Your cat is stalking a sibling through the thicket of the living room carpet. He pounces, and the two turn into a tumbling ball of ferocious fur. Are they frolicking or fighting?

Cat play is quieter—you won’t hear the loud wailing of serious combat. During play, the offensive and defensive roles shift back and forth. Cats usually don’t get injured in these bogus battles, and afterward neither seems afraid of the other. Feline playmates also display friendly behaviors between their skirmishes.

But if your kitties’ tiff involves howling, flattened ears, dilated pupils, raised hackles, arched backs, and puffy hair, you need to step in. Make a loud noise or spray them with water. Then separate the combatants.

– Dr. Larry McDaniel, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series