Cat + Kitten, Playing Or Agression. Video.

[mebae]

I have a 2 year old cat who recently broke both of his hips while playing, and he's a weird cat at least to me and he always has been. He doesn't take interest in toys for very long and I can't keep him entertained as a result.

But I needed him to move around more to help him re-strengthen his body so I got another kitten(I was going to get one in the near future.) in hopes that it would get him to move around more and in ways it has. He chases the kitten around, and at times even jumps/climbs up on objects.

They sometimes sleep a few feet from one another. The older cat will bat at the kitten once in a while and his fur is never on end nor are his ears tucked back. The older cat sleeps in a cage as he was on absolute cage rest for two weeks after the surgery and now that is his bed of choice.

While I believe this to be play on the larger cats part it wouldn't hurt to have second opinions. Also the kitten usually starts the encounters. The kitten does show signs of submission at times around the older cat(I guess), but usually only during treat time. There has never been food aggression between the two. The kitten does force his way into things at times, but the older one just walks away.

The video is vertical because I wasn't ready to record and these small skirmishes don't last long. So sorry about that.

 

[mebae]

Forgot to say in the orignal post. The sound in the video is from the kitten and the older cat has always been a hard biter. Got the older cat from a friend whose grandson got tired of him at somewhere around 9 weeks old and probably wasn't socialized properly.

 

[catlover73]

Does the kitten come back for more play or avoid the older cat for a while after you took that video? Does the older cat back off when the kitten runs away after the video cut off? Which one is making all the noise in the video? Sorry for all the questions but I am looking for a little more information in order to try to provide advice. I am not sure yet from the video if the loud noise was communication or being scared.

 

[mebae]

Does the kitten come back for more play or avoid the older cat for a while after you took that video? Does the older cat back off when the kitten runs away after the video cut off? Which one is making all the noise in the video? Sorry for all the questions but I am looking for a little more information in order to try to provide advice. I am not sure yet from the video if the loud noise was communication or being scared.

The kitten runs away the older cat pursues, but doesn't really do anything. The kitten usually starts the skirmish again after a few seconds. The kitten is making the noise. This behavior typically only happens in the mornings at least from what I see.

 

[catlover73]

Thank you for answering my questions. It seems to me like this is probably a combination of rough play and the older cat teaching the kitten manners. The kitten seems to be making noise while being submissive. As long as the older cat is not injuring the kitten as in you are not seeing any blood or fur being pulled out then just keep an eye on things but let them play. If the kitten is continuing to start play time then the noise is communication or complaining on the part of the kitten. I think if the kitten were scared he or she would hide or run to you for safety.

That video reminds me of when my large adult male cat was teaching my 6 week old kitten manners. She thought biting was a way to communicate she wanted to play. My older cat had enough and started pinning her to the floor with his paw when she would bite him. She would scream her head off. I could tell he was not hurting her because he was relaxed and calm when he would pin her. Once she stopped biting him then she was allowed play time. They would sleep together too. Starbuck is now a happy healthy 12 year old that no longer bites us or the other cats.

 

[susanm9006]

Looks like pure play to me. May I ask how your cat broke his hips while playing?