How do you know when cats are fighting or playing?

[zoebartlett]

My two cats are playing right now, rather roughly, in my opinion. Oops, one of them just ran into the slider...ouch! Anyway, when they play, which is what I assume they''re doing, their ears go back and they swat at each other. I''m never sure if I should step in and separate them or let them keep going. How do you kow when cats are fighting or playing?

 

[FireGoddess]

Are any of them screaming or doing the very low growl?

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I know my cats are fighting when they start growling at each other from different rooms. They started this fighting thing around Christmas but they get along most of the time. When they fight we ususally just let them get over it. We''ve only had to separate them once and it was not fun - they were growling and hissing at each other with a door between them.

Sometimes when they play they''ll hiss but not too often.

Jess

 

[sumbride]

My general rule is "if they aren''t making any noise, they''re playing".

My kitten is chasing the other cats these days... they hiss and growl at him. He doesn''t make a sound. He''s playing. THEY are fighting! I''m kind of hoping it turns completely silent soon.

 

[Miscka]

Very very good question. We ask this a lot in our house! We think that they are playing as long as the claws are in. Have you ever noticed that they will retract duing play? When the cats play with us, they use paws but no nails, so we look at what they are doing to each other as well. Hard to tell though! I think all cats play rough sometimes, ours are completely in love, spoon each other and lick each other all day but to get energy out they "play".

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 8/23/2007 4:05:24 PM
Author: Miscka
Very very good question. We ask this a lot in our house! We think that they are playing as long as the claws are in. Have you ever noticed that they will retract duing play? When the cats play with us, they use paws but no nails, so we look at what they are doing to each other as well. Hard to tell though! I think all cats play rough sometimes, ours are completely in love, spoon each other and lick each other all day but to get energy out they ''play''.

yep
claws in == play
claws out == fight

 

[charles de gall]

If it isn''t vicious it''s play. Mine play all the time, hissing and growling, but there is no severe biting and scratching. MOST house felines will play or averd each other. I think actual fighting is rather uncommon. Play can look like fighting however.

 

[zoebartlett]

Nope, there hasn''t been any hissing. At first, our female cat would growl and hiss at our male kitten when we first got him and she didn''t know what to make of this new THING in the house. Within a week though, they worked it out and have been fine ever since. I assume they''re playing, and if I ever do hear growling or hissing, I''ll change my mind. When they play with me, they tend to use their claws, which is a bad habit. I play with them a lot and I use a wand or another toy that they can latch on to without scratching me. When I do use my hands to play, though, they can get rough with me. The male cat bites as well, which is starting to reslly hurt. I can''t tell if their claws are out when they''re playing with each other.

 

[Gypsy]

Noise, claws, fur flying = bad.

Rest... playing. Although we even regulate this. We don''t allow hard looking biting, if they bite, we clap, they spring apart.

 

[Lynn B]

That is a good question... when Boo and Buster play, they roll and swat and do A LOT of biting... but no one is yelping, growling, or hissing... and 5 minutes later, they are cuddled together grooming each other before a nap.

Every ONCE in a while, someone will get a little too excited and obviously bite too hard, and the other one will squeal loudly and indignantly and stalk off. They'll keep a distance for a little while, but then an hour later they are back at it, with the biter obviously being more careful!

My sister has two cats that ADORE each other, they've lived together for years, and they'll still hiss and growl with ears back... but it is obvious it is just *how they play*. No one is getting hurt, it can go on for literally an HOUR, and they keep going back for more. I have decided it is just *HOW* they play!

 

[lizardofaz]

Blood is usually a very bad sign.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

We try to pay attention to who starts it and how they are interacting with each other. Our female is more passive so if she is pouncing or "starting" the interaction we know they are just playing. Sometimes it does look like fighting. We just see a big ball of fur and they make awful noises. When this happens we try to break them up. They have never hurt each other and our female can jump higher than our male so she can get away from him if she needs too.