Change In Behaviour

[tassie]

Hello!

Generally all pretty harmonious with my 3 but lately Buddy's behaviour has changed. He is a sweet natured 2 year old ( neutered), quite juvenile for his age. He gets on well with freckles, 4yr old female and they enjoy quite a bit of rough and tumble, usually instigated and controlled by her even though she is teeny. Lately the play has gotten a bit too rough and yesterday he caused quite a gash on her back. He plays with me but has started to resort to biting me quite quickly ( but not my husband). He is also attacking our older girl although it does look like play fighting rather than agressive, but she hates it and he is too rough. He has enough stimulation ( outdoor country cats), he seems very well, he never hisses or shows agression in other ways.

He is my first boy cat so not sure if this is normal as he becomes an adult? I just read the post about hangry cats and it has crossed my mind but don't want to feed him when he is like this in case it is linked to reward. He is constantly wanting food and is a big cat but a good weight, any more food and he gains weight quickly, he is pretty sloth like compared to Freckles.

Any suggestions on the change? Normal or not so much?

 

[ArtNJ]

Well, a stray nail causing a scratch during play is pretty normal, but a "gash"? Its hard to say without knowing exactly what you mean, but the word gash seems to take it out of the realm of normal play to me and suggest that yes, there might be a problem here.

Keep in mind its not at all unusual for one cat to like play a lot less and seek to avoid/disengage. Nor is that necessarily a problem, especially if the cat that likes play less doesn't seem constantly afraid of the other cat and only flees/hides when the other seeks play. If there is a true problem, it almost always carries over beyond play. The only thing I heard that concerns me is the word "gash".

Do you trim nails?

 

[tassie]

Definitely much more than a scratch, it's a surface wound not deep, about 1cm across by 2cm. Freckles has cleaned it up and I have too ( she screamed when he did it like I have never heard before). Not really sure how he did it as its wide

I don't trim nails, as they need them in case for defense. We have a few strays who they cross paths with occasionally ( usually fine but just in case)

 

[ArtNJ]

Are you sure Buddy did that and she didn't scrape it on something as she fled from Buddy? 1 cm wide doesn't sound like a cat-inflicted scratch.

How is she behaving when Buddy doesn't try and play? Does she hide from him? Hiss or growl?

We would be happy to look at a video as well.

In general, I'm thinking that this may not be as bad as you are thinking. Its pretty common for one cat to not want to play because the other is bigger, younger or rougher, and for the eager one to not take the hint. We get tons of posts about that, and I've had it myself. Its usually not that big a deal as long as the reluctant cat doesn't get so stressed they have problems with eating, litterbox or self-inflicted hair ripping. And if they don't show fear towards the other cat in the times when the over-eager cat is calm, that is a big clue that it isn't that big a deal to the reluctant cat. Even more so if the reluctant cat initiates once in a while. In that situation, it seems to be more like the little brother who runs from big brother's head noogies/wedgies while calling for mom -- i.e. nothing serious although they act distressed.

 

[tassie]

Thanks for your help - I was cleaning it last night and she has taken the fur off so I can see it better now and I agree, I think she must have ran into something or tumbled badly as it isn't a cat scratch.

So generally, she starts the play, she runs up to him at full throttle and there is lots of leaping and chasing, rolling around. She doesn't like him to win / take the upper hand so as soon as things don't go her way, she will hiss and he backs off instantly. The recent change is that he doesn't back off / take the hint and launches at her again (he is 6kg, she is 3kg!) so it gets a bit more rough. He never ever hisses or growls

Freckles has none of the signs you suggest, without fail she always runs to him when she has been off for a while and comes back, in fact she practically skips up to him for a hello. I think your big brother / little brother scenario is quite likely - my slight worry is that he seems more agitated / agressive eg the biting of me when I play with him and he has started to ignore my 'stop' warning

 

[di and bob]

Is he neutered? Two is about the age an unneutered cat gets more aggressive. As long as your female does not hide from him, everything is normal. I would tell him NO and break up any too rough play. If he continues to get too rough with you, or her, take him by the loose skin on the back of the neck and pin him to the ground until he stops squirming. A few seconds. tell him NO, or hiss at him. This is what mama cats do for discipline. Do it consistantly and he will stop. This is a last resort if a raised voice or physically removing him from the area does not work. good luck!

 

[tassie]

Yeah he is.
Thanks for that - I do remove him as you suggest, say NO firmly and have held him down when he is a bit hyper. He tends to go straight back for the kill! But I shall persist seeing as it seems I am on the right track

 

[di and bob]

Yes, holding him down has to be done consistantly, even one time he is allowed to attack will set him back. Being overly aggressive usually comes around when a kitten is removed from it's family too young, under twelve weeks. 6-12 weeks is when they learn limits and manners from their mama and siblings. That is why you see kittens playing so rough,they are trying to see how far they can go. A sibling will give back what tehy receive and teach them. If it gets TOO rough, mama steps in and breaks them up, and often pins teh aggressor.

 

[tassie]

That's very interesting, both Buddy and Freckles were abandoned kittens, I fostered them at 3 weeks. Freckles was taken on by another adult cat at the time and was taught to go out, hunt etc by her but Buddy didn't. It actually took him a year to want to go outside

 

[ArtNJ]

It all sounds pretty normal to me. I've always been a little skeptical of teaching a cat not to play rough and wouldn't fuss with it unless the little one is pinned and squealing. Even that isn't a big deal, it usually means something like "I don't like this wedgie, stop!"

Rough play with you is kind of a separate issue I think. Cats can decide human limbs are toys at any point. You might need to raise your voice more with your "stop!" The signal needs to be very clear and even a little startling.

 

[tassie]

Hahaha! I must admit Freckles is a little madame (tortoiseshell of course) and doesn't like to lose a fight