What is play and what isn’t?
I did say ‘should’. It would be lovely if whenever cats meet, they politely greet each other or simply indulge in some good-humoured wrestling. And while this may happen in some instances, in others, such as when cats that don’t actually like each other interact, you might wonder if playtime has crossed over into aggression, especially when the behaviours involved such as chasing, pouncing, grabbing, and kicking appear so similar.This can be even more of a conundrum if you are a new cat parent and have difficulty interpreting cat behaviour or if the cats are new to each other. So how exactly do you know when your cats are playing and when they’re involved in a confrontation?
Understanding your cats’ body language and vocalisations is key in helping you determine whether your cats are fighting or having fun.When you see your cats engaging in what you believe to be play, look closely at their body language and listen to their vocalisations.
● PLAY — cat play usually involves chasing each other, rolling around,and batting each other with their paws.Their bodies are relaxed, their ears will be in an upright or forward position, and their fur will be flat against their bodies, as it normally is. When they’re playing their claws will usually be retracted and can’t be seen. Any biting will be gentle. During wrestling and chasing,your cats will change roles frequently.This means they will take turns in being the cat that’s chasing and being chased and the cat that’s on top or pinned underneath. In this respect,the play is reciprocal.The cats might even take brief breaks from the play to rest.
As for vocalisation, playful encounters are generally silent and you should hear no hissing or growling.
● NON-PLAY — when cats are being actively aggressive with each other, they will hiss, swipe with their paws, and chase one another.Their bodies will lean away from each other and their ears will be rotated backwards and flattened on their heads. In an attempt to make themselves look bigger in the eyes of their foe, the fur on their bodies and tail will stand up straight.Their claws will be out and visible,and any biting will not be inhibited, something you will only know about if one or other of the cats yelps out in pain.
One cat will be the instigator and the other the victim.This means that you will usually only see the same cat being chased and pinned down. Chasing a tired cat until it hides is also a tell-tale sign of conflict and obviously any injury that is inflicted is another indication things have gone too far.
There will be active vocalisation, such as growling, a yelp in response to a bite, or hissing to tell a combatant that he should retreat. All these are signs that your cats feel threatened and aren’t having fun. I always ask owners to try to video interactions between cats to help me determine whether it’s a social or combative encounter, and to demonstrate that there could in fact be a very real problem between the cats.