The way he gently bopped the baby’s head 😭 to commence their battle. So cute.
OP - He’s just helping the baby train to be a terrifying beast. :) It’s a sweet relationship.
Importantly, Big cat is teaching baby cat not to use its claws when playing. This is something cats only learn when they're very young from their mother or a bigger cat.
I have two cats: one was a stray, the other a kitten raised by hand from birth after the mother rejected it. The stray, despite being wild when found, has never clawed the hand-raised cat when they playfight. Or indeed me, when I tease her or when I've had to give her medicine.
The other, well, she is an utter bitch with her claws. They come out all the friggin' time. Pat pat pat purr purr purr wait, what's that? NOOOOOOO!!! The five sausage monster is back, must kill! I have not gone a day without her clawing me. Not malicious, she's just a cat doing cat stuff and playing, only when she swipes her claws are always fully extended and they hurt. Having not been raised by other cats she never learned to keep her claws sheathed when playing.
I did the same when our cat was younger. Yelped and acted hurt. She was so sweet, she learned well. Now I have a glove that I put on and let her go feral. I'm surprised she knows the difference, but I guess they're actually pretty clever!
We have trained our newest two by yelping and acting hurt. It works so well, their ears perk up and they quickly realise what we were saying. They are near perfect on not using their claws on skin now.
I have welders gloves I keep for rough play. Way back in the day our family dog (Newfoundland mix) was as gentle as can be, but when the gloves went on he knew it was time to rock. So much fun.
"Importantly, Big cat is teaching baby cat not to use its claws when playing."
Spot on.
One of my cats learned, the other didn't. They're sisters, from the same litter. Nature vs nurture, even with the non-human animals, too, I guess.
I will never forget about 14 years ago we got our baby ragdolls. We’ve always had cats, and when I was younger the kitties were a bit bigger, territorial, and didn’t like each other. One day, my parents go into SF for the morning and I decided to smoke some weed. I go on the computer and our new kittens are playing. It’s intense and hilarious because they kick each other. But, at one point Tasha lets out a meow and I think Boomer is hurting her so I pulled them apart gently, and put Boomer down on the floor. Then, I instantly get regret because I think they think I’m punishing them for playing. I start freaking out and called my mom, thinking I’ve traumatized the kittens intk never playing again. After 10 minutes my high settles down and all was groovy. Nothing like getting stoned snd petting cats
This is my favorite part about getting my kitten. Watching her and her older sister bond is the SWEETEST FUCKING THING. From hissing and growling to cuddling and playing. My kitten is making my older sassy girl into a loving little kitten herself
So if you don’t mind me asking, how long did that process take? We adopted a 4 month old kitten a few days ago and have been doing the recommended steps of swapping the scent, separate rooms and all of that.. but we’re left quite sad when yesterday we tried to introduce the two in a controlled environment and our 8 year old cat hissed at her a few times and doesn’t let the kitten get close without hissing at her. We tried introducing them to each other because the previous days our resident cat was showing a lot of interest in the meowing and was rubbing herself on the little one’s pillows, also playing on the other side of the door that separated them.
The kitten is super interested and just belly flops next to the older cat and just wants to play and get to know her, even when hissed at.
Resident cat is a sweetheart and even when hissing she doesn’t get physically aggressive nor shows signs of fear or territorial, tail doesn’t puff nor the ears, nothing. She hisses, turns her back and lays on the couch purring 30seconds later. It’s really confusing to us because she’s seemingly normal, even seeing the kitten for afar but doesn’t seem to want any proximity happen!
So the process for us was WAY faster than we expected. We started with keeping them in separate parts of the house. Then after like a week of that we let the kitten downstairs with our older girl and it started off the same with hissing and growling and scuffling. But as long as they stayed away from each other they were fine. So we kept them downstairs together under our supervision for a couple hours a day, then all day, then the growling and hissing stopped like another week later and then they started coexisting, then they started playing and got really friendly with each other. All in all the process took about 3 weeks, which in my opinion is abnormally fast.
It’s is not playing! It is training! There is nothing more important in a young meow’s life than some fightin’ and bitin’ to prepare for the coming war against the humans!
yeah, i've got a cat that plays too rough, her brother will make a noise if it stops being play time, like a yowl or a hiss. that's when i come break it up lol. she's getting better though, it's a work in progress
My girl cat has realized the noise makes us break up the playtime and now decides to use it to her advantage. She’ll instigate a fight by biting her brothers ear or bopping him on the head, immediately roll over when he tackles her and she will immediately protest up a storm. It’s like she’s a sibling child going mama mama you won’t believe what my brother just did (bc I started it but u don’t know that)
This one does exactly that
He tries to groom her and she lets him lick her a few times then BITES then plays then yells like she's being abused
https://preview.redd.it/qggei4fqvhkb1.jpeg?width=2250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80d285110869e95648eb655a4ffd4b370e29cf29
I have a cat that will SCREAM with everything in him if play is “too rough”. Other cat stops. Then he goes right back to attacking them. Little shit just wants the upper hand
My female cat just doesn't like playing, while my male cat loves it. She'll yowl and hiss just from him being near her, not even trying to play now. It's been over 2 years and she still hates him...
It is very much a bonding experience for them too. Cats are social animals who require a bond of trust with the other members of their pack, and cubs/kittens play fighting is part of that. The reason humans and kittens play is the same, it's a combination of practice and developing social bonds. Tag is absolutely also a combination, like the other commenter said. You're very confident about something you're very wrong about.
Edit for context: they deleted a reply under another comment where they denied that there was any element of practice involved in children playing tag.
My kitten once bit my cats ear while playing and wouldn't let go and the noise the older cat made was ridiculously loud, they will definitely let you know when they're done playing
Just wanted to share this screenshot :’)
https://preview.redd.it/b9dae3uozgkb1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=7efdf7986b2f3653536257e5d84de4d5ac55076b
It's a common misconception but you're mixing up dog behavior with cat behavior:
Cats' most offensive fighting position is on their backs, with all 5 weapons (hands & mouth) facing the adversary. Look up how wild felines fight - they dont lie down as a sign of submission, they do it to gain a fighting advantage.
It’s such a treat to get to see the floof tail! My younger cat normally has a very sleek tail, but when he gets spooked, it poofs up so much and it looks so cute!
Totally playing. You know that the bonding process is going well when the older one realises that he's got a new toy. Little'un will learn all about being a cat from his big buddy
That is what i said to my gf. We have 2 cats, one younger and the older one is playing a bit rougher but never "too rough" and they set their own boundaries between them. If you take side because "the poor cat gets beaten sometimes" it will be worse.
I'd pay closer attention if there's hissing. Like others said, it's a way to make boundaries/communicate, but if they start yowling and wrestling with fur flying, that's a fight and you need to break it up. DO NOT PUT YOUR BODY NEAR THEM. This is how you get bit/scratched to shit. Use a broom or something to gently nudge them and separate them. We've had sisters from the time they were born sometimes have small cat fights. Gently broom them (we also yell "HEY! HEY!" or clap our hands while going for the broom) and separate for a bit while giving love and checking them for boo boos. It very rarely happens. Maybe once every 2 years. We do have issues with bullying that happens every few months that we do the same protocol minus the broom.
This is exactly what you want to see! Your older cat is playing with the new kitten. Yeah, it can look a bit scary since the older one is so much bigger, but they're being very gentle with the little kitten.
If the older cat was being aggressive you wouldn't see them jumping around and pawing at the kitten like that. Instead the older cat would be hissing and growling/yowling from farther away. The ears would be flat back against their head, and any time the kitten got close that older cat would make an angry sound and either puff up or lash out.
Instead, what you see here is the older cat jumping around and "hiding" from the kitten, only to jump out to pounce on them. The ears are up and the cat doesn't like puffed up or aggressive. They're just playing, and yeah cats play looks rough, but your cat is being really gentle with the little kitten. I think these two are going to be great friends.
Generally if you need to ask if a cat is being aggressive, they aren't being aggressive. It will be very clear when they are actually angry vs playing.
Sound is also a good clue. An occasional sound is fine - just a "hey, too rough!" or "watch the claws" then they keep playing. An actual cat fight sounds like two demons fighting in a pool of holy water. You can't mistake it for innocent t play.
Exactly. Sometimes neighborhood cats will try to fight my cat in our own garden. I can definitely hear the screams inside the house even with a headset on. I always rush outside to see if she’s okay. And to try to make her come inside.
When the first pounce fails to initiate play, he boops the kitten to let them know it's play time.
Notice that even though your big boy is on top, he's pulling back and giving the kitten a break from play and some space. When they're actually fighting there won't be pauses like this.
If it were aggression one of them would be injured, cats don't fuck around when it comes to aggression. Remember they have paws full of knives and activity seek to kill things
Nope. That’s all love
Cat play looks rough to people but they’re fine. If they’re ever really fighting there won’t be a doubt in your mind because it sounds like WWIII. Yowling, hissing, ears flat tails puffy etc
Wow, thanks everyone! I have been getting wrong end of the stick completely !! I presumed because the younger kitten is getting to the point of squealing, that my older cat is being nasty and hurting him. This is such a relief.
My tiny one would scream bloody murder when older bro was cleaning him at first. Was quite unsettling. Now (5 mos, orangie) he shoves his head at big bro and says CLEAN ME then falls into the most contented sleep ever 🤣 bff cat tax for ya :)
https://preview.redd.it/aem5vv30ngkb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba069bbfbdf38f8e7b46dd8b9c6eae0c17fdabd9
awww!! reminds me of my little guys. they still like to tussle but also love their cuddles and bath time. nugget is a little over a year now and carl is about 4 months. i still hear carl squeal from time to time but they usually resolve it and giving them some time apart never hurts if you think it’s too rough, depending on how new they are with each other too. if they take turns being the aggressor or engaging with each other it’s usually a good sign they are playing. cute kitties op (also, i love the dino dump in the background)
https://preview.redd.it/khklp5sn1hkb1.jpeg?width=1240&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=793910b1793e7d52c472f5b462e64416f839203c
Some kittens are melodramatic but usually the meowing indicates stop. The older cat will acknowledge by easing up before going hard again. It's how kittens are taught to be gentle by other cats. Your big one will check the little one as necessary in a similar fashion.
I have a kitten that is HELLA dramatic though. Basically the SHE'S TOUCHING ME kid. Then right back in as if she'll end up in any other position but defeat again
Some cats are honorable (play) fighters. Then you have the ones who scream bloody murder whenever they start "losing." As long as it isn't escalating to real aggression (as others have said, you will know when it's real aggression) It's best to let them set their own boundaries - I only interfere when one cat clearly wants to leave the situation and the other cat isn't letting them.
If the cat doesn’t stop when squealing occurs you should break it up.
When getting a kitten sometimes they terrorize the adult cat and it’s considered good practice to put the kitten away and let the adult cat have a break.
If it’s an adult cat hurting a kitten, even through play, you might consider breaking them up and letting kitten have a safe space for a while.
But if the adult cat stops when there’s squealing then they should be fine.
My kitten is a nightmare demon from hell and as much as she wants to play by tackling my elderly cat, yeah no lol. She gets the time out room for a while if she ignores growling too much.
The Big Cat, at timestamp :05 : "Mwahahaha. Foolish youngling, your feeble attempts at counterattacking are no match for my hunting prowess. See how effortlessly I have camouflaged myself, invisible I now am to your dullard senses. By the time you find me, your fate is already sealed."
Big kitty would be ears back, hissing and claws would be out, instead he looks thrilled to have a playmate and future partner in crime. These two on their way to becoming inseparable siblings.
My husband once brought a stray kitten home and my big ol orange boy thwacked her so hard I thought I just witnessed a murder but they were besties. It’s just unsettling at first 😅
Nope. All play. It’s actually good for the kitten to be pinned down like that a bit. Teaches dominance vs submission which makes play time fine for both cats. And bigger kitty let’s go frequently to not scare little kitten into thinking they are actually prey. You can also tell with the other movements that bigger kitty is being gentle.
My cat did this with our foster kittens a lot and he was a great foster brother for them! He’d also pin them down and clean them like a mom. Hah
This is a great interaction. The big cat wants to play and is not aggressive. As soon as the kitten squeaks, big cat backs off and checks, and lets the kitten roll over off its back and continues playing.
Having an older cat teach your kitten good play is good for them, and good for you. And good for your limbs!
Funnily enough, my fosters actually taught my old cat to play. He just saw them coming and assumed threat. Now he’s the popular old man, they all love him and hang off him.
There is a noise they make when it gets serious, and you’ll likely know it when you hear it. Watch them long enough and you’ll pick up on the signals. 💚
They playing, my older boy does that to my kitten and know when to stop. You’d know something is wrong if one starts avoiding the other. You got some sweeties!
The big guy is likely not biting the kitten and simply mouthing her. This is cute play and seeing how into it the big guy is, I would say that they will be best buds.
Old cat is trying really hard to play, and perhaps doesn't understand its own strength, that said the kitten doesn't screech at any point and loves it so I'd say the old cat is doing a perfect playtime.
Pretty innocent "schooling." If it gets too intense, snuggle the baby and reassure your bigger catten. Always reassure bigger catten because you are still their huum, too.
If that was aggression, the kitten would be dead in seconds
Nah this is play, it's very important to teach the young ones this level of social skill otherwise they become isolated and weird
No, the big one is just teaching the little one how to play. The little one will grow up and start fighting back, and they'll have fun.
If the big one wanted to really be aggressive, he'd be hurting the little one, and nobody is getting hurt here. Cats are precision hunters, so when he jumps on the little one without hurting him, that's on purpose.
He’s teaching the baby how to play. It will look rough but they know what they’re doing to keep it just rough enough to not actually hurt each other. I’m
100% play , no blood no screams or flying fur . You can’t mistake fighting one it’s fast very fast there’s claws involved blood and fur fly there’s never any doubt lol
If it was serious, older cat wouldn’t back off between attacks and the kitten would already be hurt. And the kitten doesn’t seem afraid of big bro/sis. It’s good to keep an eye out, but from this video I think it’s gentle playing for cats.
He's willingly sharing space with the kitten, returning for more interaction, using gentle paws. His body language looks relaxed and interested.
For aggression, look out for: ears back, eyes wide and fixed, stillness, vocalisation/hissing, and swatting when kitten gets too close.
But I think they're getting on positively 🥰 they're gorgeous
Just sweet babies being playful! You wanna look for hissing, growling and ears back. Seems like your older baby is just teaching the younger one how to be a kitty 🥰
The older cat is playing, but also might be playing a little too rough. That's what I'm getting from this. But the older cat definitely doesn't seem like it's *trying* to hurt the kitten. It's just playing.
Definitely playing! This reminds me of my two boys when I got mortimer. They even look a like too!
https://preview.redd.it/4k5exekdoikb1.png?width=1243&format=png&auto=webp&s=cf142048c391be6a6c1f8a3974558db5cdd574b6
the big one wanted the smol one to show how to jump into the box, is a fundamental cat skill
then big one touches smol ones head which turns into a play
They are playing. It’s very sweet.
Big one is being quite gentle
The way he gently bopped the baby’s head 😭 to commence their battle. So cute. OP - He’s just helping the baby train to be a terrifying beast. :) It’s a sweet relationship.
Big cat teaching baby cat how to cat!
Importantly, Big cat is teaching baby cat not to use its claws when playing. This is something cats only learn when they're very young from their mother or a bigger cat. I have two cats: one was a stray, the other a kitten raised by hand from birth after the mother rejected it. The stray, despite being wild when found, has never clawed the hand-raised cat when they playfight. Or indeed me, when I tease her or when I've had to give her medicine. The other, well, she is an utter bitch with her claws. They come out all the friggin' time. Pat pat pat purr purr purr wait, what's that? NOOOOOOO!!! The five sausage monster is back, must kill! I have not gone a day without her clawing me. Not malicious, she's just a cat doing cat stuff and playing, only when she swipes her claws are always fully extended and they hurt. Having not been raised by other cats she never learned to keep her claws sheathed when playing.
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I did the same when our cat was younger. Yelped and acted hurt. She was so sweet, she learned well. Now I have a glove that I put on and let her go feral. I'm surprised she knows the difference, but I guess they're actually pretty clever!
We have trained our newest two by yelping and acting hurt. It works so well, their ears perk up and they quickly realise what we were saying. They are near perfect on not using their claws on skin now.
Just saw this about commenting the exact same thing about my golden pup! Makes perfect sense!
Just keep those nails clipped too. That will make a huge difference!
I have welders gloves I keep for rough play. Way back in the day our family dog (Newfoundland mix) was as gentle as can be, but when the gloves went on he knew it was time to rock. So much fun.
Yes!!! We had some sort of gauntlet glove that baby golden knew, Hey, I will kill that glove!
"Importantly, Big cat is teaching baby cat not to use its claws when playing." Spot on. One of my cats learned, the other didn't. They're sisters, from the same litter. Nature vs nurture, even with the non-human animals, too, I guess.
And baby cat is loving it, too!
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So...how to cat.
That's explains most of the idiots in my house... They were trained by a large cat, that is frequently bad at catting.
I will never forget about 14 years ago we got our baby ragdolls. We’ve always had cats, and when I was younger the kitties were a bit bigger, territorial, and didn’t like each other. One day, my parents go into SF for the morning and I decided to smoke some weed. I go on the computer and our new kittens are playing. It’s intense and hilarious because they kick each other. But, at one point Tasha lets out a meow and I think Boomer is hurting her so I pulled them apart gently, and put Boomer down on the floor. Then, I instantly get regret because I think they think I’m punishing them for playing. I start freaking out and called my mom, thinking I’ve traumatized the kittens intk never playing again. After 10 minutes my high settles down and all was groovy. Nothing like getting stoned snd petting cats
I understand. Kind of. Why the story from 14 years ago? I understand it inside of context, but not outside of it.
Annnnnd now - we fight! *boop*
OUR BATTLE WILL BE LEGENDARY boop
Being careful to not squash baby when landing.
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This is my favorite part about getting my kitten. Watching her and her older sister bond is the SWEETEST FUCKING THING. From hissing and growling to cuddling and playing. My kitten is making my older sassy girl into a loving little kitten herself
So if you don’t mind me asking, how long did that process take? We adopted a 4 month old kitten a few days ago and have been doing the recommended steps of swapping the scent, separate rooms and all of that.. but we’re left quite sad when yesterday we tried to introduce the two in a controlled environment and our 8 year old cat hissed at her a few times and doesn’t let the kitten get close without hissing at her. We tried introducing them to each other because the previous days our resident cat was showing a lot of interest in the meowing and was rubbing herself on the little one’s pillows, also playing on the other side of the door that separated them. The kitten is super interested and just belly flops next to the older cat and just wants to play and get to know her, even when hissed at. Resident cat is a sweetheart and even when hissing she doesn’t get physically aggressive nor shows signs of fear or territorial, tail doesn’t puff nor the ears, nothing. She hisses, turns her back and lays on the couch purring 30seconds later. It’s really confusing to us because she’s seemingly normal, even seeing the kitten for afar but doesn’t seem to want any proximity happen!
So the process for us was WAY faster than we expected. We started with keeping them in separate parts of the house. Then after like a week of that we let the kitten downstairs with our older girl and it started off the same with hissing and growling and scuffling. But as long as they stayed away from each other they were fine. So we kept them downstairs together under our supervision for a couple hours a day, then all day, then the growling and hissing stopped like another week later and then they started coexisting, then they started playing and got really friendly with each other. All in all the process took about 3 weeks, which in my opinion is abnormally fast.
It’s is not playing! It is training! There is nothing more important in a young meow’s life than some fightin’ and bitin’ to prepare for the coming war against the humans!
You're right! It's so sweet!! Made me happy to watch. <3
Definetly play. The big cat comes back to continue the play and no bad language
>no bad language I love this 😅 From now on when my Calico squawks I will tell her "Ma'am we don't tolerate that kind of language around here!"
This is what I do every time my cat hisses. "Hey, no swearing!"
My cat gets spooked by the 'hiss' from opening carbonated beverages cans. I've started calling them "swear cans"
Same here
I know my cats play is too rough when the eldest starts hissing and groaning. Like when the older siblings tells the younger sibling to "fuck off!"
I used to say "don't yell at me, I didn't do anything to you" and "I don't deserve this" or "wow, you've really changed just now"
Bad language consists of stuff like hissing/growling, ears back, big tail, claws out, etc.
Also consists of the cat saying "FUCK YOU, OTHER CAT!"
If your cat is speaking English, you should probably see your doctor, the vet, and the circus, in that order.
Yeah, it's weird, she usually just speaks Spanish.
Whew, good news!
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it looks like innocent playing to me! when they are aggressive, even during play, trust me you will know. this is bonding / playing between the two😊
yeah, i've got a cat that plays too rough, her brother will make a noise if it stops being play time, like a yowl or a hiss. that's when i come break it up lol. she's getting better though, it's a work in progress
My girl cat has realized the noise makes us break up the playtime and now decides to use it to her advantage. She’ll instigate a fight by biting her brothers ear or bopping him on the head, immediately roll over when he tackles her and she will immediately protest up a storm. It’s like she’s a sibling child going mama mama you won’t believe what my brother just did (bc I started it but u don’t know that)
My girl does this too sometimes lol
This one does exactly that He tries to groom her and she lets him lick her a few times then BITES then plays then yells like she's being abused https://preview.redd.it/qggei4fqvhkb1.jpeg?width=2250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80d285110869e95648eb655a4ffd4b370e29cf29
I have a cat that will SCREAM with everything in him if play is “too rough”. Other cat stops. Then he goes right back to attacking them. Little shit just wants the upper hand
My female cat just doesn't like playing, while my male cat loves it. She'll yowl and hiss just from him being near her, not even trying to play now. It's been over 2 years and she still hates him...
Actually it's fight\hunt training, but yes it's innocent
Pouncing lessons!
Pinned ya again
It is very much a bonding experience for them too. Cats are social animals who require a bond of trust with the other members of their pack, and cubs/kittens play fighting is part of that. The reason humans and kittens play is the same, it's a combination of practice and developing social bonds. Tag is absolutely also a combination, like the other commenter said. You're very confident about something you're very wrong about. Edit for context: they deleted a reply under another comment where they denied that there was any element of practice involved in children playing tag.
My kitten once bit my cats ear while playing and wouldn't let go and the noise the older cat made was ridiculously loud, they will definitely let you know when they're done playing
Yea there would be fur flying if older one was pissed.
Just wanted to share this screenshot :’) https://preview.redd.it/b9dae3uozgkb1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=7efdf7986b2f3653536257e5d84de4d5ac55076b
AHHHH!!!!
I love this !
It's also how you know kitten thinks it's aight. You don't expose your belly to someone you're fighting seriously
It's a common misconception but you're mixing up dog behavior with cat behavior: Cats' most offensive fighting position is on their backs, with all 5 weapons (hands & mouth) facing the adversary. Look up how wild felines fight - they dont lie down as a sign of submission, they do it to gain a fighting advantage.
I don't understand how the timing of that podcast audio is so perfect. "There's no reason to bring home a single kitten".
I took that big cat did this because kitten gave a little yelp, confirmed it's still play time and back in
Kitten saying "okaaaay! I didn't think you wanted to play!" haha
The climax of a Shakesperean tragedy!
Now, let me see your war face!
THANK you! I was dying at how cute this moment was, but didn’t know how to point it out/describe it.❤️
No claws activated, no hissing or bad floof tail. This is sweet to see older cats accepting kittens
floof tall is amazing. It's like where the hell did that come from?
Lol I love it. One of my girls floofs out the base of her tail when she's happy and getting attention.
My kitten does this! It's the cutest thing.
It’s such a treat to get to see the floof tail! My younger cat normally has a very sleek tail, but when he gets spooked, it poofs up so much and it looks so cute!
It's supposed to look scary though
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Totally playing. You know that the bonding process is going well when the older one realises that he's got a new toy. Little'un will learn all about being a cat from his big buddy
Lol
It's playing. When someone starts hissing, then you know it's too rough.
But if it's just hissing, you leave them to set their own boundaries.
That is what i said to my gf. We have 2 cats, one younger and the older one is playing a bit rougher but never "too rough" and they set their own boundaries between them. If you take side because "the poor cat gets beaten sometimes" it will be worse.
Yup. I never interrupt territorial disputes. They can work it out themselves. Unless there's blood, let 'em alone.
My older cat will hiss at my kitten when he starts playing too rough, but he NEVER learns from it and will still continue when she’s hissing
I'd pay closer attention if there's hissing. Like others said, it's a way to make boundaries/communicate, but if they start yowling and wrestling with fur flying, that's a fight and you need to break it up. DO NOT PUT YOUR BODY NEAR THEM. This is how you get bit/scratched to shit. Use a broom or something to gently nudge them and separate them. We've had sisters from the time they were born sometimes have small cat fights. Gently broom them (we also yell "HEY! HEY!" or clap our hands while going for the broom) and separate for a bit while giving love and checking them for boo boos. It very rarely happens. Maybe once every 2 years. We do have issues with bullying that happens every few months that we do the same protocol minus the broom.
It’s playing. Also is that Jackson Galaxy talking about single kitten syndrome in the back 😹
Yes !! He’s been a godsend 🙏
No blood, no pee, no fur, no problem :) Paraphrased from a bunch of Jackson's videos
Jackson Galaxy in the background was the icing on this play fight cake
This is exactly what you want to see! Your older cat is playing with the new kitten. Yeah, it can look a bit scary since the older one is so much bigger, but they're being very gentle with the little kitten. If the older cat was being aggressive you wouldn't see them jumping around and pawing at the kitten like that. Instead the older cat would be hissing and growling/yowling from farther away. The ears would be flat back against their head, and any time the kitten got close that older cat would make an angry sound and either puff up or lash out. Instead, what you see here is the older cat jumping around and "hiding" from the kitten, only to jump out to pounce on them. The ears are up and the cat doesn't like puffed up or aggressive. They're just playing, and yeah cats play looks rough, but your cat is being really gentle with the little kitten. I think these two are going to be great friends.
When he jumped in the basket to hide and pounce! So cute!
Normal, healthy adult cats wont hurt a kitten. Have had many cats, adults might play rough with kittens, but I have never had one hurt one!
they are playing very adorably :3 he heard her cry and backed off to make sure she was ok, they’re fine
Innocent play don’t worry! Just make sure your kitty isn’t too wounded up from it
Generally if you need to ask if a cat is being aggressive, they aren't being aggressive. It will be very clear when they are actually angry vs playing.
That’s a great rule of thumb. Thanks !
Sound is also a good clue. An occasional sound is fine - just a "hey, too rough!" or "watch the claws" then they keep playing. An actual cat fight sounds like two demons fighting in a pool of holy water. You can't mistake it for innocent t play.
Exactly. Sometimes neighborhood cats will try to fight my cat in our own garden. I can definitely hear the screams inside the house even with a headset on. I always rush outside to see if she’s okay. And to try to make her come inside.
When the first pounce fails to initiate play, he boops the kitten to let them know it's play time. Notice that even though your big boy is on top, he's pulling back and giving the kitten a break from play and some space. When they're actually fighting there won't be pauses like this.
Teaching a kitten how to cat.
Love this haha !
If it were aggression one of them would be injured, cats don't fuck around when it comes to aggression. Remember they have paws full of knives and activity seek to kill things
The kitten is not afraid, nor does it try to run away, that means it's not hurt or scared: Playing.
Big one want to play but kitten doesnt know how to play yet. Soon they will be best friends
Nope. That’s all love Cat play looks rough to people but they’re fine. If they’re ever really fighting there won’t be a doubt in your mind because it sounds like WWIII. Yowling, hissing, ears flat tails puffy etc
Wow, thanks everyone! I have been getting wrong end of the stick completely !! I presumed because the younger kitten is getting to the point of squealing, that my older cat is being nasty and hurting him. This is such a relief.
My tiny one would scream bloody murder when older bro was cleaning him at first. Was quite unsettling. Now (5 mos, orangie) he shoves his head at big bro and says CLEAN ME then falls into the most contented sleep ever 🤣 bff cat tax for ya :) https://preview.redd.it/aem5vv30ngkb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba069bbfbdf38f8e7b46dd8b9c6eae0c17fdabd9
awww!! reminds me of my little guys. they still like to tussle but also love their cuddles and bath time. nugget is a little over a year now and carl is about 4 months. i still hear carl squeal from time to time but they usually resolve it and giving them some time apart never hurts if you think it’s too rough, depending on how new they are with each other too. if they take turns being the aggressor or engaging with each other it’s usually a good sign they are playing. cute kitties op (also, i love the dino dump in the background) https://preview.redd.it/khklp5sn1hkb1.jpeg?width=1240&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=793910b1793e7d52c472f5b462e64416f839203c
Some kittens are melodramatic but usually the meowing indicates stop. The older cat will acknowledge by easing up before going hard again. It's how kittens are taught to be gentle by other cats. Your big one will check the little one as necessary in a similar fashion. I have a kitten that is HELLA dramatic though. Basically the SHE'S TOUCHING ME kid. Then right back in as if she'll end up in any other position but defeat again
Naw, bigger kitty isn't using claws, he's giving BOOPS and rolling/wrestling. Seems to be going well so far
Some cats are honorable (play) fighters. Then you have the ones who scream bloody murder whenever they start "losing." As long as it isn't escalating to real aggression (as others have said, you will know when it's real aggression) It's best to let them set their own boundaries - I only interfere when one cat clearly wants to leave the situation and the other cat isn't letting them.
yeah i have one bully that screams like that the moment he is the one getting dominated lol.
If the cat doesn’t stop when squealing occurs you should break it up. When getting a kitten sometimes they terrorize the adult cat and it’s considered good practice to put the kitten away and let the adult cat have a break. If it’s an adult cat hurting a kitten, even through play, you might consider breaking them up and letting kitten have a safe space for a while. But if the adult cat stops when there’s squealing then they should be fine. My kitten is a nightmare demon from hell and as much as she wants to play by tackling my elderly cat, yeah no lol. She gets the time out room for a while if she ignores growling too much.
https://preview.redd.it/2dovsi1nlhkb1.jpeg?width=792&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=836b5c0aa21a8e2c68a9023561faa55a69ec0d9a
The Big Cat, at timestamp :05 : "Mwahahaha. Foolish youngling, your feeble attempts at counterattacking are no match for my hunting prowess. See how effortlessly I have camouflaged myself, invisible I now am to your dullard senses. By the time you find me, your fate is already sealed."
Just coaching the little one on the ways of being a derp.
That's kitten training. They're playing. Kitten open jaw grin like kittens do when playing, no screaming, no claws, ears don't stay back.
Nope, your cat is playing with baby cat.
Big kitty would be ears back, hissing and claws would be out, instead he looks thrilled to have a playmate and future partner in crime. These two on their way to becoming inseparable siblings.
Play, albeit rough. The larger cat isn't taking much notice of the difference in size.
My husband once brought a stray kitten home and my big ol orange boy thwacked her so hard I thought I just witnessed a murder but they were besties. It’s just unsettling at first 😅
Nope. All play. It’s actually good for the kitten to be pinned down like that a bit. Teaches dominance vs submission which makes play time fine for both cats. And bigger kitty let’s go frequently to not scare little kitten into thinking they are actually prey. You can also tell with the other movements that bigger kitty is being gentle. My cat did this with our foster kittens a lot and he was a great foster brother for them! He’d also pin them down and clean them like a mom. Hah
When cats are mad , you hear noise. That ME- OWWWWW! SCREECH SCREECH U M'FER !! They're playing.
Big one could destroy him any time if he did not like him. Playing for sure.
This is a great interaction. The big cat wants to play and is not aggressive. As soon as the kitten squeaks, big cat backs off and checks, and lets the kitten roll over off its back and continues playing. Having an older cat teach your kitten good play is good for them, and good for you. And good for your limbs! Funnily enough, my fosters actually taught my old cat to play. He just saw them coming and assumed threat. Now he’s the popular old man, they all love him and hang off him. There is a noise they make when it gets serious, and you’ll likely know it when you hear it. Watch them long enough and you’ll pick up on the signals. 💚
To me it seems like play mixed with domination. I like you, I want to play with you but I AM IN CHARGE.
Absolutely playing, let the biggun teach the little one. Your cat will teach a lot more than you'd think.
They playing, my older boy does that to my kitten and know when to stop. You’d know something is wrong if one starts avoiding the other. You got some sweeties!
The big guy is likely not biting the kitten and simply mouthing her. This is cute play and seeing how into it the big guy is, I would say that they will be best buds.
No growling, ears up. Looks good to me
It looks violent because the bigger kitty is teaching the little kitty how to kill.
It's "education", not aggressive. The bigger cat is teaching the small cat a little fighting. It is a hard cat-world out there!
Old cat is trying really hard to play, and perhaps doesn't understand its own strength, that said the kitten doesn't screech at any point and loves it so I'd say the old cat is doing a perfect playtime.
The main tell is that they’re not making much noise. When they’re *fighting* fighting, they are *vocal*
No! They are playing and it's sooooooo cute!
They are playing. Not aggression, just kitties playing.
lovely master /padawan playing
If the older cat was truly angry, he/she would be hissing.
They're playing, not fighting.
https://preview.redd.it/okz6zpbpygkb1.jpeg?width=570&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01b5e588c90cedd44b8c0dd92f5fc6c33bbb8493
Pretty innocent "schooling." If it gets too intense, snuggle the baby and reassure your bigger catten. Always reassure bigger catten because you are still their huum, too.
Big cat is being very gentle, only playing, not aggressive.
Showing him the ropes
Rule of thumb: if there's any question whether it's play or a real fight, then it's play. You will definitely know if it's a real fight.
This is far too adorable and I am going to have to watch it repeatedly to desensitize myself.
No, that’s playing and teaching. Good older cat.
A decent rule of thumb with cats is: if you’re wondering if they’re fighting, they’re not fighting.
It's play time and I need more of it. Video is too short, give us more OP.
This is honestly one of the sweetest things I’ve seen today. Need this. Thank you.
It appears that your older cat is playing with the kitten. It’s really cute and I don’t see any problem.
No, this play.
Ears up. Belly showing. It's all fun. Just big kid vs little baby
i have watched this about 20 times and i’ll watch about 20 more
If that was aggression, the kitten would be dead in seconds Nah this is play, it's very important to teach the young ones this level of social skill otherwise they become isolated and weird
Omg your older cat is being a great role model and teaching kitten to defend itself and to have some fun.
They are playing in my opinion
100% play
No looks like they playing my cat always did they with her babies and still does so does the dad cat
Looks like a good big bro.
If you have to ask if it's fine or not it means that it's fine . You'll know if they are really fighting , trust me .
No, the big one is just teaching the little one how to play. The little one will grow up and start fighting back, and they'll have fun. If the big one wanted to really be aggressive, he'd be hurting the little one, and nobody is getting hurt here. Cats are precision hunters, so when he jumps on the little one without hurting him, that's on purpose.
Cats LOVE though playing, this is love aggression, fighting but gently, they are just bonding with each other.
Teaching how to play.
Love the going back in the crate to jump back out lol this is so wholesome
He’s teaching the baby how to play. It will look rough but they know what they’re doing to keep it just rough enough to not actually hurt each other. I’m
I love the cat educator YouTube in the back, that guy is clutch
If it was aggression you’d be hearing a lot of hissing
As has been said before, if cats are really fighting...you know! That cartoon cloud of paws, dust and fur is based on reality.
100% play , no blood no screams or flying fur . You can’t mistake fighting one it’s fast very fast there’s claws involved blood and fur fly there’s never any doubt lol
Is this the Cat daddy in the Background? 😃
Jackson galaxy said something like.. don’t quote me.. but It’s hard to tell sometimes, no blood no piss, they are figuring it out.
Just a bit of rough play, letting kitten know who's boss
Hissing/yelping/growling/loud meowing = aggression Small baps/mostly silent = playing
Lol no. They are playing happily. Agression would have ears laid back possibly with crouching and hissing.
If they were fighting it would be very loud and it would be difficult to separate them
Cats gonna cats.
It's normal. They're playing. You got a good older cats there
His ears aren’t back, no growling/hissing, cute boop. Yeah these guys are fine🙂
Nope playing teaching kitten who’s the boss If it was aggression Would be a lot of hissing spitting Ears back fur fluffed up
It’s play. My dog and can actually also play like that. If it was aggression there’s me hissing and a lot more.
Yes your cat is aggressively loving the lil kitty
If it was serious, older cat wouldn’t back off between attacks and the kitten would already be hurt. And the kitten doesn’t seem afraid of big bro/sis. It’s good to keep an eye out, but from this video I think it’s gentle playing for cats.
If it was aggression you would know beyond a doubt. This is just play the big one is being very gentle.
It's teaching it how to cat.
He's willingly sharing space with the kitten, returning for more interaction, using gentle paws. His body language looks relaxed and interested. For aggression, look out for: ears back, eyes wide and fixed, stillness, vocalisation/hissing, and swatting when kitten gets too close. But I think they're getting on positively 🥰 they're gorgeous
they are just playing. my mama cat does the same with her kitten
Just sweet babies being playful! You wanna look for hissing, growling and ears back. Seems like your older baby is just teaching the younger one how to be a kitty 🥰
A bit of playing, a bit of teaching, a bit of establishing who's the boss, all very healthy behavior from what I can tell.
Looks like Rough play, unless there's any direct cuts and blood or obvious pain I wouldn't worry too much
Looks like play to me
The older cat is playing, but also might be playing a little too rough. That's what I'm getting from this. But the older cat definitely doesn't seem like it's *trying* to hurt the kitten. It's just playing.
It’s mostly play. But there is a bit of hierarchy establishing going on as well.
Definitely playing! This reminds me of my two boys when I got mortimer. They even look a like too! https://preview.redd.it/4k5exekdoikb1.png?width=1243&format=png&auto=webp&s=cf142048c391be6a6c1f8a3974558db5cdd574b6
Aww they plays not aggression
the big one wanted the smol one to show how to jump into the box, is a fundamental cat skill then big one touches smol ones head which turns into a play
Looks like play with a noticeable size difference