Research overview: distinguishing play from aggression in cats

Rough play among cats can resemble fighting, and distinguishing genuine play from aggression is important for welfare and household harmony. This overview surveys research on the behavioural markers that separate the two, including the absence of injurious bites, role reversals, self-handicapping, relaxed body signals, and the play face or specific postures during play. It discusses how play can escalate into real conflict, the role of arousal, and how misread signals cause problems between cats and between cats and people. The topic provides criteria for interpreting feline social interactions and informs guidance on managing multi-cat households and redirected or play-related aggression toward humans.