The Real Reasons Cats Lick One Another

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the heartwarming reason cats might lick their owners, as well as the pretty cute meaning behind a feline headbutt.

So perhaps it’s overdue for us to look at some of the furry friends’ less pure intentions.

According to a new study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, it turns out that cats’ “allogrooming” – including licking one another – isn’t always as wholesome as it looks.

Instead, the research, led by Morgane Van Belle, a cat behavioural scientist at Ghent University in Belgium, found the action has “multiple social functions”.

Allogrooming should therefore “not be used on its own to infer that the cats are socially bonded,” the study – which involved analysing 106 videos of feline pairs from 53 households – reads.

Sometimes, cats seem to lick each other as a kind of pre-conflict warning sign – like when one cat is annoyed by another pet stealing their favourite sunbathing spot.

This type of licking has been described as “passive-aggressive”.

In this case, the recipient of the lick might flatten their ears to show they’re not exactly loving the interaction.

Allogrooming in this case might be a “subtle agonistic signal to covertly solve conflict,” the paper reads. This type of licking might come alongside head shaking and even striking and biting.

Other times, the researchers said, licking can be “used as a form of appeasement to avoid escalation”.

Before a fight gets too serious, one cat might lick another as a way of re-establishing the peace.

“For me, [this] shows that they are quite elegant in the way they resolve conflict,” Van Belle told The New York Times.

“They could walk over and swat another cat in the face to get the blanket it is lying on. Instead, they lick it a little and fuss around. They have these very subtle ways of resolving conflict… that shows they are intelligent and flexible in their behavior, rather than simply being jerks.”

Some cases involved one cat “leaning over the other one” while licking them, which might be an intimidation or even bullying tactic.

Whatever the reason, the cat being licked in these cases typically shows signs of displeasure.

87% of the time, cats licked one another in the head and neck area.

That’s a hard spot for cats to reach by themselves, though it just so happens to be a very enjoyable place for most cats to be groomed, too.

Some licking is used for the adorable reason we assume it is: strengthening social bonds.

This is likely to be true if the cats are also playing together and have synchronised body posture.

Seeking physical contact with another cat, including snuggling, was followed by allogrooming in 41% of cases, for instance.

Licking was also sometimes used to initiate play.

Lastly, licking may help the recipient relax.

Previous research showed that in various animals, “The behaviour has an immediate relaxing effect for the groomee, as it leads to a reduction in heart rate… and a release of beta-endorphins [natural pain and stress relievers].

“More research is needed to further explore and confirm the suggested functions for allogrooming in cats,” the paper ended.

“Ultimately, this knowledge can contribute to the recognition, resolution and prevention of social stress between cats in multi-cat households.”