The 'sensitive' period in cats is earlier than in dogs, at 2-7 weeks. Play is first seen by week 3. It increases from 4-11 weeks, then decreases. By 8 weeks, almost all play is between pairs.

Sociality

A species is classified as social if members form long-term pair bonds, live in family groups, or live in larger groups with a relatively stable long-term membership. Cats do have social organisation. They live in 'colonies' when food resources allow. They show individual recognition and have preferred associates. The queens cooperatively rear young and there is communal nesting, midwifing, nursing, grooming and guarding. Research shows that 'preferred associates' allogroom more, allorub more and are in physical contact more than non-preferred associates. Preferred associates do not associate exclusively at specific sites of preferred resources, e.g., food, resting sites. Instead, they are often found together in a large number of sites and the association is random with regard to location. This fact rules out the hypothesis that they simply tend to go to the same resources at the same time of day, or are forming aggregations. The preferred associates can be female-female pairs, male-male pairs, or male-female pairs. Also, multiple sets of preferred associates may effectively form trios or tetrads of cats that form a 'clique' within the larger group. Of a special note, intact males may be preferred associates, allorub, allogroom and rest together.

Allogrooming

As with horses, this is often done in an area that is difficult for the cat being groomed to reach, such as the top of the head and neck. Allogrooming reportedly occurs more when cats return to the colony after being gone for a while, presumably hunting. This may serve to exchange scent.

Physical Contact

This occurs even in hot, humid weather, so it serves another function than thermoregulation.

Affiliative Behaviours

Adult cats play, including free-living and feral cats, which must hunt to survive. In the cat, the friendly greeting is the 'tail up'. Allorubbing is usually preceded by a tail-up approach by at least one cat, and is most likely if both cats approach tail-up.

Polygamous Species

Cats have a mating pattern in which a single individual mates with more than one individual of the opposite sex. The males have two major strategies:

 They spend most of their time with a particular group, develop strong affiliative relationships with the queens in that group and defend the kittens, or

 They migrate from group to group, seeking oestrous queens and maximise opportunities to mate with multiple queens

Cats do engage in solitary activity when they hunt. Their hunting technique involves quiet, slow stalking of prey with a sudden killing pounce that is most effectively done alone.

Dominance

Within the group, dominance hierarchies are formed. Dominance in the cat is signalled by ears up and rotated so the aperture is more lateral. They stand fully upright and in an extreme display the hindlimbs are extended and stiff. The base of tail is elevated, with the remainder drooped. Submission or fear is signalled by ears down or back. The tail and head are down and the body is crouched. In the fearfully aggressive cat, the back is arched and the ears are back. The tail is arched or straight up. The cat may show its teeth and hiss and growl.

Human-Directed Aggression in the Cat

Categories include play, fear, petting intolerance, status related, redirected and sexual.

Play Aggression

This is the most common cause of aggression directed at people, especially in young cats. It is usually, but not necessarily, directed to moving stimuli and it may be directed only to some members of the household. In play, the cat approaches the victim, crouches in wait, stalks and chases, with tail twitching and a focused stare. The ears are forward, not back. Play aggression is often seen in the cat that was hand-raised as a kitten; it did not learn how to play appropriately. There may be a history of using hands or feet to play with the cat and there may be inadequate opportunity for acceptable play.

Fear Aggression

This is also a common cause of aggression directed at people. With fear, the cat's ears are back with the body and tail lowered. The cat tends to avoid the person or persons that the aggression is directed at. The aggression occurs when the cat is approached, reached for or groomed. There may be a history of poor socialisation or feral living. However, it can occur in any cat, any breed, in either sex and at any age, regardless of neuter status.

Petting Intolerance

Petting intolerance can be seen if the owner initiates petting and/or after a certain amount of petting. The cat will turn around and 'attack'. This occurs in both males and females at any age and the cause is controversial. It may be status related. Cats primarily groom each other on the head and neck, so being groomed or petted on other parts of the body may contribute to this problem. The cat usually signals its 'displeasure' by twitching its tail and skin. Its ears are usually back and it may emit a low growl. Watching for these cues and stopping the petting before they occur is key.

Status (Dominance) Related

This type of aggression is uncommon in cats, but it does occur. The cat shows dominance displays to one or more persons in the household. It can be managed with medication, owner control of resources and appropriate punishment of ritual dominance displays.

Redirected Aggression

This occurs during interference in situations that have caused the cat to become aroused such as a cat fight, a household dog being aggressive to the cat, etc. It involves being denied access to a primary target. The resultant aggression is then redirected on to another target.

Sexual Aggression

The cat mounts the owner's limb, grabs the skin, initiates pelvic thrusting and growls. This is not common, but it does occur.