If you have a home with multiple cats, you’ve likely needed to break up a cat fight. Fighting cats can be a particularly challenging problem to address, but what makes it even more confusing is when it’s not clear if your cats are playing or fighting. Cats can exhibit similar body language during play or during a fight. A 2023 study found that in many cases, cats fall into an intermediate zone where there may be a bit of both play and fighting happening at the same time.
If your cats are playing and having a good time, there really isn’t any reason to stop them so being able to distinguish between aggression and cat play is very useful for all cat parents with two or more cats. Let’s look at some clues that will make you a pro at distinguishing cats playing from fighting.
What Does Playing Look Like?
First, you need to understand what cat play can involve. It usually isn’t your cats batting a toy back and forth or playing a game of chess. Instead, there are common behaviors you’ll see during cat play:
- Mutual chasing
- Biting
- Wrestling
- Ears forward
- Rolling around as they play
In other words, cats playing can look very rough. You want to look at the overall picture. The quality of each behavior, and your cats’ relationship outside of play sessions to help you evaluate when play crosses a line. If they generally get along well, it’s less likely they’ll be fighting.
Vocalizations
Vocalizations are one of the easiest ways to differentiate a fight versus rough play. Cats playing with each other usually are silent or with minimal vocalizations. There may be an occasional noise, but it won’t involve any sort of growls, hissing, or yowling. If your cats are making a lot of noises, chances are it’s not playing.
That said, sometimes it may start as a fun play session for both cats. After some time, one cat may decide they’re over the play session and want to end it. If the other cat wants to keep going, there may be a slight hiss. As long as it doesn’t continue and the play session ends, this can be a normal part of cats communicating with each other. If things continue to go downhill, your cats may now be fighting.
Taking Breaks
Fighting cats tend to be very relentless in their pursuit of each other. They will usually keep going and will seem disinhibited. This often shows up by the cats inflicting more severe bites that could result in skin being broken or injuries. One of my cats, Prozac, had an abscess on his tail when he was yanked from the streets that was likely the result of a cat fight.
Play will involve little breaks. It’s almost as if the cats are performing consent tests with each other where they are asking if they want to keep playing. Sometimes, both cats will walk away during a pause to end the play session. If one cat wants to keep playing but the other doesn’t, they may try to initiate more play. Usually, the cat will allow the other cat to walk away. If they don’t, it may already be a fight or it could quickly turn into a fight.
Reciprocity And Mutual Fun
Cats that are playing will engage in mutual chasing. If one cat is chasing the other cat but not the other way around, especially if they don’t let up after the other cat tries to get away or gives them a warning hiss, you’re more likely to have a fight rather than a play session. If one cat constantly tries to play with the other cat, even if the intention is clearly play from the player’s standpoint, it can still turn into a fight very easily.
Both cats should be enjoying themselves and they should both be exhibiting similar body language. To build on the example of cats chasing each other, during a play session there will be alternating roles. One cat will chase and then they will switch. It shouldn’t be one cat chasing the other cat and cornering them. Similarly, your cats may swap who is on top when wrestling. One cat shouldn’t always be the one pinning the other cat down.
Low Risk Of Injury
Despite how violent appearing cat play can be, it usually isn’t going to result in injury to either cat. Cats tend to have a more loose focus on each other and can usually be distracted, whereas breaking up a cat fight can be challenging even with tasty snacks. You won’t see bites that cause deep wounds and your cats will be able easily release from their grip of each other.
You can also look to your cats’ claws for clues. Scratching can be either defensive or offensive in cats. Since there’s no need for either during play, their claws will be retracted. They may poke out a little, but your cat isn’t going to fully unleash their claws on a playmate.
Cats Playing Or Fighting Can Be Hard To Distinguish
Figuring out whether you have a fight or a rowdy play session on your hands is tough task. Play between cats can involve similar behaviors to a cat fight. You want to make sure the cats are both having fun, they can be gently distracted or guided away from each other, and that there aren’t signs of injury. Your cats’ roughhousing may not be fully play or a fight. If you aren’t sure, look at the big picture of your cats’ relationship as their overall relationship may provide important context.
