46 Chapter 4Play can also be a sign of social bonding and may be differentiated from fighting by
the following:
● Being generally quiet, with very few or no vocalizations.
● Both cats show forward directed body posture for a lot of the time during play.
● Claws are retracted and bites inhibited.
● Following play, the cats return to bonding behaviour as described above.
Although one individual might consider another as a friend, the feeling might not be
reciprocated so affiliative behaviours can sometimes be directed one way only.
Signs often misinterpreted as evidence of social bonding
fighting. Fighting will occasionally occur between cats that otherwise have a
friendly relationship, but if the cats are fighting more often than playing it is a good
sign that they are not getting along. A common problem, however, is that it can some-
times be difficult to distinguish the difference between play fighting and real fighting.
The following behaviours are more likely to be seen if the cats are fighting rather than
playing:
● Vocalizations – especially growling, hissing or spitting.
● Head and body posture held back while defensive swipes are made with front feet.
● Ears rotated back and/or down to the sides.
● Dilated pupils.
● Claws extended, bites less inhibited.
● ‘Swishing’ tail.
eating together. It is often assumed that if cats eat alongside each other they have
a good relationship. In many cases, however, the reason they eat together is because
they have no other option, especially if food bowls are placed close to each other and
there is no other equally nutritious food available. Time-sharing access to the food
may not be an option because if one cat leaves the feeding area the other cat(s) might
Fig. 4.1. Cats that are socially bonded are more likely to sleep or rest in close contact with
each other. Those that are not of the same social group may share a preferred resting
area, but maintain a distance from each other.