Cat fight! Hisssss...your BFF has her claws out, and she's being catty. Before fur flies, here's how to tame any feline feud. (Friends).

You're probably all-too familiar with the icky girl behavior known as "cattiness" Your so-called BFF is kibbling behind your back or freezing you out like she's an ice princess? Friends attacking you in a pack? Meow! That's catty. Sadly enough, cat fights are fur real. And when your true-blue bares her claws, the betrayal burns. What to do? Before licking your wounds and going off with your tail between your legs, learn to make fights scratch-free.

FELINE NEGLECTED?

Maybe your BFF hasn't returned your calls or blew off last weekend's plans. Catty, you say? Take a deep breath, and consider that not every sitch that seems catty is catty. Your friend could be super-swamped with her science project or totally tied up with family matters. Diplomatically ask what's up. If she has an A+ explanation, smooth things over then and there. If she's evasive, offers a half-baked excuse or acts like you're the problem, it's confirmed. Your BFF is in full-fledged feline mode.

Your first instinct might be to find out why, why, why. But if your friend is getting all catty on you, she might not be receptive to your pleas for an explanation. Don't corner her. Sometimes it's best to give a catty pal some space until she's ready to play nice. Meanwhile, don't get the "what did I do?" woes.

SORRY, SO SORRY

Ever tell an icy BFF, "I have no idea what I did but, whatever it is, I'm so sorry."? Well, if you did something heinous, chances are you'd be very aware of it. But if the heinous act eludes you, "I'm so sorry," comes off like, "I'm so desperate for you to be my bud that I'll take the blame for anything." So figure out if there s a reason for you to be tossing out apologies. If you were in the wrong (she was totally offended by your "smells like teen spirit" comments about her new scent), then go ahead and apologize! But if she's unwilling to be up front about why she's peeved and give you an opportunity to work it out, you're simply not responsible for her less-than-sunny disposition.

LEADER OF THE CAT PACK?

Is your BFF icing you out on her own, or are you attacked by a pack of cats? If you're being pack-attacked, one of two things is going on: 1) Someone else has a beef with you and has recruited your BFF to join in the feline festivities, or 2) Your bud has rounded up a posse of pussycats to back her up. Either way, it stinks. Until your friend is willing to deal with you outside the group, you'll have to wait it out. It's impossible to work out your differences before an audience. And, by the way, tame that urge to get the group on your side.

HERE, KITTY-KITTY

It's been a week, and your BFF is still giving you the silent treatment--loud and clear? It's time to get to the core of this cat fight. Tell her straight up that you're hurt by her aloofness and need to know what's up. If you can't face her, shoot her off an e-mail. If she's a true friend, you will get a reply. Turns out she thought you were flirting with her crush Friday night? Clear the air, and quick. After all, you were only telling her guy all about how great she is!

THE CAT'S OUTTA THE BAG

She continues to throw you disapproving looks with a huddle of fellow finger-pointers? Hate to say it, but it's time to call it a day. It's OK to feel crushed for a while but, if you played fair, you cannot blame yourself. To avoid an ongoing drama between you and your bad-blood bud, keep your distance and be cordial. Then smile, head for a sunny spot by a window and see about finding some new purr-fectly good friends.