Have you ever wondered...
about the impact of mutual grooming in a cat's life? Watching my two feline friends interact today, I realized that the act of grooming each other was either the catalyst for a fight or the means of pacifying the opponent once the fight was finished. Here is a example to illustrate my point.
Gracie notices a patch of dirty fur on Benjamin Bunny's neck. Knowing he can't possibly see it or reach it himself, she decides to clean it for him. Sneaking up from behind, she pins him to the ground and begins to lick the dirty patch of fur. Benjamin, unaware of the reasons behind Gracie's sudden wrestling move, tries to wiggle his way free. Intent on ridding Benjamin of whatever dirt remains on his fur, Gracie decides to do whatever it takes to hold him down.
The act of mutual grooming has now become the catalyst for aggressive behavior or a "cat fight".
Eventually, both cats either lose interest in fighting or become distracted by something as simple as a passing bug. They wander off in different directions as if nothing unusual ever happened between them.
But, Benjamin Bunny is concerned that Gracie may still be upset with him. He finds her relaxing in a sun puddle and notices a smudge of dirt on Gracie's back. The perfect way to apologize for his earlier ungrateful behavior is right in front of him. He can clean Gracie's back for her. Without warning, he walks over and begins to lick the dirty fur. At first, Gracie enjoys the attention and forgives Bunny.
The act of mutual grooming is now pacifying Benjamin's former opponent.
Peace, however, is short-lived. Benjamin grows more and more determined to remove all traces of dirt from Gracie's fur. His aggressive behavior draws a paw swat from Gracie.
And the cycle begins again. Grooming instigates another round of aggressive behavior.
What I find most interesting is that the expression on both cats' faces remains the same regardless of which phase of the cycle they are in.
Enlightening comments about today's thought are welcomed, so please feel free to share.
Until next time, remember...
We cannot without becoming cats, perfectly understand the cat
- St. George Mivart