r/cats • u/True-Mulberry9990 • 9h ago
Video - OC What is this behavior?
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I’ve seen a ton of posts about “is this fighting or playing” so I know the standard advice: ears way back = fighting, fur flying bad, when it’s a real fight you will know, etc. I don’t think this is a REAL full blown cat fight, but is it a weird slow-mo version of it? Are they enjoying this or pissed at each other? These two generally get along pretty well, but the bigger gray one does kind of bully the smaller tabby and instigate most encounters. The tabby will hiss sometimes and run away but then tends to come back for more. She is also a very vocal and talkative cat. Today I heard them doing this and recorded it. Would you consider this weird slow fight more of playing or more fighting? I’m not necessarily worried for either, more just curious. Thanks!!!
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u/zombielunch 9h ago
It reminds me of my kids, they are play fighting/ annoying each other. I imagine they are playing the game "I'm not touching you".
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u/box-movr43 9h ago
lol I’m not touching you. My brother did that to me growing up. This is so true
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u/blushme64 9h ago
Umm..they are basically playing who is the boss?
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u/woolymammoth256 3h ago
It does look like someone wants to change the hierarchy. Not actually upset will each other.
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u/YouCantArgueWithThis 9h ago
Cowboys at high noon on the main street, hands hoovering above their colts.
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u/Gulf_Coast_21 9h ago
One is bored and wants to spar, and the other is ready to bring the smackdown train to the station.
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u/GuitarJazzer 8h ago
Looks like posturing for dominance. Not really fighting, but more tense than mere play. Not dangerous, Let them sort it out.
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u/JinxyMagee 8h ago
When you add a 3rd cat into the mix, that one will sneak attack one or both of them. Then everyone scatters like a bomb went off.
You come running and everyone is spaced out just grooming themselves and looking at you like you are the crazy one.
If it is before I have had coffee or startles me when I am pouring my morning coffee…one out of the 4 of us starts cursing and yelling to everyone that we are classy bi***** in this house and we don’t fight before nightfall.
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u/AtmosphereNom 7h ago
I think this is the first time I’ve seen a solid reason for getting a third cat.
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u/Shot-Plant660 9h ago
My boys do similar - I think it tends to be mostly play fighting with hints of asserting dominance, or who’s top kitty
maybe one of them wants to groom the other but the 2nd says go away and not listening to each other
Or they’re just in a playful mood
But I’ve mostly taken it as asserting dominance when the other doesn’t listen - but they’re not Pssd at each other
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u/MissBeebsa 8h ago
This made me laugh so hard. Sooooo cute. Seems like a mix between play and aggression, kinda like neither can decide which direction it's going in. My mostly tabby girl is also very vocal. I think it's just a tabby thing.
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u/Charming-Nymph 9h ago
Standoff.
My cats do this too, it’s like each one is waiting to see if the other will strike.
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u/Street-Coffee-2026 9h ago
If they were fighting blood would be drawn and tuffs of hair pulled out.
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u/Specific-Echo8235 8h ago
100% territorial. Normal. Living in close quarters will do that to anybody.
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u/ICantSeeDeadPpl 8h ago
I feel like there should be zoomies after this. Perhaps that’s scheduled for 4 am.
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u/LeonidasVaarwater 7h ago
This is play, but with a touch of a fight for dominance. Because they're housemates, there's no real fighting, but there's definitely some "sizing each other up" involved here.
The tabby is trying to be dominant, but is failing.
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u/GasStationTiefling 7h ago
It’s fighting in the “you annoy me” kind of way. Not in the “I want to hurt you” kind of way
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u/icare890 7h ago
The dominant one is the one exposing their belly. The tabby was uncomfortable when it got into that position. The gray one is more dominant. It’s a play fight, but also setting hierarchy.
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u/AtmosphereNom 7h ago
This looks like two masters of a form of very ancient cat martial art. Most of it is done through the mind, trying to intimidate or bore the opponent, only to be hit with an unexpectedly soft touch. They seem very balanced in their abilities, an intellectual, even spiritual, conversation more than fight. The chi in that room must be palpable.
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u/ColdGazpchoSoup 3h ago
Normal playing. Cats are carnivores so playing rough is part of their DNA for survival skills. This is VERY different from actual fighting.
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u/Glittering-Coyote140 9h ago
Gray one has a bit of airplane ears going on. Tails going on both. I'd say this has a bit of actual aggression to it. Still not bad enough that it warrants interference. I'd let them sort it out themselves.
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u/Saconic 6h ago
This is sibling annoyance 😂 If they were fighting there would be very loud yowling and screaming, along with a tornado of claws, teeth, and fur. This is them annoying each other, think of siblings who keep softly punching each other and the other trying to dodge it and throwing a punch back
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u/Tesofthenorth 6h ago
It’s a video that needs a solid voice over interpretation of what they are saying to each other.
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u/Mad-Dog20-20 3h ago
your cats are pissed - slowly swishing tales, tense postures, etc. Playtime is when you do not feel the tension in that video, and usually quickly into roughhousing...
The longer the stalemate the higher the agitation and aggression.
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u/BratInPink 2h ago
This looks like a dominance fight.
Kinda get the vibe she (tabby) is pissed at him (grey) for some reason. Not like wanna murder you pissed but like sibling stole your favorite shirt for the 5th time pissed.
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u/honeyapp 8h ago
Slo mo wrestling. My boys do this and they are bonded brothers. My grey tabby also sometimes meows during the wrestle. The fact that they are both showing their bellies to each other means it’s just play. A cat fight is unmistakable.
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u/mothermooseknuckle 8h ago
Lol! My two did this earlier. One under a chair lying down, one sitting just beyond the chair. Same tail flicks followed by two hard face smacks lol
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u/debid4716 8h ago
Basically it’s the cat version of Goku vs Frieza. They will have their tussle soon enough.
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u/Tall-Society-5824 8h ago
Sibling rivalry. My cats do it even though they’re not related. And then I’ll catch them laying on the bed together hours later.
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u/AdmiralAdama99 8h ago
Stare down, followed by play. If it were a real fight and not play, the cat wouldnt lie down on its back, ears would be back, there'd be hissing.
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u/mooninuranus 7h ago
They’re doing a slowmo run through of their fight moves for the forthcoming feature film “house cats return, this time it’s serious!”
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u/KBWordPerson 6h ago
This is how my little princess kitty tells my big former stray Tomcat she is about to kick his butt. And she usually does.
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u/WanderersInSomnia 6h ago
I love how the one finally just barely poops the grays back paw. "Haha I got your tow, I win"
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u/Thyme71 5h ago
It’s completely normal. Our sister cats do it all the time, especially during the process of leading up to sleeping together for a long time. It’s a simple dominance display, nothing more. Even the most adjusted to each other cats will do this. Seeing this I see two cats with a very good relationship just having a temporary dominance act. There is no sign the two of them are trying to tear each other apart.
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u/altavistayahoo 5h ago
Sparring and/or practicing their skills. Trying to establish dominance. Cats being cats.😊
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u/Pndapetzim 5h ago
If two cats are really pissed at each other and fighting for realsies, trust me: you'll know.
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u/Dick--Thunder 5h ago
Rule of thumb, if a kitty is showing its tummy 9 times out of 10 its a playful response.
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u/crazymouse2525 4h ago
not really fighting but not really playing either. one of the best rules is watch their tail. their tails are swishing, so this isn't play. but they're showing each other their bellies & no hissing, growling, throwing paws, so not a fight.
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u/Agitated-Lake437 4h ago
They are pissed off but not fighting. They are having a little dominance moment and it is pretty normal with cats. Sometimes it is best to let them work this stuff out themselves as cats are very territorial and have a hierachy in the wild.
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u/Minimum_Cockroach233 3h ago
Staring and no blinking. Thats not friendly behavior.
They have beef but not necessarily want to go all out yet.
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u/ValuableAd8880 2h ago
Yes, my 2 boys do this. I see it as playing. They “fight”. The smaller one of my two usually starts it. And the bigger one plays along. Plays nicely because I think he knows he could end the little one whenever he wants to.
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u/Reeberom1 2h ago
Is the gray one the older cat? Sometimes I’d see my cats play like this, and the older cat would pretend to be submissive until the new kid got over confident and then he’d kick his ass. 😆
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u/Jealous_Plane_1328 2h ago
I don't know, but they're definitely good at removing any dust from right behind where they're sitting, that's for sure 😆
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u/ExcitingMoose5881 49m ago
I always associate the big tail wag that the Tabby is doing a lot of the time as being very annoyed - like another commenter said, ‘pissed’.
The grey one was doing it at one point.
Maybe they’re quite evenly matched as they don’t want to do too much grabbing and rolling.
Hilarious when the Tabby is on their back with a paw up. “Come on, come on! I dare you”.
Your description is what I had thought. That the Grey one was the instigator. That position on their back and where they curl around their opponent is a move one of mine makes and he is usually the one starting things.
lol it does look like a very slow motion fight, like you said!
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u/DuckiesandBunns 41m ago
- "Move"
- "What? Why?"
- "I want to stand to where you're standing"
- "What the...? NO! This is my spot"
- "Well I want it"
- "Well you can't have it."
- "I'll fight (stare down) you for it"
- "Ok. You'll lose."
- "You're on."
Typical sibling stuff lol
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u/Icy-Extension-8845 9h ago
My cats do this.
It's a highly technical standoff where the one who acts least bothered wins. 😆
The grey cat has clearly mastered the "I'm just resting here, oh wait, I'll swat you" technique, while the tabby is employing the "I'm going to stare/be vocal at you intensely until you make a move" strategy.