Is neck biting a dominance thing?

[mandmcats]

We are at about month 6 of introducing the two cats. They play practically daily (chasing each other back and forth). They will lay in the same vicinity but not snuggled. I would say the closest they’ve laid together was recently on our bed at night about a foot away from one another. Previous posts have more background.

Our resident cat will still chases the new one away from time to time or “guard” areas we are in. The story: We are all on the couch watching tv. New cat M2 is sleeping and M1 approaches her. Walks right up and sniffs her head. M2 stays where she is but her ears are down so she’s a bit wary. M1 starts to lick her and then bites her neck, not hard. M2 generally sits up when she can and looks like she’s thinking about jumping off. M1 then bats at her. M2 doesn’t bat back here. The first time M2 jumped off and left. Second time we intervened by nudging M1. Overall the new cat doesn’t seem too bothered by it. But I’m wondering is this dominance or does M1 want to play...? Or maybe she just wants her to leave.

And licking/grooming is a good thing right? Or not in all cases?

Edit: This just happened about 10 minutes ago before posting this. Now both are back on the couch again sleeping.

 

[Leomc123]

I think they are figuring out how to play with each other , and neck biting is both a sign of play and dominance . I think you should let them figure it out between themselves as long it is light play and biting. If it starts progressing into a a situation where M2 is sleeping and getting taunted by M1 persistently to the point that she is getting irritated enough to fight back then i would catch M1 in his tracks before he starts to bite M2.

 

[canucksfan1]

theyre play fighting so are simulating real fighting IMO
ive seen my cat real fight other cats & whenever she got a good bite on the neck & started the chomp choke action it usually ends the fight or the choking action cat leave bloody neck fur if they try keep going. when she killed my neighbors rabbits they had blood bite marks under the chin-neck area & all her dead rodents appear to have snapped necks so i think im on to something.

now watch some know it all will scour the net to find a article saying an opinion against what i said lol
thats the only irritating part about this otherwise great cat site.

 

[ArtNJ]

theyre play fighting so are simulating real fighting IMO
ive seen my cat real fight other cats & whenever she got a good bite on the neck & started the chomp choke action it usually ends the fight or the choking action cat leave bloody neck fur if they try keep going. when she killed my neighbors rabbits they had blood bite marks under the chin-neck area & all her dead rodents appear to have snapped necks so i think im on to something.

now watch some know it all will scour the net to find a article saying an opinion against what i said lol
thats the only irritating part about this otherwise great cat site.

You are correct, when cats bite the neck of a cat they dont hate they are playing by simulating real fighting. How about this for a pretentious (but true) know it all pronouncement: the young of all predators play by simulating fighting, hunting and chasing behaviors. Play is play . . . and also education for them. Some players overdo it with the biting and make the other cat uncomfortable enough to squeal, but as you say, if they were trying to hurt, the signs would be obvious.

As far as the OP, lick, lick bite is a common young playful cat thing. Another cat just sitting there is like a big ole tootsie roll to these youngsters; there ain't know way they are getting through a proper grooming session. The biting might be part of more vigorous play as they wrestle later, but for whatever reason they don't all incorporate simulated biting into their roughhousing.