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Anonymous
How can I tell when my cats are playing or fighting? I just got a new female kitten, about 2 months old, and she's fighting with my older female cat who's a year and a half old. Both domestic. None of them are fixed.

I did some googling, and found out that cat playing looks a lot like fighting. They take turns chasing eachother, there's usually hissing and face batting involved. But sometimes it gets really rough, with those snakelike bites to the head, kicking, slapping, the older one chasing the younger one, younger one ends up running into a table leg, hitting her head pretty hard, really deep low growling coming from the older one, sounds like a lion, etc.

And also, I read somewhere else that it's a mistake to have 2 female cats, since females are fiercely territorial, and my older one now feels threatened, I guess? There are times when they're really sweet, grooming eachother, sleeping and cuddling. So is this just rough play? Can they get along with time?
>> Anonymous
Check if they hurt each other, as in, if there's blood flowing.
>> Anonymous
growling means they're fighting
>> Anonymous
Neither of them bleed. But the older one starts to get very rough if the younger one gets some hits and bites in.
>> Anonymous
>>267184

It's probably just a territorial fight, it'll stop
>> Anonymous
>>267184
I'd never leave them together without supervision, until I was sure they wouldn't fight. I'd be ready to separate them before serious shit happens.
>> Anonymous
Only a moron who has no business owning an animal would even need to ask this question.
>> Anonymous
>>267212
because cat fighting and cat playing are completely different
>> Anonymous
Fighting cats are lulzy.
My cat is declawed and she HATES this roaming tuxedo cat who has the audacity to shit in her backyard while she's watching from the back window.
My cat will kick up such a fuss that I'll put her in her harness and we'll walk out to confront the tuxedo cat. At first they'll sniff each other, some low growls and then IT'S FUCKING ON BITCH.
Both cats will slap the living shit out of each other then retire to their respective corners before the next round. I know they're playing because the tuxedo certainly has claws and my cat is declawed (SHE WAS LIKE THAT WHEN I ADOPTED HER PETAFAGS) and the tuxedo has never used claws.
>> Anonymous
>>267229
Yes, when I watch the "fights" I notice the claws are never extended. So they aren't really looking to kill eachother, I guess, even if it seems to me a little bit rough.
>> Anonymous
Claws out and blood flowing = fight

Claws retracted and growling = Shit might get serious; keep an eye out

Claws retracted and eventual grooming of one another = Probably a playfight, but shit might still get serious
>> Anonymous
What do they sound like when they're playing/fighting?

A little hissing and meowing = playing

A sound like 2 retarded babies with asthma having a bad acid trip at the same time = fighting
>> Anonymous
If they're doing that low growling and hissing, that means they're not playing. Sometimes my cats play too rough and make pain noises, however they never cause bleeding or anything. But mine are both males, they prolly just play rough because boys will be boys... they also don't hurt each other cuz they're not dumb bitches.
>> Anonymous
>>267229
>My cat is declawed

and so....it begins...
>> Anonymous
>>267408

*Three paragraphs about ethics and lifestyle of cats, complete with a joke about uncivil Us for allowing declawing*
>> Anonymous
>>267418
I've seen flimsier pretexts used for an anti-declawing diatribe.
>> Anonymous
>>267025
I love how the orange cat's just watching.
>> Anonymous
>>267534

Orange cat is just a guy watching a catfight. Guys love catfights.
>> Anonymous
When a young one is involved (two months is young) it's never real. The older one knows it's a young one, in fact, it may very well be teaching the young one.

Same goes for dogs and humans. Even between species. Not to say that the older one might not resent that pesky kid, but it will indulge...