How To Tell If Cats Are Playing Or Fighting

Cat play behavior is very different from other animals’ play. If you’re trying to figure out whether your cat is really playing with another cat, or if they’re fighting, there are some easy ways to tell.

The pounce.

The pounce. This is a good way to tell if your cat is playing or fighting: the pounce. If it’s not a full-on pounce, then it’s probably just friendly playtime.

The pounce is when one cat jumps on another, even while they’re still in mid air. It can be almost any size jump (little or big) and the duration of time between landing and jumping off varies as well—sometimes cats will land right away after their jump and other times they’ll stay on top of their friend for several seconds before jumping off again.

Pawing, swatting and grabbing at each other.

When cats paw, swat and grab at each other, it’s a sign that they’re playing. This behavior can become dangerous if the cat is feeling threatened or aggressive, but most of the time it’s a sign that kitty just wants to have some fun. It may also be an involuntary response to being startled by something—such as when you open the door unexpectedly or turn on the lights in your home (even though cats are nocturnal animals). If you notice this behavior from your cat when he or she is alone or with another cat or animal, it’s usually not cause for concern unless there’s blood involved.

Cat bites vary from gentle play bites (like pinching) to serious punctures that break skin; however, most cat bites aren’t serious and heal on their own without any treatment beyond keeping an eye on them for signs of infection such as redness around the wound site or pus leaking out from under bandages applied by veterinary staff members after surgery was performed due after surgery was performed due after surgery was performed due after surgery was performed due after surgery was performed due after surgery was performed due after

Posture, body language and facial expression.

The first thing to look at is your cat’s posture and body language. If your cat is relaxed, then it’s likely playing. Cats will use their bodies to display their emotions through their position in the air and on the ground. They will also use their tails, ears and whiskers to show how they feel.

If you see a cat with its back arched, it may be scared or threatened by another animal or human being that has entered its territory – this is not necessarily indicative of playfulness!

Howling or growling as they tussle.

Growling. If your cat is growling, whether it’s at another cat or a human hand reaching toward its face, that’s an aggressive sign. It means that they’re feeling defensive and don’t want to be touched.
Hissing is also an aggressive vocalization, but it can also be used as a warning sign—that is, if your cat hisses when you approach them right after they’ve been fed or petted by someone else (or even if you just happen to walk into the room), then this behavior may be meant as an invitation for you to leave them alone for now so they can eat in peace.
Howling or yowling is often associated with playfulness in cats because it sounds like laughter; however, if two cats are howling together instead of chasing each other around (which would likely make noise too) then there probably isn’t any kind of aggression happening between them at all—they’re just having fun playing together!

Eyes.

If the two cats are playing, they’ll be looking at each other and exchanging glances. However, if one cat is facing away from their opponent, it’s more likely to be a fight. If this happens, you can tell them apart: The staring cat will have pupils that are wide open while the backed-off cat will have pupils that are constricted.

Tail position.

Can you tell if cats are playing or fighting? The tail position is a great clue. If the cat has its tail straight up with a slight curve, it is likely to be playing. Cats usually do this when they’re happy and relaxed.

If the cat’s tail is down, it’s probably ready to fight or defend itself if necessary. The lower the tail goes, the more aggressive the cat will be perceived as being.

Since cats can’t communicate with words, you need to look at the signs to determine if cats are fighting or playing with one another.

The first thing you’ll want to do is observe how they’re interacting. You can tell that two cats are playing when they appear relaxed and happy, not aggressive or tense. If their bodies are relaxed and they’re rubbing against each other or rolling around together, that’s a good sign! However, if one cat is growling at another, running away from it instead of toward it, or standing stiffly while the other approaches them (as opposed to rolling over on their backs), then this is more likely a fight than playtime.

If you’re not sure whether your cats are fighting or playing, the best thing to do is to watch them carefully. If they continue their play session for more than a few minutes and no one gets hurt, then it’s likely that they were just having a good time. But if you see any signs of blood or injury between the two animals, then it might be time to intervene before things get too serious!

How To Tell If Cats Are Playing Or Fighting