What is the Difference between Rough Play and Aggression???

Hello- I need some of the older vetrans advice on what to look for on signs for rough play / aggression. We have a cat/ kitten that are trying to get to know one another- and i dont know what to look for.

Thanks!

Alls I can say is...you will know when you see aggression. Have you ever heard a cat fight outside? When you hear this inside then you know something has gone very wrong. Swatting and hissing are normal as they get used to each other. Aggression sounds horrible and painful and looks like if you stick your hand in it will be ripped off. If aggression breaks out use a towel/blanket whatever is closest to throw over the cats and transport the offending cat away undercover. I have had this happen in the house once when we had a stud cat get loose in the house. He was curious, Autumn was furious and a full out cat fight broke out. I grabbed a coat at the stand as I went running up the stairs after them and broke it up before it got to bad. Cat fights can result in bad injuries.

You have gorgeous cats!!

My question is that my older cat takes the younger cat and bites her on the back of the neck and then like wrestles her to the ground. The yonuger one will like make a crying noise- I will have to break it up- im just a little worried about them. They do however touch noses when they are around each other.

My cats do the exact same thing, except in the reverse order. My youngest will pounce on the oldest, grab the neck, and try to wrestle. The oldest will always yalp/scream for help, and it is very frustrating. I simply do what posters have suggested, however now when I hear it and start to investigate, the youngest lets go and runs off.

So far there hasn't been a single instance of an open wound so I'm assuming the youngest is just being more aggressive than the oldest would like, so I haven't done too much about it.

Originally Posted by faganfamily1

My question is that my older cat takes the younger cat and bites her on the back of the neck and then like wrestles her to the ground. The yonuger one will like make a crying noise- I will have to break it up- im just a little worried about them. They do however touch noses when they are around each other.

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Your older cat is just asserting his dominance over the younger with the neck biting.

IMO sometimes the more humans interfere and interrupt dominance play the longer it takes the cats to get it sorted out. Your younger cats crying noise is his effort to communicate to the older one "yes- I get it!". If you let it continue a moment longer I'll bet the older one lets go and the younger one shows newfound respect by just running off for a bit.

Is there any hissing or spitting? I would continue to watch them, but it doesn't sound like agression to me- just normal cat assertiveness play.

I am having the same issue here.

The cat I found two months ago is finally healthy and Samuel my first cat has started pursuing Bob (my foundling) and then grabbing him by the neck. However, Samuel never has his ears laid back nor does he get that hate look in his eyes. He is just relentless in going after Bob and then grabbing him by the neck.

Today, I penned Samuel up in his laundry room for a little while to give Bob a rest and he layed in there with his feet out under the door and Bob layed on this side with his feet under the door toward Samuel.

Otis and Mirabelle have been getting along alot better since I last posted- we can actually leave them in a room together now with out me having to stand there.
When is it safe to leave them home alone? Is it when they are groom, or sleep together?
Also, mirabelle is not really coming up into the other part of the house, she feels safe in her little room- but will not come out of the room unless otis is out with her. Anyone have any ideas?

Are there other threads I can read about this? I need to know more about this behavior.

Yah I agree, I see this in all 3 of my cats. They are establishing dominance. I let them play this out. It dosen't hurt. There have been threads about this but I don't know which ones.

OK . . . . . I'm going to try to let it play itself out. They are in action as I write.

I had to give mirabelle a break- Sometimes I do that when she dosnt want him to bother her- she runs and hides and i tell him to get out and he leaves. How funny. Ive also noticed that the longer I leave them together, they still have the tendency to tussle. Otis still tries to dominate- but now mirabelle is smart enough to just lay there and take it.
For the most part they are stating to look out the same window together, and I see them touch noses and such. Still such a slow process.
Just thought I would add that mirabelle is the one who hisses, when it seems like she's had enough.