Cat's fur puffs up sometimes without any reason?

[wacckky]

We have 3 cats, and one of them (name is mouse) puffs up their fur from time to time? Sometimes when shes playing rough with her sister or her father, but she does it mostly without any reason it seems? She doesnt do it often either, and when she does she doesnt hiss, growl, or show any other signs of aggression.

We previously had a problem with one of her sisters being extremely aggressive but shes now been removed from our situation. Mouse didnt start doing this until after that happened and she isnt much of a fighter. I calm her down when I notice her doing it because we don't want to have that aggression issue with mouse. Could she just tense up like that when shes feeling scared??

 

[GreyLady]

It's a reaction they usually get when they are scared or in a fight or hear an unusual noise. Some cats do it more than others. I NEVER see Grey's tail get big, but Noodle does it when she hears a funny noise or Grey Cat surprises her. She did it the other day when I was putting up curtains and it really confused me- but I think it might have been the metal on metal sound. Makes sense your cat does it when playing rough!!

 

[Columbine]

What's going on at the time? I know you said Mouse sometimes fluffs up in play with her sister or dad. Is it always a playful situation? (whether with toys or another cat). If not, what are the circumstances? Is there something that's startled her? (either in the house or outside). Are there feral, stray or outdoor cats that she might be able to see or smell?

Cats fluff up primarily when they're scared or spooked, as a defense mechanism, but sometimes they do it in play too. This is especially true of kittens, but sometimes happens with older cats as well. Some cats are just very dramatic when they play - some of my guys growl at their toys when they're really into a game! There's no aggression there, but it sounds like it if you don't know them!

Try keeping a note of when Mouse fluffs up, and write down everything going on at the time, however inconsequential it might seem. You might be able to see a pattern and work out what her triggers are, and why she's doing it. For example, my old girl used to fluff up and hide if she heard food going into a hot frying pan, hissing and spitting as it cooked. It doesn't need to be a big deal to us for it to be scary for a cat

 

[wacckky]

It's a reaction they usually get when they are scared or in a fight or hear an unusual noise. Some cats do it more than others. I NEVER see Grey's tail get big, but Noodle does it when she hears a funny noise or Grey Cat surprises her. She did it the other day when I was putting up curtains and it really confused me- but I think it might have been the metal on metal sound. Makes sense your cat does it when playing rough!!

Yeah idk what noise she might've heard, the others werent around so she wasnt in fight mode. But she might've heard something that spooked her

 

[wacckky]

What's going on at the time? I know you said Mouse sometimes fluffs up in play with her sister or dad. Is it always a playful situation? (whether with toys or another cat). If not, what are the circumstances? Is there something that's startled her? (either in the house or outside). Are there feral, stray or outdoor cats that she might be able to see or smell?

Cats fluff up primarily when they're scared or spooked, as a defense mechanism, but sometimes they do it in play too. This is especially true of kittens, but sometimes happens with older cats as well. Some cats are just very dramatic when they play - some of my guys growl at their toys when they're really into a game! There's no aggression there, but it sounds like it if you don't know them!

Try keeping a note of when Mouse fluffs up, and write down everything going on at the time, however inconsequential it might seem. You might be able to see a pattern and work out what her triggers are, and why she's doing it. For example, my old girl used to fluff up and hide if she heard food going into a hot frying pan, hissing and spitting as it cooked. It doesn't need to be a big deal to us for it to be scary for a cat

Yeah like they do play but sometimes they just get a lil too rough and when that happens I just separate them until things are calm. Sometimes they watch outside but there isnt really any cats outside, but theres other small animals.

This time she was just cuddling me then I got up to go get food and then I turned around and seen her all puffed up. The others were still laying on my bed but I guess she must've heard something that I missed that might've spooked her.

 

[maggie101]

When my cat Maggie was a kitten, peaches a year older, she would hide under something then scare Peaches so her tail would poof out big. I love this pic!

Coco never has hissed or growled. When I rescued her,she was so afraid of Maggie that her tail would trimmer

 

[susanm9006]

She could be puffing up because something spooked her, or because of one of the other cats or it could also just be silliness and imaginary playmates. Kittens will often do the puffed fur, arched back and sideways bounce at nothing at all, and some cats continue the behavior into adulthood. My nine year old Willow still puffs her tail and hisses at things only she can see when she is in a playful mood.