There’s actually little evidence that cat groups form a strict hierarchy, where one cat is always on top. Instead, I believe that cats who live together settle into various “occupations” rather than certain rankings on some hierarchal totem pole. There’s time-sharing that happens in different favorite spots, and there is that one cat who sort of goes around and keeps things in check like a benevolent dictator . . . a sort of a territorial corrections officer. In my house, it’s Pishi who plays this role. He’ll walk up, for example, sniff my other cat Caroline’s butt, and she’ll get the message.
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