Help kitten is torturing older cat

Lizziec

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 29, 2020
Messages
6
Purraise
4
Hello,

My husband and I have a 5 year old Himalayan named Leela. She is a sweetheart and loves her people although she is a bit of a drama queen and has been known to over groom when shes gets too stressed out (when we moved) we got a ragdoll kitten named Orson about 2 months ago and he is almost 6 months. We properly introduced them and other then some grumbles and hisses from leela and major shade towards us she came around and he seemed to be very respectful of her warnings. But the last month he doesnt care at all he stalks poor leela and will tackle her and pin her around her neck and bite. Leela freaks out and will hiss and grumble and run away. We try to give Orson a time out when he does this but he doesnt stop. I feel so bad Leela seems so stressed out and she wants to be around us but he wont leave her alone. I play with him CONSTANTLY trying to tire him out but she is more interesting. I really don't know what to do I feel so bad for leela and i just want him to leave her alone. I also have 3 feliway diffusers plugged in.
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
Hi! He's a growing young cat, and his behavior is totally normal. Try to give Leela a room of her own where she can get a break from him now and then.
she wants to be around us
See if you can alternate time with you so she still has a chance to be with you uninterrupted.

Is he neutered yet? That may help, after the surgery and a little time for his system to calm down.
 

ArtNJ

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
5,485
Purraise
6,957
Yeah, its not uncommon for kittens to take a few weeks to gain enough confidence to stop respecting an older cat's personal boundaries and signals. Unfortunately, you can't teach a 6 month old kitten not to play roughly; its just what they do. Many times this level of play is reciprocal, but unfortunately its pretty common for older cats to not want any of it, and for kittens to ignore their wishes. Timeouts are only for the bigger cat to get a little peace and love, as Furballsmom Furballsmom said. And don't overdo them, because then the kitten will be over-eager to play and the bigger cat will never see the kitten chilling. Things should get better with time, but it could take a long while.
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,958
Location
Nebraska, USA
The best thing to do is get him a brother to wrestle with and leave poor Leela alone. Females are the manners teachers, the discipline givers, they seldom want the attention of the boys who forever think life is a game. His attention will wane as he matures, I take it he is neutered, his aggression could be attributed to hormones too if not. She will put him in his place eventually but he will always seek her attention, both good and bad. I have always said, the perfect cat family is two males to wrestle with each other and be friends and a female to keep them in their place. Leela would be at her height of enjoyment to watch over two boys from a distance of course! She would never be bored! If this is not possible, time will take care of the problem, but it will be a while! My little girl still howls and gives slaps a couple of times a day, and these are her sons. But she gets immense satisfaction from watching over them and correcting them when she needs to.....
 
Top