Are they Playing?

[jamop]

Recently, Jazzy has begun chasing Ginga around the house. They seem to take turns: First Jazzy chasing Ginga and then Ginga chasing Jazzy. If they catch up to each other, they will start batting at each other.

I'm really not sure if this is playing or fighting, could you guys* here tell me?





And also, how do you know whose the alpha cat?




* and girls, of course.

 

[yayi]

Playing!
The alpha cat post is not permanent since you can have 2 dominant cats. But an easy way to tell is to watch them when they look at each other. Without you interfering, the first to turn away is the less dominant one.

 

[jamop]

OK thanks!

 

[howtoholdacat]

Totally play! I love when my cats play that game. Sometimes they even let me join in!

 

[addiebee]

Oh man... my boys do that all the time, and play wrestle and fight.

 

[otto]

I call that Game: Chase Me Chase You. It's a hilarious Game and I never get tired of watching it! It's even more fun when three cats are playing it.

 

[marycatherine]

Definitely a game!! Mine love it and it burns off lots of energy, they usually end up curled up in a pile after a few minutes of tearing through the house.

 

[merrytreecats]

Definitely playing! My cats do this with each other all the time.

Some cats are more relaxed about alpha-subordinate positions than others. It can be hard to tell, and sometimes, there is very little difference in their rank if they are both laid back about it. In the case of your two it may be something very subtle and that they rarely need to touch upon in order to get along. Other cats are very very clear about it. I had one once who was a real bully and chased around my other cat at the time out of the blue, almost every day. And not in a playing way...

 

[chinacat]

I agree that they're playing. My two do it all the time. They often hide and wait for the other one to go past then jump out. It's very funny.
Ripley is the dominant one as if the playing turns too aggressive Newt will adopt a submissive pose (eg lying down with her belly on show) as if to say 'ok, I know you're the boss'. Newt is always the first to avert her gaze in any 'staring competitions' too.