Does Grooming= Liking?

[Ladyrosee]

Hi guys! I posted about my Morton being ill recently (hes my new kitten I fostered since he was 5 weeks and the sweetest cat ever). Ever since he was 5 weeks my resident, Lucky (big fat orange meanie cat) took to grooming him sometimes and none of the other fosters. Fast forward Morton is 5 months and Lucky still goes out of his way to groom him several times a day. Is this a dominance thing or something cats so when they like each other?
The only reason I question this is Lucky growls and swipes at Morton often if he is being a playful kitten. They play every day a little bit but Lucky will hiss and it's over. Lucky is a very strange boy with behavior issues (he even growls and attacks me and he's seriously obsessed with me)

Also, when Lucky had his old bestie, he would not allow the bestie to groom him only he can groom anything. With Morton too, Lucky doesnt allow him to groom him it's only him grooming Morton.

Thanks for any advice! Lucky is also seeing a vet once mortons health is figured out as lucky needs behavior evaluation and possible help

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! I had always understood grooming to indicate that the groomer cat likes the cat s/he is grooming, but as you know, every cat is different LOL

 

[Ladyrosee]

I assumed that was the case but someone told me it was a dominance thing and I got sad lol

 

[Furballsmom]

I must say, Lucky sounds like a really remarkable cat, and you yourself are pretty darn remarkable for hanging in there wth him

 

[Furballsmom]

Lucky growls and swipes at Morton often if he is being a playful kitten. They play every day a little bit but Lucky will hiss and it's over.

I'll have to say, though, that this sounds a fair bit as though Lucky is teaching the kitten about boundaries. If the kitten gets too rambunctious or Lucky decides he doesn't want to play any more, he (Lucky) lets the squirt know

 

[Ladyrosee]

Thank you! He was rescued at about a month and a half my dad was camping in the desert and this little desperate thing runs out of the bushes screaming at him. So he took him back home...on his motorcycle about 5 hours away and Lucky pretty much chose me lol. I lived at my parents with him until about 6 years ago and I left him there since he loved the dogs there and he had his best kitty friend he made there. Parents decide to move out of state last summer and I said well I need Lucky back! So hes been here with me but hes just so stir crazy in a smaller place. Hes very good on his harness outside but havent been letting him out since Morton got sick (vet isnt sure if lucky and I tracked anything bad in so I've been paranoid and hold off until Morton is better) but yeah... he attacks me quite often and is food obsessed. I would never get rid of any animal like that! He clearly loves me but he's very imbalanced in his little head

 

[Ladyrosee]

The thing is Lucky gets angry sometimes if Morton is playing across the living room from him lol not even close to him he'll go out of his way to bop him. He's getting way better with him though and grooms a lot more