How to know if my 1-year-old cat is playing or truly aggressive?

Question

Cat is a year old now. I can't tell whether she is still displaying kitten behavior or aggressive. How can I tell? Other cat is same age but mellow. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 11 months and 20 days old

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Playful kitten behavior would be more common in a cat this age than true aggression, but it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference! :) In general, there are a few guidelines that can help. Play behavior in cats is virtually always silent, whereas growling and hissing are common with aggressive behavior. Cats who are playing will often crouch down and flatten themselves against the floor before leaping at you (or your other cat). They may also put their ears back and arch their backs, and walk sideways towards you. If it's play, the cats may wrestle, grab each other and chase each other, but there should be no injuries. If you're still unsure, you can request a one-on-one consultation and upload a video of the behavior for me to look at - I would be happy to try and help.

How to know if my 1-year-old cat is playing or truly aggressive?

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