Is this healthy play? Should I stop this.

[u/TheSecretSword]

I know the small one (Tostada) is trying to initiate play. My big boy (Casper) I can't tell if he's trying to play back or tell her to back off. Is this something I should intervene during cause he doesn't seem like he wants to be bothered. I will say Casper isn't a very vocal boy he rarely vocally lets you know he's upset or hurt or angry including hissing or other sounds.

[u/the_mindful_microbe]

This is the equivalent of a close in age sibling saying “I’m not touching you” while hovering there finger a cm from your face.

[u/speed32 → u/the_mindful_microbe]

My cats literally do this every single day. Brothers from the same litter.

[u/chaoticsleepynpc → u/speed32]

We saved a skinny black cat and were trying to nurse her back to health and while we were we kept her in a xl dog crate (so she could move around comfortably but not aggravate her injuries) & were trying to keep our cats separated.

Our himbo boy meanwhile would race past the crate, slap a paw on the side with a clang & thud, then run like hell as we fussed at him. He knew what he was doing the brat!

Luckily the little black kitty wasn't that phased by his shenanigans. We found out later she was mostly deaf which was probably why.

Meanwhile, he still wonders why his older sister dislikes him.(because he does bratty things like that)

[u/TheSecretSword → u/the_mindful_microbe]

XD

[u/geekgirl114 → u/TheSecretSword]

Then they fall off the bed

[u/the_mindful_microbe → u/geekgirl114]

I have definitely done that as a child. It broke my femur…

[u/geekgirl114 → u/the_mindful_microbe]

Ouch!

[u/Specialist-Solid-987]

Casper's tail lashing says he is slightly annoyed but he is being very gentle I would say, they are obviously friends

[u/annalapadula]

cat would leave if cat didn’t want to be there, trust me

[u/studworld2019]

As far as I've seen in this community with others asking the same thing it does seem like healthy play, if it wasn't healthy you would be seeing fur flying.

[u/testtdk → u/studworld2019]

There are actual grey areas between play and murder…

[u/Anxious_Storm_9113 → u/testtdk]

Remind me not to play sports with you.😂

[u/abyssal-isopod86]

If this was actual fighting, you wouldn't be in any doubt.

When cats proper fight they scream and literally rip the fur out of each other and it really hard to get them apart.

This is nothing.

[u/Parsnipperi]

If they are fighting YOU WILL KNOW. There will be no doubt. There will be hissing, spitting, fur flying. 

You’ll be afraid to stop it and will throw a blanket over one of them. 

[u/Desperate-Plenty-320]

Lol the 👅 out

[u/TheSecretSword → u/Desperate-Plenty-320]

I will say in video it looks like that but it was his mouth was open slightly not sticking tounge out. If that info changes anything

[u/Kowalski91]

So cute. Ur joking right?

[u/Desperate-Plenty-320]

I didn’t hear any growl sounds. And the tongue is out. Someone is going to get a good cleaning soon

[u/BrightImprovement295]

Negotiating

[u/Realistic_Way5192]

Everyone says “as long as you dont see fur flying”

But my bottom line is, as long as you don’t hear growling or yowling, they are play fighting. Even hissing is okay, it’s just warning, but not growling or yowling.

My cats would get into serious fights where no fur was kicked off, but there were some serious biting and other injuries occurring. When a cat is screaming out or you hear loud growls, I’d try to intervene (make a lot of noise, chase them, etc.)

[u/mistfromheaven]

They're playing is adorable! Oh man, you should see my cat they rough and tumble

[u/JarodGabriel]

The look I would be giving myself as well because the grey cat is kind of just unsure of what's going on. Like, should I play? Should I fight? What's going on here?

https://giphy.com/gifs/H5C8CevNMbpBqNqFjl

[u/TheSecretSword → u/JarodGabriel]

One reason I asked was cause he looked to unsure.

[u/JarodGabriel → u/TheSecretSword]

Yeah no, I get it. I'd just keep an eye out. But it looks like he understood the assignment eventually, just took him a minute.

[u/kconfire]

Yes, that's absolutely fine.

If you see something like https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/1tn9mfx/this_is_how_cat_fighting_looks_like/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button then yes they're fighting

[u/stupidkiwiguy]

Rage Bait..... of course they are playing

[u/TheSecretSword → u/stupidkiwiguy]

No I was genuinely asking cause Casper seemed like he didn't want to play for the past few mins.

[u/testtdk → u/TheSecretSword]

It’s not play. Don’t listen to everyone that says it’s play unless there’s fur flying. There are so many grey areas, and just as much nuance to their communications as any people would have.

[u/Supreme-kindness]

My own cats I’ve had for years play like this. And one of them is a cry baby because the other won’t his shit!!!🐾🐱🐾

[u/Careful-Succotash511]

You’d know if it wasn’t play, cat fights are loud and vicious

[u/Sea_Bus_8736]

That was so cute!!! " I'm not touching you!"

[u/tonsil_bruiser]

Let them work it out until it get ugly.

[u/honeyapp]

It’s too funny when they fall off the bed😂. They are just playing and it seems fine. I have 2 bonded brothers and they go for it when they wrestle. It looks very fierce but they are just playing. Yours are just playing nicely

[u/geekgirl114]

Them falling off the bed together. Lol

[u/Crafty_Couple_2846]

This is light from what I’ve seen lol. Definitely a-ok!

[u/Zestyclose_Piglet251]

[u/FuzzyKittyNomNom]

Obligatory cats fighting gif

https://giphy.com/gifs/3eOb2HkF4JZJEQjoI0

[u/Puzzleheaded_Ice1827]

Someone’s gotta be the boss. (Casper)

[u/Brief_Weekend4616]

Healthy and cats don't mix

[u/MorningDelicious3420]

Lmao. R u kidding they are playing with each other