- A new study suggests that cats licking each other, known as allogrooming, may not always be a sign of affection but can indicate malice or irritation.
- Conducted by Morgane Van Belle of Ghent University, the research analysed videos of 106 cats, observing their communication, postures, and ear and tail movements.
- Findings showed 20 per cent of allogrooming targeted ears, causing cats to rotate them backwards, a known sign of irritation or fear.
- The study indicated allogrooming often serves a practical cleaning purpose, particularly on hard-to-reach areas like the head and neck, and can be used to subtly bully other cats.
- Despite some instances of social bonding, the research, published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science Journal, suggests cats use grooming as an intelligent, subtle method of conflict resolution.
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