’t take a negative turn. Owners can intervene if necessary by observing their cats’ behavior during grooming sessions to prevent conflicts.
