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
Most animal fights (not hunting) only last long enough to determine who is stronger or more capable.
The longer the fight lasts the higher the chances of injury to either participant, which is bad. Winning the fight but breaking a leg in the process means a higher degree of death later on
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*.
When one cat turns its back completely it signals the dominance of the one who stands fast. Animal combat generally is hierarchical as opposed to be solely injurious, even the weaker animals have their place in the animal kingdom.
It’s kinda like arm wrestling. They’re seeing who’s the bigger, badder cat without the risk of serious injury.
One of my 4 cats employs the drunken style of fighting, lying down and being aggressive from a defensive position, attracting attacks that it easily parries with all four paws. The other cats don’t like it, and will generally avoid her when she lays down during a scuffle. She’s brilliant from her back and doesn’t seem the least bit intimidated by any of the other 3.
It’s mostly just show of force. I.e. yelling, “look how big i am, how fierce my teeth are.”
Only very few intense seconds of actual fighting.
Even with prey, cats are very cautious to not get injured. A mouse in the right spot could put an eye out. Cats also kill things very slowly. We call that ‘playing with their food’ but it ensures the prey is exhausted, injured, and incapable of fighting back.
Even more than food and territory and females, I must protect myself from injuries.
Grab you by the throat and head with their jaws and front pawclaws, while rending your guts out with work their hind pawclaws.
All of these responses are great but no one has mentioned that cats are lethal to humans too. They might not seem like it but a cat that wants to kill you absolutely can. They attack the femoral artery in the leg and keep coming until you go down
Cats don’t fight to immediately kill. They attempt to injure enough for infection to do the rest of the work. Their claws are scoops which cut a line of flesh out which prevents the wound from healing before infection sets in. My cat was in a fight with a stay and I set a trap to relocate the stray and about two days later I finally caught him. My cat must have bit him on top of the ear next to the head and it was already festering and stunk of gangrene. Cats can’t clean that location and without human intervention, it’s a goner.
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.
Latest Answers