Study upends long-hold belief that cats groom each as sign of affection (opens original article in a new tab)

A study challenges the belief that cat allogrooming always indicates affection, showing it can also signal conflict or stress, with researchers calling for more research to understand its various functions.

• Study finds allogrooming in cats can indicate conflict, not just affection
• Allogrooming may serve multiple social functions including bonding, hygiene, and stress signals
• Researchers emphasize context and body posture to understand cat grooming behavior
• More research needed to confirm functions of allogrooming in multi-cat households