Cat Body Language: Signs of Aggressive Behaviour in Felines
- Rachel
- Jun 10, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
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What Is Feline Aggression?
The easier question to answer is: what does aggression look like? We’ve all witnessed it at some point, whether you own a cat or not. Hissing, growling, swiping, clawing, biting; and more subtle behaviours such as flattened or pinned back ears and fluffed up fur, particularly down the spine and tail.
The dreaded stare down, which I’ll go into a little further on, is an assured sign that all hell is about to break loose. Aggressive behaviour in cats can be categorised as physical, vocal or a combination of both.
To add to the complexity of felines, a lot of these behaviours can be exhibited through play. Playtime helps cats to bond and is an expression of their natural hunting instincts. This means it can look as though a cat is attacking when, in fact, you're witnessing a well-timed pounce.
Punishing a cat that doesn't know any different is confusing and may damage its relationship with both other cats and yourself. It’s essential that you learn how to read a cat’s body language in order to understand the true signs of feline aggression.
Cat Body Language
Body Part | Signs of Aggression |
Ears | Flattened or pinned back to the head. |
Eyes | Wide or slanted; not blinking; unwavering stare down with another cat; tense facial expression. |
Mouth | Corners curled back with bared teeth; continuous hissing / spitting / growling / yowling; spittle around lips; biting. |
Fur | Fluffed up or coming out in chunks; noticeable "mohawk" down the spine; cat making itself look larger than it is. |
Tail | Fluffed up or bristly; low to the ground; swishing from side to side or thumping; tucked under the body. |
Paws | Swatting or swiping with force; claws showing; fur trapped between nails. |
Posture | Hunched or arched back; leaning backwards or a sideways stance; stomach flat to the ground with arms extended to show claws; lying on its back exposing hind legs. |
Behaviour | Stalking; chasing; blocking; ambushing; cats locked together in a full-contact fight. |
It's important to note that some behaviours that might be considered as aggressive aren’t always the case. Simba is very much akin to a dog in the sense that his tail never stops wagging, and during petting it fluffs up to at least double its normal size. This is known as “piloerection” and occurs due to psychological changes, similar to goosebumps in humans.
A high vertical tail - you know, the one where your cat is proudly displaying its butthole to the world - is a classic example of one confident kitty.
So too, vocalisations such as hissing or growling are often defensive rather than offensive: this is basically a warning to the other party to stay back! A defensive cat won't attack unless approached as its primary goal is to avoid interaction with a more dominant animal. As predators in the wild, cats need to preserve their energy for hunting - plus, they don’t want to get hurt.
Spitting and long, continuous yowls may indicate that your cat is feeling anxious, stressed or vulnerable in a situation. It's also common to hear shrill screams that almost mimic the sound of a baby crying. This usually occurs during a physical fight or can be used as a final warning - so take this distress signal as a serious cause for alarm.
Cats that don’t like each other (but show tolerance) will use avoidance tactics before resorting to confrontation, which is why you should never force them into a space together - no matter how much you want them to be friends. Cats that stay out of each other’s ways is a solution, not a problem; so don’t turn it into one.
Regardless of what they’re trying to communicate, it all boils down to the simple fact that cats don’t want to fight; but they will if a perceived threat is large enough.
Related post: Aggressive Behaviour in Cats: 8 Types and Causes
The Kitty Stare Down
I first witnessed the infamous stare down when my cats came to blows and quickly learned that it preceded some vicious attacks - at least on Drax's side. It was so out of character for my sweet little marshmallow but thankfully, largely due to this important warning sign, I was able to intervene before it got to a point where the boys were tearing chunks out of each other.
This hard, unwavering stare is a show of dominance or anger - intimidation at its finest. In human terms, it may appear as though your cats are trying to psych each other out.
Imagine a couple of testosterone-fuelled guys standing nose to nose, jaws clenched, shoulders pulled back; necks stiff and chests puffed out. Tension drips in sweat globules down their foreheads, neither backs down. It’s just a question of who throws the first punch - and that’s exactly what your cats are doing!
Poor Simba, though built like a tank with a pair of shoulders that could rival Schwarzenegger himself, didn’t have it in him to stand up to his brother. Nor would he walk away, a stubborn streak likely inherited off his mother (I blame the taurus in me). If he ignored Drax then it never would have escalated, but instead the “fight or flight” response is activated - which in Simba’s case, was to flee.
And so begins the chase, with Drax’s predator instincts on full alert. To his credit, Simba would fight back once cornered but it was always too little, too late. They developed an offensive/defensive relationship that soon became a habit, making it more difficult to break.
Related post: 3 Reasons Why Your Bonded Cats Are Fighting
Moral of the story, if you see your kitties engaging in a staring contest - no matter how close or far apart they are - step in before it has a chance to escalate. No one wants to find themselves caught in the middle of an all-claws-out cat fight. Not only are they harder to separate but, by this time, a cat’s logic has given way to survival instinct - ouch!
Aggression and Play
With a combination of visual and vocal cues, you can learn to interpret feline behaviour and prevent aggression from escalating; as well as knowing when to relax. We want our cats to bond and, in my own experience, I’ve found play to be an important role in the reintroduction phase.
Playtime isn't only a fun bonding experience, it also helps to burn off excess energy. A tired cat is a sleepy cat, and if cats are sleeping then they're not fighting - which is a win-win for everyone. That's not to say you should thrust them into a room together and hope for the best, but encouraging interactions through play helps to create positive associations with one another.
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Conversely, it's possible that play could be contributing to aggression in the case of overexcited or energetic cats. This may be an issue if, for example, you introduce a new kitten to a senior cat. I experienced this many years ago between my older cat, George, and a black and white little terror named Dillon. As Dillon grew up, he became the most well-behaved kitty you could ask for - we were all young once!
Some kitties just love to stalk and pounce on their siblings because it's fun or they simply haven't been properly socialised. Even if there's no malice intended, if you have a quieter or more reserved cat that's taking the brunt of this overstimulation, things may well turn nasty.
Play aggression is usually solved by offering more toys and stimulation, as well as territory and safe places for the victims.
Here are some pointers to help determine whether your kitties are in need of a timeout:
Some hissing or crying is normal during rough play, but it shouldn't be continuous and cats will either separate or continue the play session.
Growling can indicate overexcitement or overstimulation - this is usually heard when playing with toys (prey).
Yowling or screaming are signs that your cats are stressed, afraid or possibly fighting.
Cats play by swatting, pouncing or wrestling in short bursts, rather than locked together as in a full-contact fight.
Cats will go back to normal after the play session with no lingering tension.
What Are the Differences Between Offensive and Defensive Aggression?
One of the first things to look for with inter-cat aggression, and we talk about it a lot here, is determining if there's a bully and a victim. Knowing the difference between defence and attack modes will further help to uncover the potential cause and how to solve it. In cat-to-human aggression, it will go towards understanding if aggression is fear-based or whether it might be prelude to a physical attack.
Learning what cats are communicating through their body language is essential for all cat parents, not just where aggression is concerned. It enables you to more accurately "read" your cats in order to understand their feelings, emotions, needs and motivations for doing what they do.
As a general guide, a fearful cat will try to make itself look smaller and less threatening; while an offensive cat wants to appear larger and more menacing. This can also be the case for a cat in defence mode: for example, arching its back or standing sideways to present more of its body. If a cat submits then it might roll onto its back or lie down.
Defensive Aggression
Ears flattened to the back or sides of the head to reduce injury.
Wide eyes with pupils dilated.
Head tucked in.
Fluffed up fur (piloerection).
Tail curved around the body and tucked in.
Claws exposed.
Crouched stance or arched back.
Body turned sideways to the opponent or leaning backwards.
Stomach flat to the ground with arms extended to show claws (ready to defend).
Open-mouthed hissing, growling or spitting.
Swatting with claws if opponent draws too close.
May roll onto its back to defend with hind legs (or submit).
Offensive Aggression
Ears backwards or upright.
Direct stare with constricted pupils.
Fluffed up fur (piloerection).
Stiff, bristly tail may be lowered, lashing or thumping.
Claws exposed.
Upright stance with rear raised and back sloping downwards to the ground (ready to charge).
Facing opponent straight on or edging towards them.
Growling, yowling or howling.
Stalking, blocking and ambushing.
May chase its opponent.
Both cats will be upright on haunches or locked together during a full-contact fight.
Other Signs of Aggression in Cats
Sometimes aggression can be a symptom of deeper issues and there are many things to look out for, whether fighting is present or not. These include:
Mood changes.
Lack of appetite.
Toileting outside the litter tray.
Holding in pee or only peeing in small amounts.
Pacing or “patrolling” areas of the home.
Guarding or blocking other cats from accessing resources.
Chasing cats away.
Any behaviour that you’d consider abnormal suggests there may be some level of distress: an aggressive kitty is often a scared kitty. Such changes should be investigated by a vet in the first instance.
Related article: How to Prepare Cats for a Vet Visit and Reduce Stress
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What Should I Do If Cats Become Aggressive?
The quickest modes of intervention include using a sight blocker (such as a piece of cardboard or cushion) to cut off eye contact, making a loud noise or distracting with a toy. Sometimes that’s all it takes for cats to snap out of it, but you should be prepared to remove one from the room if necessary.
As it happens, I attempted the loud noise tactic using a whistle to no effect. Both cats looked at me as if I was a madwoman and continued fighting which, considering how skittish they are, says a lot about how aggression can affect the mind.
Of course, we can’t watch our cats 24/7 so don’t be too disheartened if you’re unable to prevent a fight. Similarly, don’t exacerbate the situation by yelling at or punishing your cats - and definitely don’t use your hands to separate them.
Try a long-handled object such as a broom or throw a blanket over one or both cats, if necessary. Some people suggest spraying cats with water or vinegar solutions, which is fine if you want to traumatise them further - in short, DON’T DO IT.
Finally, remember to pay special attention to your victim cat as aggression can have a significant impact on their health. How would you like to live in constant fear of the resident psycho that prowls the hallways, ready to leap out from every doorway or corner you pass by? Everyone needs a safe haven, including your cats.
Discover more helpful tips on how to manage feline aggression at home.
Have you got an aggression story of your own to share? Let us know in the comments if this article helped.
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