Cat and kitten playing?

[mrw5641]

Hi all! So we now have had Ellie for just over a month she is about 12 weeks now and Oscar we've had for 6 years.

I'm having a hard time telling if they are playing. Ellie jumps on him and swats at his face and he bites , swats at her and pins her down..

There is no crying or anything of that nature.

Is this normal?

 

[Twinkie245]

Normal playing. If they are quiet and there’s no blood then it’s play. Also, they take turns chasing, pouncing, pinning down and each side comes back for more. Sounds like they are having a blast.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
It sounds normal actually.

I don't know if this might help
Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing? – TheCatSite Articles

 

[ArtNJ]

Yep. If Oscar wanted the kitten dead, the kitten would be dead. That doesn't happen, because adult domestic cats never have true intent to injure with respect to kittens. In less horrible terms, true hostility is almost always accompanied by hissing and growling. Hissing and growling can mean many many less serious things as well, but you almost always get it with true hostility. The final, perhaps most important point, is that you can trust the kitten's assessment of the situation. If it wasn't play, the kitten would be acting afraid at all times, and wouldn't be initiating play.

Sometimes, when an adult plays too rough, the kitten might hiss, growl, run and hide in the moment -- but come back out in a few minutes and act like nothing happened. If the kitten acts like nothing happened, and especially continues to initiate play, there is no problem. And sometimes, especially with adult cats that aren't still in their stupid-young phase, like your six year old, they have enough self control to moderate themselves so that they can play with a kitten, and the kitten will rarely be made too uncomfortable, maybe just a stray yelp now and then. Its nice when that happens!

 

[Alldara]

Be aware that your cat hissing at the kitten in warning might cause your kitten to learn to hiss as play.

Both Magnus and Calcifer hiss at toys and all. Nobel hisses as a warning, "heck off". It's pre his wailing sound, which is pre his growl/murlock sound for those who get the reference. So, now both boys think it's also for play even though I've always come to break it up at a hiss, they think it's "serious" play.

 

[KittyCam]

Hi all! So we now have had Ellie for just over a month she is about 12 weeks now and Oscar we've had for 6 years.

I'm having a hard time telling if they are playing. Ellie jumps on him and swats at his face and he bites , swats at her and pins her down..

There is no crying or anything of that nature.

Is this normal?
[/QUOTE
This morning my kittens and my older cat were playing. They do tend to play rough sometimes, but they seem to do okay. Only time I think you should be concerned is if the younger cat looks hurt or has a bad reaction to it (Loud meowing or whining). I would just keep a close eye on them. They should be fine. If they do ever fight and its bad, it could be the effect of having to share food bowls, water bowls, a litter box, etc. I hope this helps!

 

[mrw5641]

thanks all! Makes me feel better!