It's a Gate production of Ruffles the Feathers (8)
I believe the answer is:
agitates
'ruffles the feathers' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with contact as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'it's a gate production' is the wordplay.
'production' is an anagram indicator.
'its'+'a'+'gate'='itsagate'
'itsagate' is an anagram of 'AGITATES'.
'of' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for agitates that I've seen before include "Disturbs or stirs up political trouble" , "Tries to stir up public opinion" , "Upsets" , "Disturbs, often politically" .)