Fighting cat/kitten

[Issa]

Please help I am at my wits end. A month and a half ago I adopted an abandon five month old male kitten. I have a four year old male who has been the only cat. While I knew there would be some hissing I thought it would settle down and be good for both. It has turned my house upside down for everyone. We did the usual slow introduction to no avail. My four year old literally can not show his face without the overactive kitten attacking him. He ponches one him trying to play but it turns into a bad fight each time. If my adult cat comes out and see's the kitten he runs with the kitten chasing him. They have never been in the same room without an instant fight. My adult cat has swatted him a few times but it didn't stop the kitten. He is fearless.

We have been separating the kitten into his room when this happens. I know this is not good. I honestly don't know what to do at this point. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[ArtNJ]

What do you mean by a "bad fight". Sounds like the kitten just wants to play and the big cat doesn't want to. That happens a LOT. They can normally work it out, eventually, unless they are fighting for real. Fighting for real looks very different, however.

 

[Issa]

well 99% of the time the older cat is growling with ears back on his head trying to run away. The kitten just keeps on without easing off. once the older cat swatted him and hissed and the kitten stopped for maybe one minute. The older one won't come out of hiding if he knows the kitten is out. I have introduced cats before so I know it takes a while but there seems to be no end to this and it's not getting better. I don't know what to do.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Sounds like your kitten needs more play time with you - lots more. Distraction for the kitten when he goes after your adult cat. Find toys that interest the kitten, and use those to distract him from wanting to 'attack'. Also, make sure your resident cat has places he can get to that the kitten cannot. If necessary, go back to introductions - not knowing what technique you used, you can look at these TCS articles for some help.
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles

I have a cat that absolutely CANNOT tolerate other cats, BUT she doesn't run from them, she wants to attack them. So, from that standpoint, you have a hopeful situation.

 

[ArtNJ]

Thats not fighting, its a kitten ignoring all cues and wanting to play, play, play and that stressing the big cat out. Its all totally normal, including the hissing and "get away" swattting. Kittens can be jerks. I have one now that I adopted from a home with a 3 legged cat. While I was there, the kitten jumped on that poor cat like 100x while it tried to hop away. And the older cats getting stressed out by it is normal too. No one knows why big adults get scared by tiny fluff balls, but they very often do. You mostly just have to let them work it out, although maybe FeebysOwner 's suggestion of playing with the kitten more might help a bit (tiring a kitten out is sometimes impossible though). Unfortunately, it can take a long while, and this is more likely to be one that inches towards toleration rather than friendship. Sometimes that is the way it goes.

If you want to gamble, sometimes getting a second kitten can help. Not something I particularly recommend, since it seems like that old story of getting a cat to get rid of the mouse, a dog to get rid of the cat, etc, etc until you need to invite the mouse back to deal with the elephant. But its helped some folks.

 

[Issa]

ok something strange happened this morning. While feeding the kitten behind closed door the resident cat stood outside the door wanting in. But as soon as the door was opened the kitten pounced again and the older cat ran fast but kitten caught up, growl, hiss, growl. Then later hubby sat in walk in closet with older cat (his safe place although not so safe now) and kitten came in. They laid down about a foot apart. Does this mean there nis a break through?

2nd question. Older cat had my bedroom as his. His cat tree and sleeping with me made it his room. When kitten came it was the only place to isolate him with liter box and food. Now kitten won't let him go anywhere near the room. Older cat hesitates when the coast isa clear to step in. I feel so bad that has been taken away from him. I miss him at night too kneading on me.

Thanks for your help.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I would imagine that things were made worse by kitten taking over older cat's space. Kitten should have been placed elsewhere - anywhere else - and older cat's space should have remained his own. The break through with them sitting apart near the walk in closet is likely only because older cat felt the security of your husband being with him - and, perhaps the kitten was a bit hesitant to go after the older cat with your husband right there. It sounds like he has been allowed to run amok for the most part.

What is your house layout? There may be other options about cordoning off another space for the kitten and let the older cat have hids old safe space back. That along, with re-introductions may go a long way to improving the situation.

 

[susanm9006]

When your older cat has had enough of the kittens antics he will let the kitten know In no uncertain terms with a slap or a nip. It will be hard enough that the kitten will get the message and be more respectful. You don’t want to interfere when “the fight” starts because the kitten won’t learn if you do. Adult cats have a built in instinct not to actually hurt a kitten so unless you see fur flying, let them settle it.

 

[ArtNJ]

susanm9006 - the kitten is 6.5 months now if I'm reading right, so I'm not sure the magic protection of kittenhood (which I agree is real) is still active? I don't really know when it ends per se, but a 6.5 month old kitten could well be big enough to seem like an adult. So I don't know that the older cat finding its backbone will necessarily be a good thing, if it happens at all. I did have one cat relationship that changed for the worse as the kittens neared full size. I'd more hope for gradual improvement at this point.

 

[FeebysOwner]

When your older cat has had enough of the kittens antics he will let the kitten know In no uncertain terms with a slap or a nip.

The older cat is running away from the kitten. He isn't going to all of a sudden turn around and stand his ground. The older cat, in his mind, has been 'displaced' and terrified for losing his rights in the home. He has lost all confidence and needs to gain it back, which can't be done without 're-starting' the process that allows him to 'have what he had before'.

 

[Issa]

Thank everyone for the advice. My layout isn't made for kitty isolation at all. Downstairs there are no doors except for the tiny bathroom. Upstairs the bathroom and two bedrooms. I get mixed advice and it's very confusing. I am disabled and in a wheel chair so it's impossible to pick kitty up when he needs to go to his room. He simply runs from me. My husband is here most of the time due to pandemic but does leave for several hours a couple days a week. So what are my options? Lock kitten up even if he doesn't deserve it or let the two fight it out?

 

[ArtNJ]

Well, it doesn't sound like they are actually fighting. As long as they aren't fighting, they can make progress over time. It might be progress towards toleration and not friendship, but that is the way of it sometimes.

 

[susanm9006]

Six months is still a kitten, at least in size A ArtNJ so maybe the older cat is still taking it easy on him. In any case their long term relationship is going work itself out in the next six months or so. You either need to leave them together and not interfere in their interactions unless all out fur flying fighting occurs (watch some YouTube videos of real cat fights if you don’t know what they look and sound like) or separate them and go through slow reintroduction.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Under your circumstances, let them fight it out, and hope it works out in the end. But, it is not really a fight, since your older cat is scared to death. Just watch for health problems with him, because that is what usually happens. I am kind of wondering, with your situation, why you didn't find another home for the kitten. I hope you the best, but I don't think your situation is conducive to setting up the right environment for this to work. Please keep us posted, and let me know I am wrong - I certainly hope so!!!

 

[Hellenww]

2nd question. Older cat had my bedroom as his. His cat tree and sleeping with me made it his room. When kitten came it was the only place to isolate him with liter box and food. Now kitten won't let him go anywhere near the room. Older cat hesitates when the coast isa clear to step in. I feel so bad that has been taken away from him. I miss him at night too kneading on me.

Can you have them take turns sleeping with you? This would give the youngster a chance to explore the rest of the house and maybe less worked up since he can run all night. Your older guy would also be immersed in kittens scent and spending the night with you know he's not being replaced.

 

[Issa]

I am kind of wondering, wi
th your situation, why you didn't find another home for the kitten.

I took this kitten because them original owner dropped him off in an empty parking lot with no food or water. A acquaintance saw this and picked him up. After not finding a home she was going to take him to the humane society. I didn't want him to be put to sleep if no one adopted him. With the pandemic adoptions are low here.