I understand that cats, like many animals, may fight if they feel threatened, over territory, male aggression, etc.
But once they throw down, what does instinct tell them to do? They happen so quickly and frantically, seemingly without strategy, it’s hard to make sense of what’s going on.
Try to scratch the other’s eyes out, maim or kill, or just keep swinging until the other backs down?
In: Biology
Different kinds of fight happen in different contexts. Sometimes you just want to establish dominance, sometimes you just want to scare someone away and sometimes you’re just playing. When cats get down to life and death, though, there’s one strategy above all. First you establish control of the opponent’s head to avoid being bitten and then you use your powerful hind legs to shred the opponent’s belly. The throat is a viable target but it’s also easy to defend; go for it if the opponent gives it up but don’t expect that to happen. Soft spots like the eyes and ears are targets of convenience; damaging them improves your odds of defeating or dissuading the opponent but will not, themselves, kill or disable the opponent. Ripping the internal organs out guarantees the kill.
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