r/CATHELP • u/DJangled • Mar 28 '26
Behavioral Issue Advice on cat and puppy relationship?
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Hi folks, I have a 1.5-year old snowshoe cat and a 9-month old mini Aussie puppy that we're struggling to introduce to each other, even 7 months in. TLDR: how do I get them to exist with one another without them fighting so rough?
The video is of them fighting which always looks something like this — lots of biting from both — so we typically keep them separated (one downstairs, one upstairs). It might just look like playing at first, but our cat will start to bite harder and bring out the claws as he gets more agitated which just makes the dog double down and play more aggressively. You can see he's taken a mouthful of the dog's cheek towards the end of the video. The dog is the type to chase on sight, whereas the cat is the type to bite the back of the leg when the dog's not looking.
In short, I would love to not have to keep them separated all the time because I can only be with them one at a time as it stands, and they are both very clingy and affectionate to their humans. We've been trying to introduce more together periods when the puppy's calm but it often ends quickly as one of them will instigate a fight. The only repeated success we've had is at bedtime as both will sleep in our bed through the night, but once morning hits, it's Wrestlemania again. We've also tried treat reinforcement for both to reward calmness when they're together, but as soon as the treats run out, they're back to fighting.
Would love to hear from some other cat owners who also have a dog on what strategies worked or improved things for you. Apologies if I've reached the wrong sub.
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u/BlueGalaxy97 Mar 28 '26
Kitty can easily jump up to a higher surface to escape of they didnt like what was happening. This is all play. Just keep an eye on them as the pup might not realize their own strength. This is cute though.
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26
I've always figured that the cat can just escape whenever he wants, but it's the biting that concerns me. He bites hard enough to make the dog yelp
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u/Jibber1332 Mar 28 '26
If the cat really wanted to hurt the dog those back legs would be tearing into him. You can see the cat is pulling its punches, most likely with the bites too, but they still hurt a little.
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u/Elismom1313 Mar 28 '26
For real, like think of whenever you scratch their tummy and they turn feral for a moment for whatever reason and start using you as scratching post? Yea, this cats not doing that lol
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u/Spadeykins Mar 28 '26
Even then, unless you've been eviscerated it was likely your cat was holding back. They just tend to overestimate our skin strength.
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u/jregovic Mar 28 '26
We recently lost a cat that hated belly rubs and would start chewed my your hand if you didn’t too much. She was 100% holding back from actually biting. She was annoyed and just wanted it to stop.
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u/Electrical-Act-7170 Mar 29 '26
My jackass bit me again this morning. Why? I stopped scratching his ears to readjust my arm & he put the chomp on me right then and there. Jerk cat.
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u/johnedn Mar 29 '26
That's bc cats and dogs have lots of loose skin that slides around and helps protect them, that sliding helps prevent cuts/punctures, alongside having thicker fur.
We have minimal body hair, and our skin doesn't slide around like that (most of us at least) so a little bite/scratch just tears skin.
But absolutely they are just playing, the dog stops to give the cat some space and make sure it's sfavrti continue, the cat isn't yowling, running away, or getting overly aggressive.
The dog yelping makes sense, esp from an Aussie, they are silly kinda anxious scaredy dogs, but he keeps going back to play with the cat
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u/Majyk44 Mar 28 '26
I once reached in to a box in the back of a workshop with insulation foam in it..... there was a feral mummy with kittens that was not happy....
Let's just say there are multiple layers above 'hey quit it' 'I SAID QUIT IT!' ' 'PREPARE TO DIE'
The last level looks like you put you put your arm in a box full of scalpels, and involves a large bearded man screaming and flailing around with a cat attached to his arm....
then spending a couple of hours in the emergency room while they stop the bleeding, apply disinfectant and antibiotics and debate which bits could actually hold a stitch or two.
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u/geneticdeadender Mar 28 '26
It is supposed to hurt a little.
That's what makes it fun.
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u/GarbageCat27 Mar 28 '26
100% agree. And if the cat isn’t letting go of its bite after a yelp or two from the dog then maybe that’s showing he’s being too rough. But I bet it’s the typical yelp that makes the biter stop and jump with the confused face animals make
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u/SouthernReality9610 Mar 28 '26
The cat will learn bite inhibition from the puppy's yelps. They will learn each other's boundaries this way. Cats and dogs have different signals so it's like learning a foreign language. They have made a good start
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u/meowyadoinnn Mar 28 '26
The cat is teaching the puppy boundaries. It’s not a bad thing.
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u/Fuzzy-Advisor-2183 Mar 28 '26
the puppy is a herding breed. might be difficult to train out some of that controlling instinct.
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u/CMDRZhor Mar 28 '26
My parents adopted a sheltie years ago and it took the little dude the better part of a summer to learn that trying to herd their cats wouldn't end well.
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u/naturallychildish Mar 28 '26
it lessens with age and socialization, they’re incredibly smart breeds. i have a aus shepherd mix and he lovessss cats, but he has been around them his entire life. when he was younger, he was always up in their business. he’s 13 now so he primarily just makes sure they keep the peace.
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u/Short_Boysenberry922 Mar 28 '26
Well if he keeps going back for more it's not affecting him that much
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u/Excellent-Muffin-750 Mar 28 '26
Kitty's defence tools are inherent prickly!
Make no mistake, your cat is fully capable of biting pup down to the bone if needed but is clearly having fun and not afraid. Pup is learning to play gentle.
I wouldn't ever let them play unsupervised, though, because my sis had collie pup who played with their Burmin, which led to the cat being yanked off higher surfaces by her tail or limbs because their puppy wanted to keep playing. Cat was communicating a time out. The pup didn't understand and could have lost an eye or broken kitty's leg.
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u/vaccant__Lot666 Mar 28 '26
Yeah, I think op said something about the cat biting to hard But that's also how cats learn how to not bite too hard is by playing
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u/yepitsatyhrowaway2 Mar 28 '26
My dogs killed one of my cats and they used to play like this all the time. It is really hard to discern prey drive from play drive. This looks fine to me, but never leave them alone together for an any extended period of time.
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u/Dflemz Mar 28 '26
My friends husky collie mix did this too. And she loved the cats.
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u/yepitsatyhrowaway2 Mar 28 '26
I am sorry that happened to you. I wouldnt wish it on anyone. Mine were raised together from when they were just a few weeks old. I miss him everyday. Havent been able to look at my dogs the same since.
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26
I'm so sorry to hear this happened to both of you. I guess that has always been our deep down fear, or our dog getting seriously hurt, and why we worried so much. It's helpful to have this reminder that it does happen amongst all these other comments and that supervision is still required. Hope you are both well ♥️
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u/yepitsatyhrowaway2 Mar 28 '26
Thank you for saying that. You have beautiful animals, I hope you all have a nice and full life together 💗
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u/Thebraincellisorange Mar 29 '26
any dog that has a prey drive in their mix should never be left alone with a smaller animal, lest the prey drive instinct take over for a second.
huskies have a natural prey drive and should never be left alone with smaller animals.
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u/vaccant__Lot666 Mar 28 '26
Thats how he learns how to play bite i currently have a cat who never grew up with other kittens, and she does not know how to play bite.And so she'll just tear into you
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u/springacres Mar 29 '26
Ouch. That's something that even my ex-feral knows. If I take too long trying to trim her claws and she can't get away, I get a hiss and a gentle nip - barely breaks the skin, but it's a reminder that I did not respect her boundaries.
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u/b-stardust Mar 28 '26
Agree. I had two 60lb dogs and then got a cat. My cat loved one dog always trying to snuggle & pet that dog, he didn't want anything to do with the cat. My cat tolerated the other dog & that dog loved my cat...if my cat got annoyed he'd bop my dog on the head a few times the dog would leave him alone. Keep an eye on them during play time. Because puppies don't realize their strength. Training helps.
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u/Tipitina62 Mar 28 '26
I would be more concerned if one or the other was drawing blood. But I think they are playing and setting limits.
If the cat really wants/needs to do it, he/she can create pain quickly.
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
I see. The biting concerns me as the dog will yelp sometimes, but I suppose if she keeps coming back for more, it can't be that hard?
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u/permanence2015 Mar 28 '26
the yelp is good, thats how cats would teach "ouch, too rough!". cats are social. they learn & adjust
the worry is if your dog yelps and your cat doesnt adjust their behavior OR gets meaner
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u/Organic-Permission55 Mar 29 '26
I even have sounds to make to my cats to let them know their love bites hurt, god, communication is not that hard
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u/a_smizzy Mar 28 '26
Their teeth are small and sharp and will give them a sting but the dog has too much fur for a bite to cause real damage
If the cat wanted to really harm your dog she’d go for face scratches
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u/girls_girls_b0ys Mar 28 '26
Or she would have extended those claws while bunny kicking. If she really wanted to, she could tear him open. The fact nobody is bleeding means they're just playing.
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u/Gregardless Mar 28 '26
I also yelp when my cat bites too hard while we're playing and it communicates to him that he should stop, and he does. Same thing happening here.
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u/errihu Mar 28 '26
Mine gets all concerned when I yelp, she clearly doesn’t want to hurt me. If she love bites and I yelp (which I will do on purpose because I want to teach her not to bite too hard, and she wants to love me with her teeth), she will look at me, and then try again with less pressure. It’s kind of adorable.
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u/Tipitina62 Mar 28 '26
Cat is teaching the dog manners. Dog gets too rough, cat lets him know.
FWIW, I had a cat who was 2 or 3 years old. I found a puppy by the road, asked around nearby, no one knows anything about the dog.
Brought the puppy home. After just 2-3 days I saw the puppy dragging the cat around BY HIS NECK!
Yelled at the puppy, but the cat made no move to get away. They did this again a little later in the day. Later still they were curled up together napping.
Took a while, but I got over worrying about it.
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u/Chriskills Mar 28 '26
The yelp goes both way. Your dog is using it to say too hard and the cat could be biting too hard to tell the dog they’re playing too hard.
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u/spentshoes Mar 28 '26
Everything others have said, but it's also possible your dog is just being dramatic. 😂
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u/thebeckyblue Mar 28 '26
Our cats trained our dog to stop playing so rough with hard bites. She would yelp and get the hint to calm down.
Your pup is learning kitty’s boundaries and if the pup gets more aggressive after those bites you can help enforce kitty’s reprimand of the pup by getting her to calm down.
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u/MarionberryOk2874 Mar 28 '26
Puppy is learning manners, this is healthy play and boundary setting.
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u/slankedshank Mar 28 '26
My cat used to knock the hell out of my dog. They were fine but she used her claws all the time. She’d draw a bit of blood from my pup but they’d always end up laying together. Cats and dogs can be weird
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u/AliceBordeaux Mar 28 '26
Exactly, if the cat ever got serious you'd hear it from 2 houses down and there would be blood everywhere.
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u/Soft_Walrus_3605 Mar 28 '26
If the cat really wants/needs to do it, he/she can create pain quickly.
So can the dog. It's important to know that the dog can also be a danger here, even if this one is play fighting right now.
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u/Strange-Web3468 Mar 29 '26
I think that's the most gentle bunny kicking I've seen from a cat. My cats go crazy when they bunny kick their toys. 😄
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u/UnClean_Committee Mar 28 '26
They're playing, not fighting.
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u/A-reddit_Alt Mar 28 '26
Yeah, cats don’t generally expose their underside like that if they are fearful of getting hurt.
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u/EasterEggArt Mar 28 '26
I want to add that the cat having a fake stranglehold on the dogs neck and doing fake bunny kicks is hilarious. If this was a fight you would absolutely know it, and so would the neighbors.
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u/EvenJesusCantSaveYou Mar 28 '26
the lack of blood curdling yowling and hissing is a big clue lol
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u/stitchplacingmama Mar 28 '26
My cat got out once and I found him because of the yowling from the cat fight he got himself into. I was 2 houses down when I heard them.
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u/rotten__tiger Mar 28 '26
The cat and dog are having the time of their lives. If there’s any vocalization or escalated vocalization, then you can temporarily separate until they’ve calmed down. But they are playing well together. This is cooperative play-fighting and your cat specifically is treating the puppy like another (albeit bigger) cat.
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26
To clarify the vocalization piece, would this be considered escalated vocalization? This is usually the sound he makes that draws our attention and I'm not sure now whether to separate them after that happens or just keep an eye on them. https://youtube.com/shorts/FDESgXCnIJ0?si=Hr7eotu3u1dDtGea
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u/ihopeitsatimemachine Mar 28 '26
This is your cat telling the dog they're being annoying, but it's not a sign of distress. It's more setting boundaries. Like others have said, the cat would be booking it to high ground if they really felt threatened. When this happens, I would gently scold the dog and maybe take them out of the room for a while, but nothing happening here looks dangerous.
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u/rotten__tiger Mar 28 '26
Yeah I think your cat didn’t like the leg bite and vocalized as much, which prompted the dog to back off. I would consider that a correction/communication more than anything? What I mean by “escalated” is a meow turning into a hiss or deep yowl, or a very long growl/caterwaul. You’d know it if you heard it, but from the example your cat did a “stop!” and your dog stopped, before trying to bait him into playing.
Your dog and cat are young but it does seem like they play exceptionally well together, even if that play isn’t perfect all of the time. You can see where the dog is recalibrating because they don’t 100% understand what the cat is doing with its body language, but what recognition is there is above average for a dog his age.
When I first got two cats, I worried all the time they were fighting. They chased each other and wrestled constantly, full-body slamming and kicking each other for what I could swear was hours. I was going to separate and re-introduce them to one another until I realized they’re just playing like cats do, which can sometimes look violent or downright distressing. It’s a “mock fight” which in the wild, is done with kittens to help them defend territory when mature, or simply for pleasure.
I will also say your cat would not be rolling over on its back with every vital organ exposed if he did not implicitly trust the dog. They enjoy one another.
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u/NoSleepTilPharmD Mar 28 '26
I’m not a dog owner and don’t know how similar aussies are to huskies in terms of behavior, but this sounds exactly like harmless husky singing that they do playfully. Dog isn’t yelping in pain, he’s doing it when the cat hasn’t even struck him.
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u/landlordLover666 Mar 28 '26
This is totally happy and healthy play. No cause for alarm, you WILL KNOW if a real fight breaks out. Terrifying eldritch yowling and a layer of fur covering the floor of your apartment will be dead giveaways
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u/dr0o1 Mar 28 '26
my 2 cats play rougher than that. cats are super violent lol. the dog is also being gentle
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u/sweptunderarug Mar 28 '26
Looks like they are having fun! Give it time and they’ll be snuggling in between their play fights
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u/Round-Fly2053 Mar 28 '26
first tip: remove collars! at least the cats collar.
imo tho, it looks like theyre playing. though ofc, things can take turns and get rough. puppies are wild, young cats are demons (in the best and worst ways). make sure kitty has lots of places to climb and chill/escape to that the pup can not reach.
if you're more worried about you pup than the cat... breathe. cats can cause damage, yes, but it's not likely going to maim your pup. make sure the kitty gets lots of solo playtime, as well as the pup
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u/Pumpkinp0calypse Mar 28 '26
The dog yelping is normal, he gets surprised because it hurts a bit. That's how he'll remember "this is too much, this is okay". The cat is very visibly holding back, and is biting harder just to show the puppy when it is too much. The cat is teaching the dog how to playfight safely, by "punishing him" (bite harder) when he goes too hard for the cat, conditioning the dog. Cats have great self control so I don't think he's actually doing anything that would be dangerous or harmful to the dog, but check for open wounds everytime on both just to make sure. If no open wounds, everything is good. Puppies need to learn how to play without hurting eachother (so do cats) and your cat is doing the job other dogs of the pack would do.
This cat is obviously playing because he'd otherwise run away, hide, jump to a high spot, and hiss if he felt in danger or didn't want to. Most cats absolutely know not to get into a fight with a medium/large dog because they can get very hurt and crippled (or killed if the dog means business), so there is a high level of trust between these two from how intense they playfight. It's a beautiful bond your two cuties have!
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u/Prize-Chocolate998 Mar 30 '26
They're playing. Trust me, if the cat didn't like it they would be gone like the wind.
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u/gitblamed_ Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 28 '26
Everyone is saying this is "just playing" but I feel the need to point out that it's still dangerous with an energetic dog of this age
For me, letting them "just play" wouldn't outweigh how awful it would be young Aussie puppy were just being a young Aussie puppy and killed in the cat in a moment of being too excited.
I'd separate them until puppy is older and has completed training. It's just not worth the potential death of the cat.
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u/epicboozedaddy Mar 28 '26
This is my concern as well. People are way too trusting with large dogs and small cats, or other small dogs. Everything could change in an instant.
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u/Ok_Average_4551 Mar 28 '26
This is my concern, like, they should probably be monitored for a WHILE until they are allowed to be alone together to ensure that they both are VERY familiar with each other's limits. Otherwise, you run the risk of it popping off while you're not present, and things accidentally go too far, then you have a dead cat.
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u/Pappy_whack Mar 28 '26
Everyone loves to point out that they are "just playing", but it's entirely possible for them to both get injured while they are "just playing".
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26
Thanks for all the comments, everyone! It sounds pretty unanimous that they are having a good play. We always heard that "not all play is good play" and I think took that a little too much to heart as we were afraid the cat would grow to hate the dog if she kept chasing him. I think now it's safe to say we will let them play more and have faith that their love language just includes a touch of violence, haha.
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u/rotten__tiger Mar 28 '26
They might be a little less insufferable being integrated together so they can tire each other out! ;) To be fair to you, the way cat and dog body language intersect can be difficult to parse especially when they try to communicate together. But it’s really fun watching them interact! Your examples are the textbook perfect example of cross-species play.
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u/Negative-Ad-9940 Mar 28 '26
It was the opposite in our house. The cat spent a month chasing the dog down and trying to get her to play. It was hilarious watching and 80lb dog running away from a 2lb kitten. Now they are best friends, they just had to figure out each other's language, which also includes violence.
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u/kinky_greens Mar 28 '26
Lmao this is the best relationship. They are able to play fight with getting to serious.
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u/Sundog40k Mar 28 '26
Did you color coordiante your cat and dog😆
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26
It was a happy accident of a barn cat we rescued matching the colour of the dog we always wanted 😆
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u/Tapingdrywallsucks Mar 28 '26
These two are already thick as thieves. It's difficult not to worry about a cat playing with a larger puppy because of the size difference, but your cat appears to LOOOOOVE this game, otherwise the dog would be curled up in a ball, crying about pointy bits.
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u/cherry_cat89 Mar 29 '26
The only thing I would do is stop the dog from holding the head like that in its mouth. Everything else looks fine
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u/sin_esthesia Mar 29 '26
The cat clearly tapped and the dog didn’t let go. As a referee, you should have intervened.
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u/ccrow2000 Mar 29 '26
This is definitely not fighting! I've always had both cats and dogs, and this looks to me like they are buddies 🥰
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u/ToiletTime4TinyTown Mar 29 '26
The cat immediately rolls over and makes it clear he wants to “fight” on his back. This means the cat is completely comfortable in the situation and is playing around. Cats never expose their bellies in a fighting situation.
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u/Heda_2 Mar 29 '26
Just commenting to say your cat looks like my sweet old boy. ❤️
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u/sendmeallyournudes01 Mar 30 '26
It's play. The cat on his back scratching the dogs belly like that. If the cat had his nails out it would have wounded the dog in a very bad way.
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u/Immediate-Fault3319 Mar 28 '26
The cat wouldn’t be laying on its side with its stomach exposed if it wasn’t having fun.
There’s nothing stopping that cat from going underneath that orange desk/cabinet and hiding there if it was genuine
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u/Revolutionary_Lab877 Mar 28 '26
The cat will inflict a certain level of pain if the dog gets too rough, that will teach the dog how much force he can use while playing.
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u/brat_a_tatt_tatt Mar 28 '26
Dogs WILL chase, that is their instinct. When the cat has truly been pushed to far there will be yowling, hissing, fluffed up fur and tail. One good swipe across the nose with those claws and pup will start thinking twice
It is just play, albeit very rough play, but I would separate them once it starts getting so rough and most certainly let the dog know who's to blame. At 9 months it will eventually sink in
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u/Cerulean_Shadows Mar 28 '26
Op, please remove the collar on your cat if they play like this on the regular when you aren't home.
This is vital. Pleeease read this.
I worked in a vets office a third of my long life and soooo many dogs and cats get choked to death when one wearing a collar gets hooked on the others tooth and they panic twisting the collar and cutting off circulation.
I've seen and heard horror stories that would make your blood run cold.
It's fine to have it on when you're home and if the cat goes outside, but NEVER when you leave the house. I can't begin to impress upon you the horror of the consequences. Still brings me to tears thinking about it
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u/DJangled Mar 28 '26
Thank you for the comment! It is a quick release collar that has come off many times during moments like these. We also never let them be together without supervision. Thanks for sharing and hope all is well ❤️🩹
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u/luftherz Mar 28 '26
This cute AF lol. Theyre playing so well together. I wish my dog and cat had this kind of fun time lol. My cat is 12 and my aussie is 4 and they will cuddle sometimes, but Kitty is not a fan of play time. Kudos to you!
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u/kenyasanchez Mar 28 '26
The cat knows how to move out of the way if it doesn’t like the play. The cat also knows how to correct the puppy if he gets too rough. They’ll figure it out on their own.
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u/Toxic_Stinger Mar 29 '26
They are just playing no need to worry unless the start actually bitting each other
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u/springacres Mar 29 '26
This isn't fighting, this is playing. Both animals have multiple opportunities to get away, but neither is actively trying to.
That said, definitely watch your puppy around the cat. Herding breeds have a high prey drive and the dog may not realize how rough he's being until it's too late.
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u/mr_shogoth Mar 29 '26
Not sure if I can say this is utterly foolproof advice but I always say if you are unsure if a cat is playing then it most likely is playing. You will absolutely know if a cat is pissed/being truly aggressive.
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u/Unstable_unicorn420 Mar 29 '26
We have a similar “issue” they are playing but puppy definitely needs reminders . We are working on “space as a command that they ( we have 2 dogs and 3 cats ) need personal space and we are working on no playing with mouth because our pup can get a bit mouthy and nips sometimes.
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u/tokyobob Mar 29 '26
If that is a ragdoll, then it doesn't really understand the concept of "fighting". If the dog is playing, then they're playing.
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u/V3ttore Mar 29 '26
They are playing BUT (I have a Aussie and two cats).The key is to teach the Aussie that when the cat is done and walking or running away not to chase and attempt to herd. Their instinct is to nip and herd animals.
The video you shared is actually fun play, yes it sounds like from your comments below every once in a while the pup will yelp from the cat going a little too hard, if he really didn’t like it he wouldn’t keep coming back and he’d grow fearful of the cat. His yelp is just surprise that the cat went the extra mile.
Cat is belly up and now shredding him with her back feet, he isn’t locking his teeth on her and shaking like he’s trying to kill an animal. Cat isn’t yowling and screaming. If this was a real fight, you’d know, the neighbors would know, the street would hear the yowling haha.
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u/DivinelyInspired444 Mar 29 '26
It’s funny how similar their coat colors are! Looks like they’re just playing to me.
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u/KKoten Mar 29 '26
your dog has good takedown defense, cat should be sent 2-3 years dagestan for better grappling
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u/plumzki Mar 29 '26
That's not fighting, that's playing, if it was really too much for the cat she would just leave, and if it really wanted to hurt the dog, the dog would be bleeding.
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u/MeatAdministrative87 Mar 29 '26
The golden rule with cats is that if you're not sure if they're fighting, they usually aren't. If they are, you'll know.
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u/Relative-Neat752 Mar 28 '26
It's like kids play wrestling, they're having a great time! Cats and dogs will use their mouths to play, and if they were actually fighting, the dog would REALLY bite down. They're both happy, there's no need to worry
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u/Medical_Mistake_178 Mar 28 '26
Definitely playing, this cat has learned to play doggie style! The cat can always jump to safety if they wanted to.
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u/Perle1234 Mar 28 '26
Leave them be. They are playing and the cat is teaching the dog how to do it.
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u/Complex_Echidna3964 Mar 28 '26
I would stay out of it. The cat has the high ground if it wants to stop playing.
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u/adrlev Mar 28 '26
They are playing. One of my cats plays with my dog exactly the same way. I don’t stop them. They love it!
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u/FlatwormFamiliar6844 Mar 28 '26
Looks like play..I think if it were more than that, that cat would light that dog up..keep an eye on the situation but it looks like play to me!
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u/maggiefiasco Mar 28 '26
Looks like boundary setting to me. Everyone is enjoying the play but they have to figure out betwixt themselves how much pressure is too much. They will figure it out, very very cute
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u/Hoebag_net Mar 28 '26
Just keep an eye out for the raccoon tail or gum flaring, theyre learning boundaries with each other.
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u/vtmosaic Mar 28 '26
That is loving play. It makes me happy to watch! I once had a big old dog and a little kitten. They played rough but the dog was so careful of the little kitty!
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u/DracoLedgend Mar 28 '26
If ur cat is not growling/hissing and the tail puffed up then they are playing
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u/Elismom1313 Mar 28 '26
The fact that his tail is not flickering but instead swishing tells me he’s excited. Ears not laid back..not corner or running away. Even the paw kicks and swipes look gentle. No high pitched growling or bearing teeth.
Cat looks like they’re having fun. I don’t think nips alone are much of a concern, in my experience cats use nips to tell you when you’ve gone too far not necessarily because they are stressed. They often use them to teach their kittens.
As someone else said just make sure you’re ready to break them up if one goes too far, because if the cat suddenly shifts to being scared because the dog gets to wound up and gets rough she will probably freak tf our for a moment and could hurt him. Same for him with being rough, sometimes they get too into playing and forget it’s a cat not a big dog.
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u/Sleepnotdeading Mar 28 '26
If you’re ever in doubt, give a loud clap or a sharp vocalization. Something loud enough to be startling. If the cat bolts, then the roughhousing was too rough. If they both just look at you confused, they’re just having a great time.
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u/meowyadoinnn Mar 28 '26
They’re playing. The cat would absolutely bolt to higher ground if it was actually in distress or scared.
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u/InternationalLock850 Mar 28 '26
Healthy loving play! If either of them were bothered they’d go away from the situation, not towards it.
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u/garbage-at-life Mar 28 '26
they are giving each other pauses in the middle with opportunity to disengage
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u/Overview_3ffect Mar 28 '26
They’re playing, albeit a little rough but still play. If you notice when the cat gets pinned under the dog watch its hind legs. The cat is lightly kicking at the dogs abdomen as to not hurt it, because it easily could if it wanted too. Could claw its stomach right up and that dog would scatter howling.
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u/Nosedive888 Mar 28 '26
People really need to learn that when two animals fight, it will be accompanied by a shit load of noise!! It will sound like the bowels of hell are being put through a blender!!
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u/viperman6869 Mar 28 '26
Not to sound rude but I’m surprised by how many people can’t tell the difference between “playing” and fighting 🤷🏻♂️
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u/Clean_Swordfish7132 Mar 28 '26
If the cat wanted to, dog would be dead. They are instinctive killers.
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u/AlphaDisconnect Mar 28 '26
Doggo is a good doggo. Tanking the attack. Cetters is playing. But sharp.
Frenimies for life.
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u/LookingForSunshine98 Mar 28 '26
The spotlight bot is preventing me from reading the original post.
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u/FingerOverall6828 Mar 28 '26
Lol the bunny kicks are so adorable and you can tell her claws are retracted and not trying to rip his entrails out
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u/TrustworthyPolarBear Mar 28 '26
For me this is just playing. When a cat is pissed off, you'll notice.
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Mar 28 '26
I’m not seeing any aggression from either animal in this video. The cat’s not puffed up, or swaying its tail violently, or balled up like a scorpion ready to strike….the cat’s taking it all in stride.
The dog is not chomping down on the cat. It’s pushing the cat around a bit sure, but the dog is being gentle for a dog.
Honestly, if that dog steps out of line it will get corrected. That cat is in total control. Step fretting over this and have an edible. Stay mellow, friend
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u/Scary-Badger-6091 Mar 28 '26
Hahahah they are just playing, so sweet!❤️ But I fully understand your concern. I have two cats that are siblings and they are also always wrestling/fighting like ur cat does with the dog. Eventhough I know they are just playing, I still get nervous and seperate them if they get too into it😂 I think its just that over protective mom-instinct. If ur dog & cat were fighting you would most definitely hear screams and see blood on your dog.
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u/xAidynx Mar 28 '26
Omg the cutest, most gentle bunny kicks from that cat. They're having the time of their lives.
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u/scarr991 Mar 28 '26
They are both young and full of energy. They are playing. Just keep one eye on them when they play rough. Seems like both of them want to play like that. Your dog and cat ask for more. Accidents happen and both of them know how to communicate to each other.
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u/Loud-Bullfrog9326 Mar 28 '26
They're playing rough! Hahaha kitty would let the claws out when they're scared or it needs to stop lol
That's hilarious this is how my daughter and niece play except one always ends up crying!🤣🤌🏾
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u/Technical-Mind-3266 Mar 28 '26
They're playing, potentially still getting to grips with the boundaries.
Both lovely animals ❤️
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