# I think my cat might be dominance grooming me...



## Saydee (Nov 9, 2010)

So here's the situation: Every night when I go to sleep Booger hops up on the bed with me and lays on my chest while he grooms my beard. Every so often he stops licking and bites + holds on to my chin or cheek. It's not hard enough to break the skin, but hard enough to hurt a bit. Just to throw it out there - I don't mind the grooming or biting at all and I'm not looking for advice on how to stop it. What I'm wondering is whether or not y'all think this is a dominance grooming situation or if he just has a strange way of saying "I love you."

Additional pertinent information: When I visit my folks, who have a cat named Felix, and bring Booger along he'll tackle Felix upon seeing him and wrap his front legs around Felix' neck while grooming his head and face. Booger does almost the exact same thing to Felix that he does to me - he periodically stops licking and bites + holds on to Felix' neck.

What do you think? Am I being dominance groomed? Is Booger the boss?


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## sjjt (Oct 21, 2010)

ya.... i think it sounds like a bit of both.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Nutmeg does this to Sinatra about 100 times a day. I think Booger is the boss!!!


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

Oh Ducman...tsktsktsk. I wouldn't do that to a dog and you are likely to lose an arm if you try that with a cat. Dogs don't alpha roll each other and cats certainly don't. All pinning a cat down by the scruff is going to accomplish is seriously ticking off the cat. 

As for the OP, I know with another cat, what you are describing is an assertion of authority, but not sure it translates to people. Not sure why a cat would need to do anything to "show you" he was boss. You feed him, clean up after him, and cater to his every whim already, right?


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Maybe Booger just has a big ego.:kittyturnOP _is_ his servant after all...


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Kobster said:


> Oh Ducman...tsktsktsk. I wouldn't do that to a dog .....


With the Vizslas (My family has raised them since 1956) it's absolutely not necessary and I wouldn't imagine a trainer suggesting it. They are pretty submissive dogs. My Malamute however was an entirely different matter. We had read so many horror stories about human aggression, a high prey drive causing death to smaller animals (including smaller dogs/cats), livestock chasing, food aggression...etc that we decided that early dominance was important.

This method isn't body slamming a dog and pinning it on the ground. It started when she was 9 weeks old and it was just a matter of holding a wild wiggling puppy against you while you laid on the floor. When she fell asleep we'd release her and go about our day. It was years ago but I seem to remember it was 30 minutes or until she gave in and laid still (whichever came first). It was never a terrifying or humiliating thing for her, it was just teaching her that we were in fact boss and the longer she faught the longer it takes to be let go.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

And Mow tries to groom my eyebrows, I'm always pushing him away. He also gives me love nips constantly on my earlobes, eyebrows, cheeks, and nose.


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

With the bite and hold it's dominance. Does it matter to you if you cat thinks it's dominant?


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## Saydee (Nov 9, 2010)

Kobster said:


> Not sure why a cat would need to do anything to "show you" he was boss. You feed him, clean up after him, and cater to his every whim already, right?


It seems like what you're saying is that he doesn't even need to groom me, he's asserting his dominance simply by staring at me while I feed him, clean his litter box, and rub him when he demands attention.

Yep, Booger > me apparently.


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## Saydee (Nov 9, 2010)

Dave_ph said:


> With the bite and hold it's dominance. Does it matter to you if you cat thinks it's dominant?


Not at all, but I was curious if that's what is actually going on.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Saydee said:


> Yep, Booger > me apparently.


There's nothing sexier than a man who has his priorities straight.


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Seems like he thinks your his kitten

Hold Still!! Dirty human needs cleaning.


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