One cat forcibly washing the other

[SunnyAgain]

One of our cats likes to wash the other one, and it usually ends in a fight. It tends to be when Pixel (smaller of the two, though they are both females around 8 months old) is lying down or sleeping. Sparky will come over, and start washing her. At first Pixel seems to like it, and it all appears affectionate, but then she starts to squirm or try to move away, and Sparky pins her down and tries to continue with the washing. It then becomes a tussle, both cats grabbing at each other, tumbling over, biting and growling, until Pixel runs away. Is this "normal"? Should I try to stop it? I feel sorry for Pixel who can often be fast asleep when this begins!

[FlysInDreams]

Not any help, I'm afraid, as I've just got the one cat, but she's called Pixel too!

[SunnyAgain]

[Fluffycloudland77]

Is it a dominance thing? we had two alpha females in one multicat household and the one would pin and wash the other.

[patienceisvirtuous]

This is totally normal.

My two were exactly the same. Now that the little one is over a year old and able to hold her own a bit more the over-washing has stopped. As has the scrapping - they still have the occasional one.

It will resolve itself x

[patienceisvirtuous]

Ps the washing sessions in ours ended in a fight every time

And the fighting as you describe it just sounds like a bit of rough and tumble which is normal, unlike fur flying and blood drawn which would be another matter...

[SunnyAgain]

Good to know, thank you! No fur flying or blood drawn, so hopefully all part of sibling life

[susurration]

It sounds like Sparky is establishing dominance. They'll probably continue to do it for a long time, as long as they don't hurt each other its fine.

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

Mine do that. Ophie washes Obie.. he tolerates it for a while then pins her down and is mean to her! No blood or fur flying so I just let them sort themselves out. She always forgives him... :)