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
Cats are scary intelligent – only very serious disputes cause actual *dangerous* fights.
If your two cats that usually get along well are fighting, its about dominance. If thats all it is, then having the other run away from a fight or “accepting defeat” in a grapple.
A grapple can often involve kicking with the hind legs, using the front legs (which are practically made to hold onto shit) to hold the other cat.
Less serious grappling could also see biting after the neck, because they have a reflex that causes them to limp if you grab the scruff of their neck.
Proper “ill-kill-you-if-i-have-to” grappling means those bites are going for the jugular vein and windpipe instead – again being *exactly* what the jaw is made for.
If neither side wants to engage in, or are able to initiate the grappling, they may go full whirlwind-mode to avoid grappling while also trying to dodge swipes.
Youll see some go in ass-first because their face, neck, and belly are all the most vulnerable parts – it makes sense to hide them, but its not a great strategy for getting in a decisive move…
In other words, an all-out fight is:
– Bites to the throat (killing blow, but will also try to disable movement via legs and neck)
– Clawed swipes to the face (eyes, and to a lesser degree ears and mouth)
– Powerful kicks to wherever they get access (belly, face, throat, or whatever gets close in a grapple)
They do *all* of these while trying to avoid it themselves, because surviving the fight is pointless if an eye is scratched out or a bite gets infected. Cats will try to win fights for their territory and status within it, more so than taking out something dangerous. This is why they only ever “willingly” fight other cats – if something is dangerous and violent they would rather avoid it or run away if they can.
So thats it, really – whatever wins the *long term* fight via infection or authority, or whatever *kills, here and now*.
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