Game or fight between cats… Scientists decipher their behavior
You sometimes wonder if your two cats are playing or fighting? Scientists come to your rescue! In a new study published in Scientific reportslead author Noema Gajdoš‑Kmecová, from the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Slovakia, claims to have deciphered the behavior of our little ones felines.
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Cats more vocal during a fight
For this, she analyzed 105 videos of cats playing or fighting, including videos of her two eight-year-old tomcats. According to her, game transfers often tend to turn into fights. When playing, cats are usually quiet. But when the situation escalates, they become more vocal, producing meows, howls, growls and hisses, and one of the two animals is more likely to chase the other.
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“As a cat lover, I was very interested in observing how cats interact up close. It often happens that cats end up fighting because they start playing, but then one does not want to play anymore and the other cat does not realize it, explains the expert. This is when it can get unpleasant, so owners can use these results to be aware of the signs. I learned that my own cats have a good relationship – but there are risks in fighting!”
Find out how to end the conflict
The study authors indicate that cats can switch between playfulness and aggression several times a day. This therefore requires owners to know how to analyze the situation with finesse, and to know how to react.
“It could help owners stop fights. For me, for example, I just have to turn on the lights in a room or look inside for things to stop,” concluded by Dr. Gajdoš-Kmecová.
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