Mutual licking, especially between cats from the same litter or colony, is a real way to develop or strengthen social bonds, clean and groom one another, and communicate.

If you have a lot of cats in your household, you might notice that they start grooming each other for no apparent reason. The cats may look immaculate since they use their tongue, especially if they are indoor cats.

 We’ll look at why cats lick each other in this article.

Why Do Cats Lick Each Other?

We see cats licking each other all the time to take care of themselves and keep their lush coats clean. While friendly cats and littermates often groom each other, cats can also groom their people by licking their skin or hair.

It’s All About Love and Comfort

If your cats groom each other, it means that they have developed a lot of love and trust, as well as a sign that they feel comfortable in each other’s company. 

You will often see them groom themselves – two cats lick each other’s faces and ears. This means that they are comfortable in each other’s company, which is why you will often see cats licking each other’s faces and ears.

Cleanliness

Even if there is no evident cause for it, if you have numerous cats at home, you may notice them licking each other. This is a ritual exercise, but all cats spend a significant part of their day grooming their fur and then cleaning every part of the body they can reach. Moms also lick their kittens while grooming them.

They Are Social Beings

Cats are also more socially groomed. In case trust and social bonds are present, cats will lick and clean other animals. Cats could be friends if they have been raised together as kittens, although they generally tolerate each other and show no signs of subtle rivalry.

Although cats grooming each other have a strong bond, playful fights can develop. This is why cats who love grooming each other rarely get into real fights. If there is trust and social bonds formed, cats can lick and then care for other species.

Two cats grooming each other and then fighting are part of a complex relationship that the feline enjoys. While it is possible, two cats that do not love each other rarely socialize. If cats grow up together, they will feel a familiar bond and will reward it by licking each other’s fur.

Connection

Mutual grooming – also known as allogrooming – is a common behavior of cats in families with multiple cats and indicates that cats are connected and enjoy each other’s company. 

Cats lick each other to maintain a social bond, groom each other, exchange fragrant pheromones, establish law and order and groom each other.

Why Do Cats Lick Humans?

Cats lick humans for a multitude of reasons, but the majority of them ultimately comes down to demonstrating affection. While it can be difficult to know if a cat is feeling complicated emotions like love, licking is a gesture of friendship. Licking marks you as a member of the animal family and spreads the scent of cats.

Just like adult cats scratch certain spots to mark their territory, licking your skin or hair is one way to get you back.

 Your cat gives you some of its unique scents through grooming and rubbing. Rubbing and scrubbing is another way a cat considers you to be a friend and a part of its pack. Cats, licking and losing their heads, tenderly declare you as their property.

When is it a Serious Issue?

If your cats lick frequently and obsessively, it could be a sign of nervousness or even anxiety disorder. While licking another person (or cat) is unlikely to be an expression of stress, look for increased frequency as a potential sign of stress.

There are instances when a cat will lick another cat while they have detected a health issue. In these situations, the cat will usually concentrate on a specific place that corresponds to a part that is injured or damaged.

This could be the result of a cut created by an injury or a punch, but could also be a sign of an illness such as kidney failure, heart problems, or any range of other ailments.

How to Deal With It?

Discuss how cats lick with your veterinarian; he or she may wish to inspect your cat to rule out any medical complications.

 If you find that grooming or feeding your cat is so frequent that it becomes annoying, there are ways to get your cat to stop licking.

When your cat is bothered by someone’s departure, have them leave an unwashed shirt or blanket. This could provide a perfumed “I am here” for your irritated feline.

Bring a new cat slowly to lessen both of your stress levels. Even the most confident cats can experience underlying stress that emerges as restless licking.

Play therapy is also a terrific way to de-stress. It can help your cat gain self-assurance and equate a happy experience with the new residence, a new companion, or a different person. The ideal activities for cats are chase-the-fishing-pole lure and laser tag.

 Consider whether a shift in your lifestyle will have an impact on your cat. When anything new happens in your life, these animals of daily ritual will be the first to respond. The same love of regularity, on the other hand, can show the way to relief solutions for excessive cat brushing.

Final Thoughts

Cats spend a lot of time grooming themselves, so this behavior is not abnormal in and of itself. But the kitten can lick too much – in veterinary medicine this is known as excessive grooming.

If there is a health problem behind your cat’s excessive licking, it must be addressed before the excessive grooming stops. We believe this article has been an eye-opener.