Why Do Cats Lick Each Other? Pet Behavior Experts Explain

When they’re not sunbathing near a window or sleeping the day away, your cats are at it again: nestled together and licking each other. Sometimes those kitty kisses seem incredibly sweet, and other times, they seem borderline obsessive, with a potential fight looming. It’s definitely one of those strange cat behaviors that can leave you scratching your head. So why do cats lick each other?

To understand this cat conundrum, we went straight to the experts: LeeAnna Buis, a certified feline training and behavior specialist, Jennifer Van de Kieft, an advanced feline training and behavior expert, and Bruce Kornreich, DVM, PhD, a professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and the director of Cornell’s Feline Health Center. With their help, we found out the real science behind the puzzling question. Read on to learn why cats lick each other and why a sassy spat right after is so common.

Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more pet insights, travel, humor, tech and fun facts all week long.

Why do cats lick each other?

When two or more cats live together, there’s usually at least one that constantly licks the others and engages in a seemingly adorable cat behavior called “allogrooming.” This grooming behavior isn’t strictly limited to cats; it occurs in many other “social” animals, including primates. 

As it turns out, there are many reasons why cats lick each other. They include:  

Social bonding

When cats lick one another’s heads, it’s a sign of affection, not to mention bonding and trust. According to a report published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, this display of affection is more common among cats that are raised together or are part of the same social group. So, yes, when you see cats licking each other, it is often just an exchange of sweet kitty kisses. 

Redirected aggression

Interestingly, there’s another reason why cats lick each other. A study published in the Journal of Ethology tells us that cats may use allogrooming as a way to redirect potential aggression when tensions run high. It seems the wise kitties agree that a few gentle licks are a better way to smooth things over rather than engaging in a full-blown fight. 

Grooming

This licking act is also a pretty handy cat grooming behavior: “It’s an area of the body that cats can’t reach to groom themselves, so there could certainly be a functionality to it—helping each other out in hard-to-reach spots,” explains Buis.

Survival instincts

Another reason why cats lick each other has to do with survival instincts: The cat is “creating a shared scent that’s unique to the group,” says Buis. “Because cats use scent—even before sight—to identify friend from foe, this group scent is incredibly important for recognition.” In short, your cat is hardwired to lick, and this goes way back to how its feline ancestors survived.

Why do cats like to lick each other?

MARIOGUTI/GETTY IMAGES

If you hear a gentle purring coming from your cats as they clean each other, don’t be surprised. Experts say it’s how they socialize, and hey, who doesn’t like a good nuzzle every now and then? “It’s a way of showing affection, and it helps strengthen their social bond,” says Van de Kieft. And of course, kisses feel good!

There’s also a maternal instinct involved. “It starts as kittens, when mom holds them down for a minute to get a few quick licks before they run off again,” says Buis. So it’s pretty likely that cats like to lick each other as a manifestation of their affection—same as when they rub against you. 

The exception, of course, is when the allogrooming is motivated by aggression in the first place. Read on to find out how that might look and feel very different. 

Why do cats lick to show dominance?

If the licking ever seems aggressive, it’s not your imagination. Research confirms that cats living in the same household may be intent on showing who’s the boss, and that can be demonstrated by cleaning another cat. 

“In some cases, a dominant cat may groom a cat that is ‘lower’ in social structure [subordinate], perhaps to establish or to reinforce their social dominance,” says Kornreich.

While some cats may appear to be more brazen than others, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are intent on strong-arming—or, in this case, strong-pawing—another kitty. Though there’s a structure to how cats interact, they don’t have a strong dominance hierarchy with a “top dog” (er, cat) leading the group. The bottom line: “Cats don’t really have a social hierarchy,” notes Buis.

Why do cats lick each other and then fight?

While cuddles and kisses can be lovely, they’re not always welcome. “If a cat is being groomed and not open to it, or feels it’s too intense, he or she may respond with a hiss or swat to indicate displeasure with the grooming session,” notes Van de Kieft. And since some cats don’t want the scent of another cat on them, they simply don’t want to be groomed—and aren’t shy about letting the other cat know.

Cat anxiety is another reason felines can lick each other continuously. When done to excess, this may cause a fight. If the lickee could talk, they’d basically be saying, “Enough already!”

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• LeeAnna Buis, feline training and behavior consultant in Seattle
• Jennifer Van de Kieft, advanced feline training and behavior professional in New York City
• Bruce Kornreich, DVM, PhD, professor at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and director of Cornell’s Feline Health Center
• American Journal of Veterinary Research: “Influence of familiarity and relatedness on proximity and allogrooming in domestic cats (Felis catus)”
• Journal of Ethology: “The function of allogrooming in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus); a study in a group of cats living in confinement”
• Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery: “Social organization in the cat: A modern understanding”