In this research, a fundamental study was conducted on damage behavior of cathodic arc evaporated TiN and Ti0.44Al0.56N coatings, in terms of oxidation and cracking/spallation, when they were exposed to single-pulse laser treatment in a temperature range of 1200-2100 degrees C. Moreover, a multiple-pulse laser treatment was designed to apply thermo-mechanical loads on the coatings in order to evaluate their thermal degradation during rapid heating/cooling cycles between 200 and 1200 degrees C. Single-pulse treatment of TiN up to 1500 degrees C led to the intercolumnar cracking and formation of ultrafine TiO grains. An increase in temperature up to 2100 degrees C resulted in a notable bulging of the surface, and formation of TiO2 of various morphologies such as grainy structure, dense molten and re-solidified structure, droplets from melt expulsion and, more interestingly, nanofibers. Multiplepulse treatment of TiN was accompanied by a severe cracking and spallation, which divided the surface into two layers: a heavily cracked top layer composed of dense TiO2 grains, and a bottom layer having porous TiO2 grains indicating incomplete oxidation. Conversely, Ti0.44Al0.56N did not show any visible cracking and oxidation after single-pulse treatment. Multiple-pulse treatment did not also yield cracking and spallation for Ti0.44Al0.56N, and its ablated region consisted of TiO2 grains combined with thin Al2O3 platelets. An excellent combination of properties including higher oxidation resistance and greater fracture toughness at high temperatures led to a higher thermal damage resistance for Ti0.44Al0.56N coating compared to TiN when undergoing single- and multiple-pulse laser treatments.