Are My Cats Fighting? Or Playing?

[Willa & Jainy]

My two cats have been play-fighting for years -- they were adopted together, so though they're different breeds, we call them "sisters" -- but recently I feel it's been turning into something a bit more serious. They've started yowling and hissing during their fights, and I can't tell whether to separate them or not.
Also, most of the time, Willa (the smaller calico) is being "bullied" by Jainy (the bigger tabby) -- waiting to eat while Jainy takes her time, trying to walk by Jainy and earning a vicious swat -- that sort of thing. I'm not sure what to do.
In case it helps, they're both technically "adults", and going to turn "seniors" their next birthdays, though they still act like kittens. We live in an average house -- could it be space? And they have their own food dishes, though they share a litter box, and they don't have a cat tree (though I wish we could get one).
So please, can someone tell me what's going on with my cats? It would be much, much appreciated if somebody could tell me how to stop this -- or at least keep it from turning into something more serious.
Many thanks.

 

[LTS3]

Take a look through some of these TCS articles:

Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing?
Re-directed Aggression In Cats
Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
How To Safely Break Up A Cat Fight

Can you add a second litter box? Sometimes one shared litter box is a source of stress for cats.

You can give Feliway and other calming products a try.

You don't need a huge floor to ceiling tree. One about knee height or so is great There are some cat furniture that double as a foot stool for you or extra storage space for cat toys.

 

[Willa & Jainy]

I don't think we can add another litter box; we have limited space in the litter box room, since we also store the litter and treats in big tubs. We've also tried the knee-high tree, it's sort of a pedestal with three different scratching surfaces as the posts. They don't really love climbing, unless it's on furniture or people. I'm just worried, I suppose.

 

[war&wisdom]

You could try a covered or concealed box in another room if you're worried about aesthetics or smell.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Has anything changed in your household that might have caused their aggression? Are both cats well? Both eating, drinking, sleeping, using the litter box normally?

In addition to the TCS articles LTS3 mentioned, here is one more that might be helpful: Why Do Cats Attack?

 

[di and bob]

It sounds like SOMETHING is stressing/irritating them a little. New cat in the neighbor hood they can see or smell, company they don't know, a change in food, litter, or new person in the house? Females are little divas, and love to teach manners, so squabbling is not unusual, especially between two of them because they won't give an inch. Make sure tehre is a place for Willa to escape to that she can easily defend. Somewhere up high is preferrable, liek on top a dresser, or table. My Chrissy had a bed on top the fridge for a year! Cats must establish heirarchy in a household and yours are trying to establish their place. Tell Jainy NO firmly, and even remove her to another room if she persists being a bully, she needs to know taht you are displeased, YOU are the leader!

 

[Willa & Jainy]

Yes, I've tried that; when Jainy's being mean, I say "NO" to her, then if she continues, I grab her and move her somewhere else (usually upstairs). Also, we have two rugs not made for scratching but are actually GREAT scratchers; one's in the kitchen and one in the piano room; Willa has two scratchers on the rug in the piano room that she's "claimed" (Jainy usually doesn't go anywhere near them) but that's one of their favorite "fighting arenas". It's really confusing; sometimes I wish I could read cat minds. But don't we all, at some point?

 

[sivyaleah]

How old are they? Same age? One older or younger?

My experience has been that an older cat can become somewhat less tolerant as they age.

 

[Willa & Jainy]

Well, they're a few months apart, but they'll both technically turn "seniors" on their next birthdays. Hard to believe, though; they still act like kittens. They grow up so fast, don't they?

 

[Willa & Jainy]

Jainy's maybe 2-3 months older than Willa, and she's the "bully" one.

 

[sivyaleah]

Well, they're a few months apart, but they'll both technically turn "seniors" on their next birthdays. Hard to believe, though; they still act like kittens. They grow up so fast, don't they?

If they are now seniors, this might be a cause. My experience was that our older cat got somewhat cranky as he got older. When he'd play with his younger sister, eventually it would always wind up with him going somewhat overboard and she'd have to run off or up onto something (good thing she had youth on her side still LOL).

I'd imagine if you had 2 cats that are seniors at the same time, and both are getting short tempered due to aging and possibly, some underlying health issues, this could be part of why their play sessions are taking a turn more aggressive.

If they haven't had a check up in a while, it's probably a good idea to bring them in. Seniors should ideally be seen 2x a year. This, to catch any problems before they become bigger problems.

 

[Willa & Jainy]

Hmm yes, we haven't taken them for a checkup in a while, though they're due for one. I want to, just with our busy schedule, we haven't had the opportunity.

 

[sivyaleah]

Hmm yes, we haven't taken them for a checkup in a while, though they're due for one. I want to, just with our busy schedule, we haven't had the opportunity.

It's really important. I always managed to make the time, their health is as important as my own. My older boy, who very recently passed, in his later years developed SO many illnesses (diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroid and others) but all of them were caught on the early side. It's easier to keep an eye on things when they come in regularly.

It's amazing how fast disease can escalate in a small animal. Clearly you care a lot for your babies, so I'd urge you to find the time for your own peace of mind.