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
If there’s anything I’ve noticed from watching my cats fight it’s that the goal is to get control of the head. If you can, then you’ve proven you’re stronger so you win. They don’t fight to kill, just fight to establish such rules. When it’s a close fight or a tie, or if one cat doesn’t accept it lost it’s head, it’ll keep trying and the one that’s able to control the head will scratch/kick/swipe with their back legs against whatever it can hit, usually the midsection of the opponent cat. Sometimes things like this can lead to death or injury but that’s not the goal.
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