Signs Your Cats Are Getting Along: 8 Ways to Tell
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As a pet parent, you may know that cats are solitary creatures that love to spend time alone. A cat is often quite happy to be the one and only pet in your home. However, you might want another cat to add to your family and might be a bit worried about how the two felines will get along.
Just because cats are solitary creatures doesn’t mean they can’t get along and be friends with other cats in the household. How do you tell that your cats are getting along? We’ll discuss the eight ways to tell if your kitties are getting along below.
The 8 Ways to Tell Your Cats Are Getting Along
1. They Spend Time Together
Cats that get along enjoy spending time together. They will go looking for one another for company. If you’ve noticed your cats lying on the bed together or curled up in the window seat, they are getting along and becoming feline friends.
In other words, if your cats enjoy occupying the same space, it’s a good sign that the days of them fighting are behind them.
2. Their Tails Are Raised in a Vertical Position
If your two cats are approaching one another with their tails raised vertically, it’s a sign that they are getting along. This position means that the cats are willing to interact with one another. Usually, the behavior is followed up by sniffing or rubbing on one another.
This is one of the best ways to tell that your cats are getting chummy and will hopefully soon be great friends.
3. They Headbutt and Rub Against Each Other
Cats that are getting along tend to headbutt and rub against one another. The cats will headbutt each other, then rub against each other’s flanks, head, and cheeks. The theory is that doing this allows them to form a group by swapping scents. Seeing your cats rubbing and headbutting one another is a good sign that they are getting along great.
4. They Groom One Another
Cats also groom each other when they are getting along. Cats are famous for taking great care of themselves and keeping their fur pristine and perfect. That doesn’t mean that your cats think the other cat is dirty.
In fact, a cat grooming another cat is done more for social reasons than sanitary ones. In most cases, the cat will focus on the neck and head of the other cat. This is the cat’s way of swapping scents and establishing a collective odor.
5. They Knead One Another
Cats also knead one another when they’re getting along. Kneading, as all cat parents know, also affectionately called making biscuits, is when the cat pushes its front paws into something in a steady rhythm, then switches back and forth between the left and right paws.
Most cats knead when they feel safe, relaxed, and comfortable. If you see your cats kneading each other, it’s a sure sign that they are comfortable and relaxed around one another and getting along well.
6. They Play Fight
While cats will certainly fight when they don’t get along, they also engage in play fighting to test each other’s limits. Many times, it’s difficult to tell when cats are fighting for real and when they are just horsing around.
One of the best ways to tell is vocalization. If cats are play fighting, there’s usually very little yowling and meowing involved, like when they are seriously fighting. Play fighting is a great way for cats to interact and be mentally and physically challenged. Cats fighting for real show quite a bit of aggression, including hissing, growling and biting.
7. They Don’t Fight Over Food and Toys
Cats can be very territorial creatures. Cats that don’t get along will block each other from food, treats, toys, and even the litter box. If they aren’t getting along, you may see your cat blocking the other cat’s access to everything from the window to the scratching post. If your cats are no longer guarding and fighting over food, toys, and other belongings, they are getting along better and will probably soon be friends.
8. They Touch Noses
We’ve all had our cats climb on our laps and touch their noses to ours. This is adorable and super sweet. Cats will do the same thing with other cats they like and get along with. Touching noses is a cat’s way of saying hello. It’s an excellent way for them to become friendly with one another.
Wrapping Up
Cats are curious creatures. While they like to be alone and most have no problem being left to their own devices, cats can become fast friends and do everything together.
We hope the ways you can tell that your cats are getting along we listed will help you determine whether your cats are fast friends or not. Remember, when introducing two cats to one another, you must do so slowly. Never try to make cats be in the same room or force them to play together, as that will only backfire and may make them hate each other even more.
Featured Image Credit: Nils Jacobi, Shutterstock
