Do cats groom each other as sign of affection? New study disputes theory | The Independent
independent.co.uk
Cats grooming each other has long been read as bonding — a new study suggests it may actually signal conflict between them.
Social Bonding TheoryEthologyConflict Displacement BehaviorNaive Realism
Theory Briefing
- A new study disputes the popular idea that cats groom each other as a sign of affection.
- Allogrooming in cats may indicate conflict rather than closeness, flipping the common owner assumption.
- The finding challenges how humans interpret animal behavior through a human emotional lens.