A new study suggests that when cats lick each other, it may not always be a friendly act. Researcher Morgane Van Belle began studying the behaviour after noticing her own cats licking each other while competing for a sunny sleeping spot.
At first, the licking looked kind and caring. However, one cat often kept licking until the other stood up and moved away. The cat that stayed behind then took the cosy spot without any fighting.
To learn more, Van Belle studied videos of 106 cats. She found that licking may sometimes be a gentle way for cats to settle disagreements instead of using claws or fighting. This behaviour could help avoid bigger conflicts.
Even so, Van Belle says there is still a lot to learn about cats. She believes licking is not necessarily mean, but instead a subtle way for cats to solve problems with each other.
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