Rough Play Isn’t Aggression — It’s Essential

They may look like they’re hurting each other. They’re not. This is what a mother–daughter relationship looks like in cats. I try to interfere as little as possible in Hera and Loki’s relationship with their kittens. I want to witness what instinct, structure, and experience pass down naturally — the quiet inheritance of survival. So far, they’ve raised even their deaf kittens to be confident, social, and curious — three traits that matter more than anything when it comes to navigating the world. I’d love to take credit for their development, but that wouldn’t be honest. Most of what I’ve done is observe — and learn. One thing has become very clear: Cats need an outlet where they can rehearse the wildness that still lives inside them. Wrestling. Chasing. Biting. Kicking. Testing limits. Play is not aggression. It is regulation. For many cats, a compatible companion provides that outlet naturally. When that’s not possible, it becomes OUR responsibility to create it. Get the oven mitts. Add a little catnip. Let them grab, bunny kick, and release that energy — every day. You’re not encouraging aggression. You’re giving instinct a safe place to land.