To show status, a big cat may lick the kitten's hair to confirm its status. A high-status cat will lick a low-status cat; to clean its body, a cat will lick its own hair to clean its body, including places that cannot be licked. You need the help of other cats; scent marking, cats identify members by scent, and will leave scent on the kitten through licking.

1. Display status

Generally speaking, only cats with high status are qualified to lick other cats, while cats with low status are not qualified to lick cats with high status. Therefore, the big cat licking the kitten may be showing its status to it and expressing that its status is higher than that of the kitten.

2. Clean hair

Cats will lick their own hair to achieve a clean effect. However, cats may not be able to lick some areas, such as their backs, and they can only solve the problem by seeking help. Therefore, the big cat licking the kitten may also be helping it clean its fur.

3. Mark smell

Cats will mark their scent by rubbing their bodies, licking or urinating to help them identify the same species. Therefore, the big cat licking the kitten may also leave saliva to retain the scent, so as to facilitate the identification of family members.