While cats do groom one another to strengthen social bonds, the behaviour can also be used to quietly pressure a rival into giving up a prized resting place

11:37, Tue, Jul 14, 2026 Updated: 11:41, Tue, Jul 14, 2026

Two cats, one gray and one tabby, are lying on a bed. The gray cat has its mouth open, while the tabby cat has its head resting

Whenever one cat settled into a preferred sunny location, the other would approach and begin grooming hiM (Image: undefined)

Many cat owners are charmed by the sight of two feline companions grooming one another, believing it's an obvious indication of friendship and affection. However, researchers now suspect those apparently endearing moments may occasionally serve a considerably more strategic purpose.

A recent study indicates that while cats do groom each other to reinforce social connections and assist with hygiene, the behaviour can also be employed to subtly pressure a rival into relinquishing a coveted resting spot or avoiding a confrontation entirely.

According to The Times, the research commenced after Morgane Van Belle, an animal behaviour researcher at Ghent University in Belgium, observed an unusual pattern between her own two cats.

Whenever one cat settled into a preferred sunny location, the other would approach and begin grooming him. The licking continued until the resting cat ultimately grew irritated and departed, enabling the other to claim the space without conflict.

Two felines are comfortably nestled on a bed adorned with a colorful quilt, exhibiting a serene and affectionate moment.

Van Belle stated the findings emphasise how much remains to be understood about feline behaviour (Image: undefined)

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Fascinated, Van Belle and her colleagues explored whether this form of behaviour was more widespread than commonly recognised.

Their conclusions, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, were based on videos of 106 cats living in pairs across 53 households. Owners were requested to record everyday interactions, with researchers analysing 23 distinct behavioural signals, including posture, movement, ear position and physical contact.

The researchers discovered that cats predominantly groomed regions their companion would find difficult to clean independently, especially the head, neck and ears. This indicates grooming can fulfil a practical function by assisting another cat in keeping hard-to-reach spots clean.

Nevertheless, the cats' body language disclosed significant distinctions between amicable and more strained encounters.

The behaviour can also be used to quietly pressure a rival into giving up a prized resting place

Nevertheless, the cats' body language disclosed significant distinctions between amicable and more strained encounterS (Image: undefined)

Van Belle stated the findings emphasise how much remains to be understood about feline behaviour.

"Cat research is about 20 years behind dog research," she said, adding: "There are still a lot of questions to be answered."

She maintains this behaviour should not be interpreted negatively, contending it demonstrates cats' intelligence rather than poor manners.

"For me, it shows that they are quite elegant in the way they resolve conflict," she said. "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. To me, that shows they are intelligent and flexible in their behaviour, rather than simply being jerks."