Cat Fights

Cat fights can be disturbing, but they're not all as serious as they would seem. Learn the difference.

Cats indulge in specific behaviors that the uninitiated might believe is a true a 'cat fight' but it isn't. These behaviors are 'play cat fights' and 'dominance displays'.

So, how can you tell the difference between a real fight and one of these other behaviors? Read on.

All kittens play fight, and there's nothing quite as cute as a tiny kitten 'stalking' a sibling through the tall grass of the living room carpet, for all the world as if he were hunting prey on the veldt. At some point, he pounces, and the two become a rolling ball of fiercely fighting fuzz.

Few people confuse kitten play with a cat fight, but what some new cat owners might not realize is that cats will play fight all their lives, if they have another cat to fight with. They don't have to be litter mates, just friends. Even cats separated by ten years and ten pounds will often indulge in a wrestling match, and while an older, bigger cat could probably pulverize his younger 'opponent' if he wanted to, it is seldom that anyone gets hurt.

Cats 'play fighting' will stalk like kittens, make growling noises and sudden darts at the 'enemy', but they will rarely flatten their ears, and if they do, it's just because they've gotten so 'into' the game.

Play fighting is great for cats, especially indoor cats, who need all the exercise they can get.

Cats are always negotiating for position in the tribal hierarchy, and one way they do this is by challenging a cat of higher status. Yes, even your indulged indoor darlings have a pecking order and territories, even if the territory in question is under the guest room bed, or the upstairs.

Dominance displays may involve flashing paws, flattened ears and low growls, but they rarely become true cat fights. Your best course of action in these situations is to maintain your own neutrality, and let the parties work out their differences on their own. If you interfere by separating the disputing cats, someone's feelings are going to be hurt and you will have interrupted the entire negotiating process. Then the whole business will have to begin again, with one or both cats feeling a great loss of face.

All that said, there are times when you will want to interfere. Some alpha cats celebrate their victory by biting their opponent on the back, and these bites can become infected, requiring a vet visit, antibiotics and an Elizabethan collar. If you have a cat who is prone to biting other cats, keep a spray bottle of water handy to soak the miscreant in the act.

While cats live longer, healthier lives if they are kept indoors, many people still feel their cats need to roam. Outdoor cats will often trespass on other cats' territories, resulting in battles that amongst indoor cats is usually handled with an arched back and a hiss. You often won't even know your cat has been in a fight unless he limps home with a bad bite or tattered ear. Have a vet see to any animal bites your outdoor cat may acquire.

If you see your cat in a fight with a strange cat, or two strange cats fighting, be careful trying to break them up. Separating fighting cats with your hands is a very bad idea. You could get bitten yourself, with all the attendant medical bills. Cat bites are almost always infectious to humans.

It is usually sufficient to clap your hands and yell to cause fighting cats to break off their fight, and the strange cat will usually flee. If they don't break it off, the strange cat might be rabid, in which case you certainly don't want to risk being bitten. If your hose is connected, try turning the water on the cats. Then make sure you have your own cat examined for puncture wounds.

If you have an indoor/outdoor or outdoor-only cat, please make sure it is current on all its shots.

Some cat fights are serious, while others are not. The key is understanding typical cat behavior and your own pet's personality in order to judge whether you need to step in or let the situation resolve itself.

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