friend_foe

FEAR HIDING is correct

Ears back (grey cat), cuff with paw (black cat) with grey cat ready to counteract with paw, eyes of grey cat tightly shut in protective stance, grey cat's body weight away from black cat

Thanks to Dr Sarah Ellis (feline behavioural specialist at International Cat Care) for her contributions

Ears back (both cats), staring at one another, keeping some distance to control the situation

Cat inside box, body withdrawn and crouched, tail held closely to the body, both cats staring at each other

CORRECT

Ears up, closed eyes with relaxed face (both cats), licking (allogrooming) with friendly paw contact (claws retracted)

FOE MEETING

FEAR HIDING

INCORRECT

BLOCKING

FOE TOUCH

FOE TOUCH is correct

The cat being blocked, on the left, has ears back, body lowered & tail lower than back shows discomfort with distance to cat blocking.

Tail up & rubbing flanks to deposit pheromones (grey tabby cat), ears up (both cats), ginger cat looking at tabby but not staring

CHASING

GREETING is correct

Signs are grey cat's tail and ears are up and facing forwards, close contact, with lots of sniffing.

FRIENDLY TOUCH

CHASING is correct

Tense body, ears erect and forward (tabby and white cat), high speed (can tell from curved back of black cat), tabby and white cat trying to reach and catch black cat.

FRIEND is correct

FRIEND

RESTART

PLAYING

FRIENDLY TOUCH is correct

Tail up, soft paws (no claws out), ears up, all this corresponding to a relaxed attitude. Although left hand side cat standing over right hand side cat, right hand side cat shows no defensive body language

BITING

GREETING

PLAYING is correct

ALMOST PUURFECT

You have great catty powers of observation.

BITING

Ears back (both cats), bodies intertwined as is often the case when fighting, using their claws on each others bodies

FOE CONTACT

PLAY HIDING is correct

10/11

Head placed out of hiding place, ears forward and eyes open

BITING is correct

FIGHTING

PLAY HIDING

GROOMING

BLOCKING is correct

Signs of cat conflict can be very subtle.