There is sometimes a very thin line when it comes to kittens playing or fighting. You might think two kittens are about to ripe their heads off, only to see them licking and grooming each other two seconds later. On the other side, what looks like a simple game of chasing can quickly turn into extended paws and hissing. In today’s article, we are going to cover the characteristics between kitten play and fighting. Hopefully by the end of this article, you will be able to tell the difference if kittens are playing or fighting. 

Below is a short video of some of my kittens that is a great example of playfighting and wrestling. You can tell by their body language that they are not mad at each other.

How to Tell if Kittens are Playing or Fighting

Below are the main ways to tell if kittens are playing or fighting:

Signs that your kittens are fighting:

Growling and hissing

While kittens that are playing might let out an occasional hiss, kittens that are fighting will continually hiss and growl at each other. 

Claws

Kittens that are fighting will have their claws fully out and extended. They will also use their paw to swipe out towards the other kitten.

Teeth

Kittens that are fighting will usually show their teeth as a way to intimidate their foe. They will also bite the other kitten if they have the chance.

Ears

Kittens that are fighting will typically have ears that are standing straight up and alert

Puffed up

A kitten that is preparing to fight will completely change their body demeanor. They will likely get low and arch their back so that they are agile and ready to react quickly. They will also puff out their back and fur as a way of appearing bigger to the other kitten.

Signs that your kittens are playing

Alternating

Kittens that are playing with each other will often take turns of being the aggressor. For example, one will start off by chasing the other one around, and then they will switch. 

Same litter

While kittens from the same litter can certainly fight one another, it is a lot less common. If two kittens are of the same litter, they usually sleep, groom, and play together. 

Noise

When two kittens are playing, there is generally a lot less noise coming from their mouth. 

What to do if your kittens are fighting

It is very important that you do not let two kittens fight frequently. This can be detrimental to their development and cause them to have a lot of anxiety. However, you must be very careful when breaking up two kittens fighting so that you don’t get injured yourself. Instead of physically putting yourself in between them, we recommend making a lot of noise by either yelling or clapping. This will hopefully cause them to scurry away from one another. If that doesn’t work, you can try putting an object such as a stick in between them.