Are they playing or fighting?

The only time two cats are really fighting or are getting ready to fight is when they let out growls at each other.

Usually when cats swat at each other without any growling, it is their way of playing, although sometimes it is one cat's way of establishing dominance over the other.

However, my older cat Tabitha will occasionally hiss at the younger cat Phoebe when she just does not feel like playing. Phoebe always understands and goes about her merry way.

 

Sounds like you have it figured out with yours. Sometimes it's still a little hard to tell with some cats. They'll hiss, even when they're playing, or the claws will come out full force, and then disappear a few minutes later as though there was never even a tiff!

 

I can tell my cats' moods by their tails. If they start swinging their tails slowly from side to side, that's a sure sign they are spoiling for a fight. Seems rather odd, too, isn't it? I mean dogs wag their tails to show their friendly intentions while cats use their tails to signal a totally opposite thing.

 

Dogs use other tail movements to indicate emotions other than happiness, though. For example, they will keep it sticking straight out/down and not moving if they're scared....and a cat will do the same thing.

 

My cats arch their backs and get really puffy when they are upset and fighting. They play fight with their claws out and even yell at each other with little growls, but once I see them puffing up then I know it's serious.

 

Some dogs have also somehow learned to display the wrong signals with their tails. Like Benjamin, my old Thousand Way mix. He would wag his tail merrily and even look at a stranger with a smile. Then when the stranger gets within range, he would, if he doesn't like the stranger, nip the stranger.

 

Sometimes it really is so hard to tell. My two can get pretty rough with each other but usually Chipper the female backs down first. I dont interfer until they start that high pitch growling. Then I know they are serious.

Beth

 

Yes, that's when things really get serious. It sounds like of like a jet fighter revving up to take off. Come to think of it, that's more or less what the cats are doing when they start that high pitch growling. Revving up for a fight.

 

My cats have never once growled at each other. That makes life easier for my wife and I. We know that anytime we leave the house, we will not come back to find out that they had a fight.

As Jessi said, I am lucky. Part of it is that we have two cats with very sweet personalities.

Tabitha, does however growl at us when she does not want to be picked up. Fortunately, she does not do that as much since we have her kidney disease more under control.

 

We took in a cat a couple years ago and she was pretty mean and would claw and bit anyone who tried to pet her. She was a pretty wild cat and not very pleasant to be around. Well about a year later we took in another stray cat who was pretty thin and weak. The new cat bulked up really quick (she's overweight now actually). But as soon as she bulked up, her personality changed and she started bullying out older cat. Now she does it all the time and our older cat's personality has changed a lot too, she's much friendlier to us now and very timid around the other cat. I don't see them getting along any time soon, but do we have to keep an eye on them because they've gotten into some pretty nasty fights.

 

Gemma growled and hissed at Rosco when we brought him home. Very little hissing now after a month, growling when their play gets a little more physical. They (I think) are play biting and kicking each other when they lock up to each other. Haven't seen any fur flying yet so I don't think its gotten to a cat fight yet. I have seen bushy tails but no blood and guts..... yet!

 

My cats have good days and bad. There are days when they get along just fine and others days where they are at each other all day.
Merle will just have to walk by Harley some days and Harley will hiss at him to warn him that he isn't in the mood to play. Sometimes
they will just chase each other around the house. They have never had any nasty fights and for the most part are really good with each
other.