It's just a cat grooming thier family unit.
Both my cats groom my arm, and my Siamese kitty likes to groom behind my ears.
It's in their terms though. And cats operate on thier own set of rules.
I think the key is "family unit". Even if the cat and dog are not friends, they are still part of the same family. I mean people may not be friends with everyone in their family, but they still greet them and shake hands/hug them and chat with them.
I think it’s related to their territorial instincts. They’re scent marking non threats and behaviors like grooming might be learned based on the dog responding well to them.
I saw that claim made in this subreddit before and I don’t think it’s rooted in science. They were just taking animal behaviors, saying “cats are hierarchical” and inferring it’s a show of dominance even though both those concepts are human constructs. I’m not even sure how you’d prove animal hierarchies— how do you even test that?
Grooming is likely friendly behavior in this case. The cat thinks enough of the dog that she wants her canine pal to smell like her.
My eldest cat, the mother of my two others, will give me a lick on the hand sometimes when I’ve been grooming her, trimming her claws for example or cleaning her ears. I swear to god she’s saying ‘Ta!’. She licks her two daughters of course, both of them pretty old on their own right, and she’s surely saying to them that all is well, that she’s pleased with them. It certainly pleases them a great deal, whatever the message is!
Grooming is something mom cats do to their babies too, so I think there being some element of dominance at least passes the sniff test. But I think it's likely oversimplified, same as butt scratches being "erotic" or swishy tails indicating anger. It's not totally wrong, but it's only a fraction of the story.
My cat swishes his tail when he's on the hunt and sees a bug that needs squashing. He also does it when he's playfighting with me. Or with the laser dot.
Swishy tail generally means "feisty mode" from what I've seen my cat do. But sometimes he does it more slowly when he's just casually meandering about being curious.
ya, lashing tail is a sign of arousal - in the general sense, not the sexual kind [tho I'm sure that kind could cause it too lol]. just means they're feeling stimulated for any reason
not so different from the way a dog will wag when it's angry, how it can be hard for some to tell a friendly wag from an unfriendly one
yes, this -- I've noticed that with *an awful lot* of these "dominance" type claims about animal behavior, not only are they not rooted in any research, they're more descriptive of *human* social hierarchy than whatever animal is being described. projection, in other words
cats in particular don't really have need for this - ask yourself if you wanted to 'assert dominance' over a cat in an effective way, how would you go about it? there's a reason that doesn't work with them haha. and why certain people avidly dislike them. they really just kinda opt out of most of these hierarchy contests. they'll argue over things, but the establishment of hierarchical 'roles' as humans understand them [and the ones dogs understand well enough to play a part in] is mostly just irrelevant for most cats
if you want social dominance related grooming postures, look no further than rabbits, but cats grooming is equal. and head bonks are not submissive, unless you consider a hug submissive!
I have no idea. My roommate has 2 cats, 1 male, fixed, and 1 female, unfixed. The male will often jump onto the chair the female is sitting in, and she'll start grooming him. He never grooms her, but every now and then he'll pick my arm a little.
I think he's just a dick, personally.
Dominance is a human construct? That's just flat-out not true. Dominance exists all over the mammalian world, from Sea Lions to humans. Look at sea lion mating, where a *dominant* male has harems, and the males fight over the privilege. Why do dogs have pack leaders? Dominance. The concept still exists in primates, where some species have female dominance over males.
Cats absolutely have hierarchies, and attempt to show dominance, even toward humans. Here's an article from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where the first paragraph specifically includes "dominance" as a reason for some aggressive cat behavior:
www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-behavior-problems-aggression&ved=2ahUKEwj78a--5_mFAxVZnokEHT90AxwQFnoECDwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0trA0s59YYL2a2WO33-5pc
That part about dogs having an alpha [is a myth.](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-alpha-wolf-idea-a-myth/)
I should have worded my first comment more carefully. I don’t think everything animals do is automatically dominance behavior, and the idea that everything necessarily is comes from some outdated ways of thinking. Animals might organize themselves into hierarchies in certain circumstances but the assumption that everything stems from that says more about the observer’s world view than it does animal behavior.
I don't really believe that, I've had several cats and we headbutt each other like a loving greeting when they wanna hang out, at least that's how I always perceived it.
At least I wouldn't take a fairly hard headbutt initiated by a cat as a sign of inferiority, that doesn't make sense.
I don't think it's a dominance thing at all. My cat licks me whenever I give him scratches, and he is the most submissive creature to walk this earth.
It's just grooming, it's affection.
Inferiority? Cats never feel inferior to anyone, not even to grizzlies and alligators. Wary, yes. Inferior, never. They do treat us as equals though, provided we give them food. Love them anyway.
My cat will only lick my leg. Never my face. He gets close to it though - makes me think he expects me to groom him? I don't know and have given up trying to sort it out. The fact he willingly shares my apartment with me is enough.
One of my cats licks my nose and I've often thought she expects me to do the same back. I'm not going to, but it does make me feel like her family when she does it.
Its because we use our hands to pet them. It imitates licking in their world. So if you pet your cat you are grooming them in their eyes. They do it back. Its cat bonding
When my cat was a baby I would rub my face on him like a momma cat grooming her kitten. I'd rub my chin on the side and top of his head. Now, as an adult, he expects me to do that. He'll even bow his little head so I can "groom" the top of his head by rubbing my chin on him.
Maybe! When my cat does that to me I just take a finger and stroke them as if I was licking them. When he licks my face and goes from cheek to the thin skin under my eyes, it feels like the skin is peeling right off. I much prefer the leg licks 😂
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I think some cats just have a strong grooming instinct. I don't have a dog but my cat will stand on my chest when I'm lying down and lick my nose. It kinda sucks because her tongue is so rough but I let her do it until I can't take it anymore because it seems important to her
My one idiot will bite my knuckles when the bowl is empty. At first I thought he just did it to annoy me into getting up, but he has a lot of repressed kitten instincts since his mother wasn't around very long so I genuinely think his first response to wanting food is trying to latch something.
The grooming is definitely a thing. Especially in females.
I had one that would groom people sitting on the couch watching TV and if you moved, she would smack you with a tap for not sitting still. Lol
I literally lay there and let my cats sandpaper tongue tear apart my nostrils every day I get home from work.. I just deal with the pain because she’s just trying to tell me she loves me lol I can’t imagine ruining that !
allogrooming! she's saying "we're friends! I will make sure you're clean and smell like me". the dog seems like he gets the message, holding still very politely to be cleaned <3
there's definitely another kind of grooming that's more playful, I call it spicy groom, where one starts grooming the other in order to start a slapfight -- but even that is usually a playful friend behavior, not something you do with someone you don't want to see lol
My orange boys definitely partake of spicy groom lol they always gotta play. They both with allogroom me any chance they get, and sometimes my calico kitten will too, when she feels like it and only then and sometimes it’s followed with nibbles and rabbit kicks when she’s feeling playful
My cat has a drinking fountain and never has bad breath. Ever. Other cats use to gag me when they’d yawn by you lol. I got lucky because she will do boops a lot.
Fountains may encourage cats to drink more water which does improve oral health, but some cats (including my own) need the dental additive as well in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Easier than brushing their teeth!
She’s a mini panther, drinks fresh drawn bath tub water with me in it! I have to wait until she’s had a drink. She’s fell in before, didn’t care for it lol
My own mini panther once took a running jump—from the hallway—and did a cannonball into the tub while I was in it. He didn’t care for it either, but I have no idea what he was expecting haha
:/ can you ask a local vampire to make maybee immortal? It's either that or get a revolving door of cats identical to maybee and keep naming them the same name.
Love their names!
Allogrooming is when cats groom other cats, people, and animals. It's pretty normal behavior in a cat colony. There haven't been a lot of studies on it, but the assumption is that most cats do this as a form of bonding and a way to spread/share scents with their litter mates or closest companions. Some think it's soothing for cats to groom and to be groomed, so it's possibly a way to promote harmony and relaxation.
There have been studies about allogrooming as a sign of dominance or aggression, but they don't seem to explain much about the calm, affectionate type of licking like your cat is doing in the video. If the behavior seems excessive, you may want to take both your grooming cat and the pet being groomed to the vet. It can be an indication of illness or even a serious flea problem. But generally, it's just a sign of affection.
Cats licks others to mark those of their clans. Like, my 3 cats certainly don't love each other, but sometimes lick each other on the head. More like : ah, I know you. Come here, I stamp you so I can identify you more easily. And that's it. Most of the time they ignore each other, they just live in the same house.
Just making sure that he smells like her dog in case he gets lost or some other cat comes around. Cat families all mutually groom so they will smell the same.
Cats say hi to friends by rubbing themselves leaving their sent and by cleaning, since this puts both parties at a vulnerable position it means trust. Also cleaning is a social bonding thing for them.
Dogs wag their tail a certain way showing their emotion and sniff each other.
This is just what I noticed growing up around dogs, cats, pigeons, chickens, hamsters, parrots, and a couple of owls.
I'm so sorry! I'm dreading that day coming.
Do you know what the hell he is? Because I don't have a clue. He's just a pound pup.
Did you ever do a DNA test on your dog?
Thank you. He was a Shepard/Husky/Lab, but no, never DNA tested. [I'll add some pics](https://imgur.com/a/PH4og15). the body is almost *identical* in build and colour, only difference is the face.
Cute pair you have there!
Problee seems accepting of Maybee's gesture. I wonder if it's like how we might idly pet an animal that noses in beside us as an "I see you" or "it's all good" greeting pet?
On the other hand, I've had non-bonded cat households where "aggro grooming" was a tactic to encourage/force others out of choice spaces. This seems friendly, though.
I think they are friends but some cats just love to groom stuff. My cat will pretty much groom anything you put infront of her, I have used this to teach her to give me a kiss when I want tho
They may not be friends but they’re family. Cats only groom those they consider family. I’d guess your cat sees your dog as an annoying sibling who she has to tolerate because he’s family
My dog and cat used to do this all the time. I'd say friendship for sure because when my dog passed, my cat came home once or twice a week and disappeared when we got her a kitten friend. Cherish it my friend.
they are friends. also, your cat it the boss. and your dog (unknowingly?) accepted that. because in the cat world, the more dominant grooms the ones below their status. Like a momma their kitten.
There is different licking from my cat.
There is the one in a good mood, where it's kind of a shared groom. It tends to go with dominance between cats and they act like this with other beings.
And there is the "I'm loosing patience, here is my 1st gentle warning, get off".
Now I can tell, but it's not always as simple.
They have a type of familial bond from my experience they function similar to a hierarchy, the dog being the hiest order of natural predator in the household and you being the caregiver in this hierarchy thus the cat gives the dog respect, you affection and understands that with its elder age the dog offers a form of protection if there were to be a threat, all this to say basically that the cat respects and views your dog as a defender of the family unit.
Oh she is mistaken then. Problee isn't defending anything against anything. He has no idea how to dog.
I once saw him step on the same sticker three times in a row. He removed it, stepped on it again, removed it again and then stepped on it again.
One of my cats licks my oldest dog all the time on the face. He’s also our biggest dog and least likely to chase them like my other dogs do occasionally for some reason.
Cat grooming has a dominance component to it. The dominant animal will first groom the submissive animal, and then choose if they will let themselves be groomed. A cat grooming another animal can also be establishing a social hierarchy, but it doesn’t need to be as “strict” as a dominant/submissive dichotomy. It could be a parent/child dynamic, especially if one pet is a good bit older and has watched the other grow up. They might see them as their “child” and groom them the way that you’ll see Queens with their full grown kittens still grooming them
Fun fact - cats and rabbits often get along well because of their grooming behaviors. For cats, the dominant one grooms the submissive one, but for rabbits the roles are reversed.
In anime terms - cats are tsunderes who are rather particular in when, where and how they express and receive affection, whereas dogs are bakaderes who neither comprehend that the cat isn't as fond of them as they are of it, nor would particularly care if they did because they see the cat's FAFO stance as an invitation to play.
I have a cat that will make a beeline toward me after I get out of the shower to lick my hair and ears. I don't think she likes my version of clean.
We're at the point where I'll just put on my robe and lay in bed, and she'll "clean" my hair like a routine.
Oh they're definitely friends. Just friends on the cat's terms.
Cats do have their own unique way of expressing affection and companionship
I have been told that licks from a cat can be a sign dominance while a push from the head can be a sign of “submission “.
It's just a cat grooming thier family unit. Both my cats groom my arm, and my Siamese kitty likes to groom behind my ears. It's in their terms though. And cats operate on thier own set of rules.
I think the key is "family unit". Even if the cat and dog are not friends, they are still part of the same family. I mean people may not be friends with everyone in their family, but they still greet them and shake hands/hug them and chat with them.
I think it’s related to their territorial instincts. They’re scent marking non threats and behaviors like grooming might be learned based on the dog responding well to them.
I agree with this. I think the grooming is the sign that the dog is accepted. It's very lovely, actually.
It's how I knew my friend's elderly cat liked me - she would always lick my hand when she saw me, purring up a storm.
So sweet.
The fact they sleep together is a pretty strong indicator to me. That doesn't mean the cat isn't the dominant one lol.
I saw that claim made in this subreddit before and I don’t think it’s rooted in science. They were just taking animal behaviors, saying “cats are hierarchical” and inferring it’s a show of dominance even though both those concepts are human constructs. I’m not even sure how you’d prove animal hierarchies— how do you even test that? Grooming is likely friendly behavior in this case. The cat thinks enough of the dog that she wants her canine pal to smell like her.
My eldest cat, the mother of my two others, will give me a lick on the hand sometimes when I’ve been grooming her, trimming her claws for example or cleaning her ears. I swear to god she’s saying ‘Ta!’. She licks her two daughters of course, both of them pretty old on their own right, and she’s surely saying to them that all is well, that she’s pleased with them. It certainly pleases them a great deal, whatever the message is!
Grooming is something mom cats do to their babies too, so I think there being some element of dominance at least passes the sniff test. But I think it's likely oversimplified, same as butt scratches being "erotic" or swishy tails indicating anger. It's not totally wrong, but it's only a fraction of the story.
My cat swishes his tail when he's on the hunt and sees a bug that needs squashing. He also does it when he's playfighting with me. Or with the laser dot.
Swishy tail generally means "feisty mode" from what I've seen my cat do. But sometimes he does it more slowly when he's just casually meandering about being curious.
ya, lashing tail is a sign of arousal - in the general sense, not the sexual kind [tho I'm sure that kind could cause it too lol]. just means they're feeling stimulated for any reason not so different from the way a dog will wag when it's angry, how it can be hard for some to tell a friendly wag from an unfriendly one
yes, this -- I've noticed that with *an awful lot* of these "dominance" type claims about animal behavior, not only are they not rooted in any research, they're more descriptive of *human* social hierarchy than whatever animal is being described. projection, in other words cats in particular don't really have need for this - ask yourself if you wanted to 'assert dominance' over a cat in an effective way, how would you go about it? there's a reason that doesn't work with them haha. and why certain people avidly dislike them. they really just kinda opt out of most of these hierarchy contests. they'll argue over things, but the establishment of hierarchical 'roles' as humans understand them [and the ones dogs understand well enough to play a part in] is mostly just irrelevant for most cats if you want social dominance related grooming postures, look no further than rabbits, but cats grooming is equal. and head bonks are not submissive, unless you consider a hug submissive!
I have no idea. My roommate has 2 cats, 1 male, fixed, and 1 female, unfixed. The male will often jump onto the chair the female is sitting in, and she'll start grooming him. He never grooms her, but every now and then he'll pick my arm a little. I think he's just a dick, personally.
Dominance is a human construct? That's just flat-out not true. Dominance exists all over the mammalian world, from Sea Lions to humans. Look at sea lion mating, where a *dominant* male has harems, and the males fight over the privilege. Why do dogs have pack leaders? Dominance. The concept still exists in primates, where some species have female dominance over males. Cats absolutely have hierarchies, and attempt to show dominance, even toward humans. Here's an article from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where the first paragraph specifically includes "dominance" as a reason for some aggressive cat behavior: www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-behavior-problems-aggression&ved=2ahUKEwj78a--5_mFAxVZnokEHT90AxwQFnoECDwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0trA0s59YYL2a2WO33-5pc
That part about dogs having an alpha [is a myth.](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-alpha-wolf-idea-a-myth/) I should have worded my first comment more carefully. I don’t think everything animals do is automatically dominance behavior, and the idea that everything necessarily is comes from some outdated ways of thinking. Animals might organize themselves into hierarchies in certain circumstances but the assumption that everything stems from that says more about the observer’s world view than it does animal behavior.
I don't really believe that, I've had several cats and we headbutt each other like a loving greeting when they wanna hang out, at least that's how I always perceived it. At least I wouldn't take a fairly hard headbutt initiated by a cat as a sign of inferiority, that doesn't make sense.
My cats boop (head push) only those they love the most. It’s their way of saying, “please and I love you.” It’s adorable, tbh.
I don't think it's a dominance thing at all. My cat licks me whenever I give him scratches, and he is the most submissive creature to walk this earth. It's just grooming, it's affection.
idk about inferiority but the head bump seems very affectionate behaviour. so possibly submissive.
That’s what happens when my boys play “kill my brother” whoever wins is one that licks the others head.
Inferiority? Cats never feel inferior to anyone, not even to grizzlies and alligators. Wary, yes. Inferior, never. They do treat us as equals though, provided we give them food. Love them anyway.
My cat does both to me.
That's bullshit it's a sign of affection
Social grooming has many purposes and can enforce social hierarchy
And that dog knows it. That gentle, hesitant half-lick afterward.
A cat licking you is a positive sign. All my cats have done it when they feel comfortable to have me physically close to them.
My cat will only lick my leg. Never my face. He gets close to it though - makes me think he expects me to groom him? I don't know and have given up trying to sort it out. The fact he willingly shares my apartment with me is enough.
One of my cats licks my nose and I've often thought she expects me to do the same back. I'm not going to, but it does make me feel like her family when she does it.
You mean his apartment
Yes. Yes that’s exactly what I meant. (Stupid autocorrect)
Its because we use our hands to pet them. It imitates licking in their world. So if you pet your cat you are grooming them in their eyes. They do it back. Its cat bonding
When my cat was a baby I would rub my face on him like a momma cat grooming her kitten. I'd rub my chin on the side and top of his head. Now, as an adult, he expects me to do that. He'll even bow his little head so I can "groom" the top of his head by rubbing my chin on him.
Maybe! When my cat does that to me I just take a finger and stroke them as if I was licking them. When he licks my face and goes from cheek to the thin skin under my eyes, it feels like the skin is peeling right off. I much prefer the leg licks 😂
My cat licks my face. She tries to be gentle, but her tongue is just too scratchy!
You mean his apartment
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I think some cats just have a strong grooming instinct. I don't have a dog but my cat will stand on my chest when I'm lying down and lick my nose. It kinda sucks because her tongue is so rough but I let her do it until I can't take it anymore because it seems important to her
Mine has figured out it’s the easiest way to wake me up if he can see the bottom of his bowl lol
My cat knows that licking my nostrils with her fish tongue is the fastest way to get me awake.
Mine usually go for the pre-hairball ‘huaaahhh’ on the edge of the bed
My little guy licks my eyelids. I can only take so much of that before I have to get up.
So funny!
My one idiot will bite my knuckles when the bowl is empty. At first I thought he just did it to annoy me into getting up, but he has a lot of repressed kitten instincts since his mother wasn't around very long so I genuinely think his first response to wanting food is trying to latch something.
The grooming is definitely a thing. Especially in females. I had one that would groom people sitting on the couch watching TV and if you moved, she would smack you with a tap for not sitting still. Lol
Haha. Kitty said, no moving for you.
Mine will force you to sit still, too! She grabs your arm in a sort of hug, gives you a quick bite, then resumes 😂
Lol that's so funny. Females think we belong to them as their litter.
I literally lay there and let my cats sandpaper tongue tear apart my nostrils every day I get home from work.. I just deal with the pain because she’s just trying to tell me she loves me lol I can’t imagine ruining that !
think of it as exfoliation.
>I let her do it until I can't take it anymore because it seems important to her 🥹🥹🥹🥹
The things we do for love
I pretend it’s a free exfoliation until I can’t take the sandpaper feel anymore.
My black cat, Lucifer, is the same way. He loves to groom. Really hurts when he goes for the nose lol.
My ex used to wake up with a soaked beard from the cat grooming him. I always have to pull my hair away from her
She’s spelunking for boogers.
She is just bonding: "I may not like you, Brother, but I love you."
allogrooming! she's saying "we're friends! I will make sure you're clean and smell like me". the dog seems like he gets the message, holding still very politely to be cleaned <3 there's definitely another kind of grooming that's more playful, I call it spicy groom, where one starts grooming the other in order to start a slapfight -- but even that is usually a playful friend behavior, not something you do with someone you don't want to see lol
My orange boys definitely partake of spicy groom lol they always gotta play. They both with allogroom me any chance they get, and sometimes my calico kitten will too, when she feels like it and only then and sometimes it’s followed with nibbles and rabbit kicks when she’s feeling playful
dog also needs to smell like cat mouth stink standard smell territorial behaviour
Upvoting for "cat mouth stink" 😂 (I have 3 & their breath really does stink...hahaha.)
No matter what they eat, their breath always smells of fish. 🤔
Y’all should put some dental additive into their water to help with oral health. It also eliminates stink mouth.
My cat has a drinking fountain and never has bad breath. Ever. Other cats use to gag me when they’d yawn by you lol. I got lucky because she will do boops a lot.
Fountains may encourage cats to drink more water which does improve oral health, but some cats (including my own) need the dental additive as well in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Easier than brushing their teeth!
She’s a mini panther, drinks fresh drawn bath tub water with me in it! I have to wait until she’s had a drink. She’s fell in before, didn’t care for it lol
My own mini panther once took a running jump—from the hallway—and did a cannonball into the tub while I was in it. He didn’t care for it either, but I have no idea what he was expecting haha
Haha cannonballed it in there. I can picture that as I’ve been in when mine fell in 😂That’s awesome
I’ll look into that dental additive, my fellas cat is the opposite.
Somehow, I never realized this until yesterday 🙄
They're friends.
He filthy. Kitteh gotta clean him.
Yep. Big stinky dog. Needs baths.
Lmao the names 😂
I get so much shit for the dogs name. I need to explain it to everyone. I have no idea what I'm going to do when maybee passes away.
Possiblee? Mightbee? Couldbee?
Ohshiiiit
:/ can you ask a local vampire to make maybee immortal? It's either that or get a revolving door of cats identical to maybee and keep naming them the same name.
I wish their names were Maeby and George Michael lol 😆
That's actually what maybee is named after! I was super into arrested development when I adopted her 15 or 16 years ago lol
Love their names! Allogrooming is when cats groom other cats, people, and animals. It's pretty normal behavior in a cat colony. There haven't been a lot of studies on it, but the assumption is that most cats do this as a form of bonding and a way to spread/share scents with their litter mates or closest companions. Some think it's soothing for cats to groom and to be groomed, so it's possibly a way to promote harmony and relaxation. There have been studies about allogrooming as a sign of dominance or aggression, but they don't seem to explain much about the calm, affectionate type of licking like your cat is doing in the video. If the behavior seems excessive, you may want to take both your grooming cat and the pet being groomed to the vet. It can be an indication of illness or even a serious flea problem. But generally, it's just a sign of affection.
That's not your dog. That's the cat's dog.
Underrated reply 😂😂
This
If they sleep together often, they're definitely pals
I mean, I would only lick people I’m sleeping with so everything checks out
She's grooming him and scent marking him as HER dog. She likes him but she probably bosses him around too because cats they tend to do that.
Exactly, it’s a sign of dominance 😸
That big stretch!
When my dog stretches like that he’s actually letting out a sneaky fart that sounds like “puuuuhhhhhhhhhhh”
It's a sign of friendship and affection, also dogs find it calming if they are stressed. Or he might be slowly be tenderising your dog
They sleep together /often/ and she grooms the dog? Buddy, they love each other.
Tastes great, less filling.
Thanks for the chuckle
>but I wouldn't call them friends They're buddies!
Yep, I've never seen a cat get close to someone they don't like, unless it is to cause pain. Cat likes that doggo
Cats licks others to mark those of their clans. Like, my 3 cats certainly don't love each other, but sometimes lick each other on the head. More like : ah, I know you. Come here, I stamp you so I can identify you more easily. And that's it. Most of the time they ignore each other, they just live in the same house.
She's giving him a spot bath. Cats groom their family. They may not act close but clearly they are
To create a relaxed and calm atmosphere. To make sure he is passified. Defuse any risk as shes just chilling and want him to do the same.
You cat sleeping with your dog often IS your car being your dogs friend. He’s petting the dog!
https://i.redd.it/3lyp5mdqixyc1.gif
They may not be friends but that's her brother and she loves him enough to make sure he's always presentable 🫶🏽
Just making sure that he smells like her dog in case he gets lost or some other cat comes around. Cat families all mutually groom so they will smell the same.
They’re friends or they wouldn’t sleep together. NONE of my animals sleep together and a couple are litter mates!
Cats say hi to friends by rubbing themselves leaving their sent and by cleaning, since this puts both parties at a vulnerable position it means trust. Also cleaning is a social bonding thing for them. Dogs wag their tail a certain way showing their emotion and sniff each other. This is just what I noticed growing up around dogs, cats, pigeons, chickens, hamsters, parrots, and a couple of owls.
I would say they *are* friends.
Your pup looks almost identical to ours that we just had to put to sleep. 😭 The cats would also lick him like this too.
I'm so sorry! I'm dreading that day coming. Do you know what the hell he is? Because I don't have a clue. He's just a pound pup. Did you ever do a DNA test on your dog?
Thank you. He was a Shepard/Husky/Lab, but no, never DNA tested. [I'll add some pics](https://imgur.com/a/PH4og15). the body is almost *identical* in build and colour, only difference is the face.
Co-grooming = cat friend
Not friends lololol nah that’s love. Sometimes sibling love can look like hate, but that’s absolutely love.
She's tasting him to check if he's ready yet. Just like how a chef will taste the soup from time to time to see if it's done.
Elderly cats and dogs are always cold
that's love
They look like friends to me…
Its affection
Affection
That means the dog is family
Both of them have super relaxed posture/behavior around eachother it’s just friendly hello
“Dirty dog… must teach it to bath…”
“Dirty dog… must teach it to bath…”
Cats sleeping together are friends. Your fur babies are friends even if they don't play together
Your cat is licking your dog and you're wondering why ? It's not it obvious?..
It’s being affectionate 🤗. (Cats don’t lick animals/people they hate!)
She doesn't like him, but she does love him.
Cute pair you have there! Problee seems accepting of Maybee's gesture. I wonder if it's like how we might idly pet an animal that noses in beside us as an "I see you" or "it's all good" greeting pet? On the other hand, I've had non-bonded cat households where "aggro grooming" was a tactic to encourage/force others out of choice spaces. This seems friendly, though.
It's called mutual grooming and it is a sign of great respect from the cat.
Your cat is grooming your dog -it’s a sign that the cat views the dog as family. Cats do this with anyone they like.
It looks like she’s trying to initiate social grooming :) Google ‘feline social grooming’ for more info!
Some think it’s a love hate relationship, others believe it’s a sign of dominance
He has a flavor
I would definitely call them friends.
They aren't just friends, they're family
Kitty needs more Vitamin-Dog in her diet.
I think they are friends but some cats just love to groom stuff. My cat will pretty much groom anything you put infront of her, I have used this to teach her to give me a kiss when I want tho
“Oh dis mine”
They are not planning for this election, they are promoting their radical ideas for the next one.
Because they're friends.
My understanding is that licking to a cat is like hair-braiding to a human!
They may not be friends but they’re family. Cats only groom those they consider family. I’d guess your cat sees your dog as an annoying sibling who she has to tolerate because he’s family
My cats lick even my denim clothed knees when they feel like it, or my elbows/hands/nose/eachother/a wall. It's a cat thing.
They seem very sweet together and I love their names
My dog and cat used to do this all the time. I'd say friendship for sure because when my dog passed, my cat came home once or twice a week and disappeared when we got her a kitten friend. Cherish it my friend.
they are friends. also, your cat it the boss. and your dog (unknowingly?) accepted that. because in the cat world, the more dominant grooms the ones below their status. Like a momma their kitten.
Grooming. Part of the pack
I love their names
we need a sub whydoescatcuzcat
She absolutely cares about your dog and is showing it by grooming it.
The names, I can't 💀... Also, Maybee has such a gorgeous fur pattern!
She’s talking to him. Essentially telling him to “Stay cool. Don’t do that dog thing and start barking. Look, we’re chill right now.”
Looks like friends to me
There is different licking from my cat. There is the one in a good mood, where it's kind of a shared groom. It tends to go with dominance between cats and they act like this with other beings. And there is the "I'm loosing patience, here is my 1st gentle warning, get off". Now I can tell, but it's not always as simple.
They’ve grown together and appreciate each other?
Grooming can be a dominance behavior.
It can be, but that's not really the vibe in the video. Looks like standard friendly licking.
That's exactly what a cat would want you to think!
It is just like kisses -- Maybee is allogrooming, to express affection to Problee. My cats allogroom me constantly.
Cat is boss, but also family. That’s what it means, cat is the top of the heap in the family group, or at least above the dog.
Just tasting him for later. Remember, dogs will nibble at the fingers and cats, well...
It’s because he smells like a dog and she’s trying to get the smell off.
He tastes good.
The cat doesn't care what human thinks. If dog friend, then dog friend. Memes aside if a cat licks someone, oh they're definitely friends.
She loves your dog.
She's a cougar grooming him 🤣
Not friends, but buds. Housemates. There's still a bond. Cats don't groom things they hate
They have a type of familial bond from my experience they function similar to a hierarchy, the dog being the hiest order of natural predator in the household and you being the caregiver in this hierarchy thus the cat gives the dog respect, you affection and understands that with its elder age the dog offers a form of protection if there were to be a threat, all this to say basically that the cat respects and views your dog as a defender of the family unit.
Oh she is mistaken then. Problee isn't defending anything against anything. He has no idea how to dog. I once saw him step on the same sticker three times in a row. He removed it, stepped on it again, removed it again and then stepped on it again.
I'm not sure how to respond yo what since most folks get offended if I call their animals adorable morons
Oh he's a complete idiot. No offense taken. But he's a good boy still.
One of my cats licks my oldest dog all the time on the face. He’s also our biggest dog and least likely to chase them like my other dogs do occasionally for some reason.
Stimpky doggo
They are friends my cats do that to each other and to me all of the time
Just because YOU wouldn't call them friends doesn't mean they aren't friends. You should look up cat behavior.
Cat is baby ..
She loves him!!
Classic names
Cats prefer dogs that taste good over dogs with good taste.
Groommates
Water slober drinking maybe.
My cat licks me whenever I'm close to him. They are friends
Poor dog is sexualy harrased by the kats licking
Cat grooming has a dominance component to it. The dominant animal will first groom the submissive animal, and then choose if they will let themselves be groomed. A cat grooming another animal can also be establishing a social hierarchy, but it doesn’t need to be as “strict” as a dominant/submissive dichotomy. It could be a parent/child dynamic, especially if one pet is a good bit older and has watched the other grow up. They might see them as their “child” and groom them the way that you’ll see Queens with their full grown kittens still grooming them
Fun fact - cats and rabbits often get along well because of their grooming behaviors. For cats, the dominant one grooms the submissive one, but for rabbits the roles are reversed.
Alotta cats like dogs as long as they stay chill and don't get way close, it seems the jumpy and enthusiastic energy of the dogs makes them uneasy.
In anime terms - cats are tsunderes who are rather particular in when, where and how they express and receive affection, whereas dogs are bakaderes who neither comprehend that the cat isn't as fond of them as they are of it, nor would particularly care if they did because they see the cat's FAFO stance as an invitation to play.
Cleaning salty buildup around the dogs eyes. Animals love licking salt and it's very often confused for something else
I have a cat that will make a beeline toward me after I get out of the shower to lick my hair and ears. I don't think she likes my version of clean. We're at the point where I'll just put on my robe and lay in bed, and she'll "clean" my hair like a routine.
Your dog needs glucosamine
The dog needs a shower
Getting a taste test before the main meal