LoveToKnow Cats:AllComments

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Hi Femm,

It can be hard to tell sometimes if cats are play fighting or they are serious. I have gotten onto my cats before because I feel they are getting too rough. You may want to keep a spray bottle of water nearby to break up any fights you think are getting too serious.

Since this is still a new situation, they likely are getting their footing on who is the dominant cat. I would not leave the kitten alone without supervision as it is smaller and could be seriously injured in a fight. Other than that, the situation will likely straighten itself out. Also, be sure you get the kitten neutered as soon as your vet says it is okay to do so.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello, thank you so much for this article, I recognized so much. We have a 5 year old, male cat and we recently adopted a kitten who's now 10 weeks old. We did what Kerri did as well, taak a while to introduce them, holding them in separate rooms then switching rooms and such. But now that they're together it's like they do the play fight, dominance displays, plus the biting all together in one go. We usually watch them, but when it seems to serious we seperate them again. It's always the kitten running up to the older cat and the older cat tries to push the kitten away, but when the kitten persists it all goes down. Is it good or bad? What should I do. PS: they just had one of those 'fights' and now they're both asleep on the bed.

-- Contributed by: Femm

Hi Kerri,

First of all, kudos to you for adopting both of those cats. It was a kind and generous thing to do.

Let me ask, have either of the cats been fixed yet? If they haven't, this is the first thing I would do to take the interaction down a notch. Less hormone production often results in less aggressive cats, although it's not a guaranteed fix for your problem. Since the male seems to be the main aggressor, I'd start with him to see if the neutering will help him leave your female alone. It will definitely guarantee that he doesn't get her pregnant if they are both still intact.

To some extent, you can try letting the cats work it out on their own as long as no one is being injured. If the squabbling is too much to put up with, you can always give them a squirt with a water bottled to break things up. You can also try keeping some catnip toys on hand and offering each cat a toy of his/her own to distract them from the tussling. Keep these toys reserved specifically for these occasions so that they will retain your pets' interest when the toys are brought out.

If your cats truly can't learn to get along, you may have to keep them separated in different areas of the house. Hopefully it won't come down to this.

I hope you find at least one of these suggestions helpful. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hello, Please help? I about 2 months ago adopted a male kitten (9 weeks old) and the last week took in a stray female we found wondering outside our house, which the vet believed to be about 3 months. We took a little while to introduce them holding them in separate rooms then switching rooms and such. Now that we have put them together the male constantly instigates with the female. She does not reciprocate the "play?" and actually usually growls, cries and sometimes hisses. Basing on his normal behavior it seems like he is just trying to play with her but if she does not respond is it still playing? and what should we do? Let it continue or intervene? Please Help

-- Contributed by: Kerri

Hi Katrina,

You'll find a reply to your question at Ask the Cat Experts under "Trouble Adapting to an Adoption".

-- Contributed by: Kelly

HI, hope you can help! I have an 18 month old cat and recently i have found a lost kitten that i have brought into the house. the two chase each other around the house however, to me, it seems to develop into a cat fight with the adult cat domineering the kitten. the kitten will fight back however cries a lot throughout. Im not sure if they are fighting or playing as the kitten always seems to go back for more, ie, tourment the older cat. the kitten doesnt seem to get hurt however her cries throughout the brawl conern me. in addition, the adult cat always slept on my bed but now that the kitten sleeps on the bed the adult cat sleeps in a different room. is this fair on the older cat? i love the kitten but dont want to upset the older cat! really hope that you can help. thank you katrina

-- Contributed by: katrina partner

Hi Tamara,

You'll find a reply to your question at Ask the Cat Experts.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a female and a male cat - brother and sister. Neither of them have gotten fixed but lately I've been having to keep them seperated because a few weeks ago he tried to mate with her. We don't want her pregnant but havn't had the money to get either of the cats fixed. Anyway, I managed to stop her brother before he did much of anything, but ever since then his sister has been really agressive towards him.

Before they always used to play and run around and sleep together but now she seems reluctant to do so. When they are fighting, her ears are back, her eyes are wide, her fur is on end and her claws are out.

Her brother is twice the size of her - but he tends to keep biting her at the base of her ears, upper neck/chest, and most commonly on the back of her neck between her shoulder blades or in that area. She reacts with loud hissing and growling, that I can hear two floors up if they are in the main part of the house. Even after this he won't leave her alone, so my question is this.

Is this play fighting or has she grown to dislike her own brother??? I'm worried about her because she seems stressed too.

-- Contributed by: Tamara

Hi Angela,

You'll find your answer at Ask the Cat Experts.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a female ( almost a year) and a male ( about 5 months younger) - both fixed- that live indoors. The female constantly pins down the other one and doesn't let go- even when he cries- he's a siamese and very vocal. I try not to seperate them and let them work it out - but I can't stand to hear him cry. When I do seperate them he runs right back to her- should I even bother seperating them anymore & why does he go right back to her?

-- Contributed by: angela
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