Social grooming in a feral colony is extremely important. This is not only a great way to stay clean, it’s another way the cats to bond. Allogrooming is how they communicate trust, maintain peace, and reinforce their family bonds. This behavior is common with cats, horses and primates. Humans usually do it only when they are looking for lice. Oh, those good old school days when you had no idea what was going on and why kids were being separated into two groups.
Paw Syndicate Social Grooming Habits
The Paw Syndicate crew love to bathe one another. Batman loves to clean his lady Baby but he goes around and grooms everyone else as well. While everyone stays out of Mama’s way, she doesn’t mind Batman giving her a deep cleaning in spots she can’t reach. After every meal the crew goes inside the house and cleans themselves and others. I posted a video of Batman cleaning Baby while Flipper watched. Mama came in and starts cleaning herself, then Flipper goes between Batman and Baby and gets some TLC. Baby and Batman went to work and started cleaning her, then Baby continued while Batman cleaned Mama for a bit.
While some might say that Batman is the only one that cleans everyone, they all take turns. Grooming also establishes social hierarchies. Batman was the odd ball and not part of the original family. In order to show his appreciation, he makes sure to groom everyone in the colony. This is his way of saying “Thank you for letting me into your cool family!”
Some of our followers have called Batman the “peacemaker” of the feral colony. He has stepped in when Mama acts out, or shows her dominance. Social grooming in a colony can also help de-escalate tension. If Batman feels that Mama in on edge, he might walk over to her and give her a nudge and a cleaning on the head. He is a sweetheart but he sure does not fight crime. I’m sure he would be the first one to run away from danger but his name is cool and well, one day he might shock us all.
Grooming in Regular Cats
Feral and domestic cats groom themselves often to stay clean. They especially clean themselves after a meal so that they don’t attract a predator. Cats clean themselves multiple times a day and are recognized as one of the cleanest animals. If your cat stops grooming themselves, this is an indication that something is wrong and you should take them to the vet.
A lot of people think that feral cats are dirty and sick. Feral colony cats are usually well groomed and clean. They take care of each other and rely on social grooming. If you see a sick, dirty cat, this is a stray that might need your help.
