Many years ago I had two cats who loved each other dearly.  The female did
something, repeatedly, which had I owned a camcorder would have made America's
Funniest Home Videos.  My male cat would sit facing her and she would begin to
lick and groom his face.  She would spend at least 5 to 10 minutes grooming
every part of his face and head and ears.  He would sit contentedly and she
would really get into it.  When she would finish, she would pause for a moment,
look at him, and then smack in the face and run away.  She did this time after
time, and he sat for it, time after time.  Every time she did it I absolutelu
cracked up.  I never figured out what it was all about.

I think it may be similar to when you are petting your cat and all of a sudden
you can tell he is getting too much of a good thing and gets to the point where
he can't take it anymore, and he runs off.   I just don't know.

I think it's sort of dominant. I have two orange girls, mother and daughter,
and occasionally they perform what I refer to as the 'double grooming
technique.' They flop on the floor and lick each other's faces. Eventually,
one or the other (usually whoever's losing the battle) gets fed up and
starts swiping. Then they wrestle. But it normally ends up with mom grooming
daughter as if to point out that she's older, she's wiser, and she's in
charge.

For the groomer, it is most definately a dominant behavior. Rarely have
I seen a dominant cat submit to being groomed, though I have seen it.
One who struggles to stay dominant doesn't like to tolarate it, though
one secure will. Cats, go figure.

I think what you write sounds promising.  Try to engage in play with
both of them together as a group more often.

    It's a combination of loving and dominance.  Allogrooming
(grooming each other) is only done between members of a clique, but
most of the grooming is usually done by the dominant cat.
    I have two Bengals boys, littermates, who love each other
dearly.  They were the only two in the litter, and they have never
been separated in their entire lives.  They do the 'groom and then
wrestle' thing *constantly*.  I wouldn't worry about it too much.  :)

    Nope.  Wrestling is not fighting -- fighting is deadly serious
and involves blood and/or large patches of flying fur.  It sounds like
they enjoy each other's company -- snuggling together will come
eventually, probably when they both settle down a little.

Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat?  Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid