Why does my cat groom my other cat

Pet Talk

By Dr. Norette L. Underwood

Why Do Cats Lick Each Other and Their Humans?

Recently one of my employees asked why her cat licked her and the other cats in the household. I found in my research this following information at Animal Wised by Josie F. Turner.

Cats can lick for hours. When you have that much fur, being clean takes dedication. Removing dirt accumulated over the day or detangling knots from their fur, cats use their specially adapted tongues to maintain proper hygiene. However, sometimes this cleaning ritual doesn’t stop with their own bodies. Their licking migrates to their furry friends and their humans and we may not understand why,

If you have several cats at home, you may see they begin to groom each other, even when there is no obvious reason for it. The cats have their own tongues and may appear perfectly clean, especially if they are indoor cats with less opportunity for mess.

Reasons a cat licks themselves

Before we answer why cats lick each other, let’s clarify the reasons why they lick themselves. The majority of the time spent licking is a cat engaging in their own grooming ritual. This means coursing over their fur to get at every reachable part. It doesn’t just mean licking. It is not uncommon to see cats biting at hard-to-detangle knots or getting their teeth in between their toes.

Cleaning their fur usually happens at different times of the day. For example, cats may groom themselves after eating to get rid of food remnants as well as the smell. This is behavior which is natural and inherited from their parents.

Another reason for licking is due to a cat’s lack of sweat glands. Like many mammals, these are only located on the pads of their paws. This is why, when it is very hot, they cannot rely on this small area of their body to regulate their temperature. This is where licking comes in. It does so by leaving a trail of saliva when they lick themselves. When this salvia evaporates in the heat, it gives the cat a fresh feeling of coolness.

Additionally, licking is actually a form of relaxation. If your kitty is anxious, stressed or generally out of sorts, then they will lick themselves for comfort. The actions relax them and likely invokes the feeling of being mothered as a kitten. This licking is usually done on the sides of the body or even by licking their paws and then rubbing over their head and snout. We have to be careful, however. Excessive licking can be a sign that this stress is too much and that there is either a physical or mental problem at foot.

Cats lick each other for bonding

Licking is not only functional. It can also be a physical display of the confidence in each other some cats feel when together. This is called social grooming and it has several reasons behind it. One of them is simply to strengthen the bond between two or more felines. It is also important to remember that even hairless cats will lick themselves and each other as staying clean is important with or without fur.

If your cats do this, it means they love and trust each other very much. They feel relaxed when they are together, and they are happy to express this. The licks are usually concentrated in the facial area and the ears, a cat’s favorite places to show some love.

Cats from the same family licking each other

Cats also lick each other to strengthen their ties within the same family. This can be those in the same litter of kittens, but they don’t always have to be with blood relatives. If cats grow up together, they will feel a familial bond and encourage it by licking another’s coat. The licks don’t just serve as a sign of affection. They also impart a familiar aroma onto each other which identifies them as one of the family and distinguishes them from potentially threatening outsiders.

This may lead to the question of why does your cat lick you? Well, we have good news. It means they consider you one of the family!

If you have questions about pets, please contact Dr. Norette L. Underwood at

Grooming is a common behavior for cats, and chances are, your cat takes several baths a day to keep himself clean. Cats are naturally fastidious, and that instinct serves their health and safety well. While many cats are thorough self-groomers, some cats enjoy having a little help every now and again and might groom fellow felines. If you notice your cats grooming each other, don’t worry. This behavior is normal and even indicates that your cats are trusting and bonded with each other. If your cat engages in mutual grooming with another cat, you’re seeing a natural behavior and a happy, secure cat.

To understand why cats groom each other, you need to first understand why cats groom themselves. Grooming has multiple important purposes, and they all contribute to your cat’s health and safety.

When your cat grooms himself, he’s removing dirt from his hair and may also remove parasites. He’s keeping his coat in good condition, helping to prevent mats from developing, which can lead to skin irritations. Grooming also helps distribute the natural oils in your cat’s coat, so the coat is healthier and stronger, too.

But grooming also removes scents — particularly the scents of food — from your cat. In the wild, this has the important purpose of preventing predators from smelling and then following the cat. It’s an important safety measure, and your cat’s instinct to groom himself could save his life in the wild.

So, why do cats groom each other? This behavior starts at birth, when mother cats groom their kittens to stimulate them to have bowel movements and to breathe. This grooming also can help stimulate a kitten’s circulation, and it contributes to young kittens’ health.

When cats get older, they may start to groom each other for similar health reasons. Sometimes cats might focus on grooming the head and neck, which are spots that are difficult for them to get to on their own. This mutual grooming offers convenience over self-grooming.

In some cases, grooming can also be an important social activity that helps reassure cats. It can be a sign of affection and an important element of bonding. Cats often purr while they’re grooming themselves or others, and this also can be a soothing behavior. It’s unlikely that cats who aren’t highly familiar with each other would engage in mutual grooming, but cats who are good buddies and who trust each other are much more likely to groom each other.

Sometimes, cats who are grooming each other may suddenly break up the grooming session and seem to turn aggressive. This can happen when one cat is just done with the grooming and needs the other cat to lay off. Most cats who will groom each other are already good companions, so they’re unlikely to truly do any harm to each other and will probably sort out their differences with a small squabble.

It’s also possible that what looks like violence could be your cats engaging in play. Play fighting and wrestling are a natural behavior for cats, especially kittens. After a good grooming session, one cat might initiate a play session, and at first glance it can look a lot like fighting. If you watch for a little longer, though, you’ll probably see that your cats are both having a good, playful time.

Grooming is an important behavior for cats, and monitoring your cat’s grooming habits can give you insight into his overall health. If your cat is grooming others and has a good-looking, healthy coat, then his grooming habits and health are probably just fine. But cats can also take grooming to the extreme, and some cats may groom themselves excessively, leaving bald patches and sparse coats. This over-grooming can be caused by stress, but it can also be the result of allergies or parasite infestations. In contrast, if your cat is grooming himself less and less, you might see that his coat becomes dull, matted, and unhealthy. This lack of grooming can also indicate that your cat isn’t feeling well, and a trip to the vet is in order. You can use your cat’s grooming habits to gauge his health and well-being, especially when you understand what motivates your cat to keep himself — and sometimes others — clean.