We had 2 female cats and the older one died so we waited 7 months and brought in a new female kitten. At first she was bugging the big cat wanting to play, but now she is downright mean and attacking the big kitty whenever she comes around. The big girl feels so anxious and uncomfortable everywhere in the house now. I tried time outs and that hasn’t worked. I don’t know what to do. I see pictures of cats snuggling and nuturi g eachother but my cats hate eachother
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Kitten Attacking Cat
- Thread starter Bosscor
- Start Date
Hello and welcome to TCS. Condolences on the loss of your older cat. 
If you would like, we have a Crossing the Bridge forum where you could post a tribute to her. RIP sweet girl. 
About your current cat situation, how old is the kitten now? Has she been spayed?
If you would like, we have a Crossing the Bridge forum where you could post a tribute to her. RIP sweet girl. About your current cat situation, how old is the kitten now? Has she been spayed?
This is sadly normal.
Many kittens are jerks. They want to play, play play and do not respect boundaries or the big cat's lack of desire to play at all. I adopted my current cat Clyde from a home with a three-legged cat, and while I was there Clyde jumped on that poor cat like 15 times while the three legged kitty tried his best to hop away. Jerks. Its biologically normal and age appropriate, so maybe I shouldn't use that term, but its hard not to sometimes.
On the other side of it, many cats can't deal with kittens (or playful cats of any age) and get stressed.
Unfortunately, there is not a ton you can do but wait as the kitten gets older. A time out is not going to teach the kitten not to be playful. You can certainly give the older cat a break now and then, petting and love behind a closed door so they know the kitten cant come in. But overdoing breaks doesn't help either; the older cat needs to know that sometimes, even if rarely, the kitten is chill.
Many kittens are jerks. They want to play, play play and do not respect boundaries or the big cat's lack of desire to play at all. I adopted my current cat Clyde from a home with a three-legged cat, and while I was there Clyde jumped on that poor cat like 15 times while the three legged kitty tried his best to hop away. Jerks. Its biologically normal and age appropriate, so maybe I shouldn't use that term, but its hard not to sometimes.
On the other side of it, many cats can't deal with kittens (or playful cats of any age) and get stressed.
Unfortunately, there is not a ton you can do but wait as the kitten gets older. A time out is not going to teach the kitten not to be playful. You can certainly give the older cat a break now and then, petting and love behind a closed door so they know the kitten cant come in. But overdoing breaks doesn't help either; the older cat needs to know that sometimes, even if rarely, the kitten is chill.
Did you do proper introductions? If not, use these TCS articles (see links below) to start over, or as a guide on how to back up to a place that would be appropriate to re-set the introduction. There is no reason you cannot teach the kitten to 'respect' her elder, it just takes time. Time outs following the actions of picking her up and either saying a firm 'NO' or hissing at her are appropriate in this case, but it has to be done each and every time that she becomes aggressive or it won't work. That means if there are times you are away from the home, then they need to be separated when you can't watch them. I have also included another couple of TCS articles about setting boundaries, as well as introducing a kitten to an older cat, should those help overall with training your kitten.
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction - TheCatSite
Unsuccessful cat introduction can lead to stress and conflicts in your furry family. Discover the steps for a proper reintroduction.
thecatsite.com
How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite
Introduce cats seamlessly into your household with our comprehensive guide. Gain insights into cat behavior, discover effective techniques, and make this journey as smooth as possible for your beloved pets.
thecatsite.com
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat [A Guide] - TheCatSite
Discover our expert advice on how to introduce a kitten to an older cat. From understanding feline behavior to practical step-by-step guidance, we help ensure a smooth transition to a multi-cat household.
thecatsite.com
How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat [A Complete Guide] - TheCatSite
Discover effective strategies to establish healthy boundaries for your cat. From creating safe spaces to managing behavior, learn how to set boundaries for your cat and foster a harmonious living environment.
thecatsite.com
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- #6
And no she hasn’t been spayed hetHello and welcome to TCS. Condolences on the loss of your older cat.
About your current cat situation, how old is the kitten now? Has she been spayed?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Thanks for your input and honesty. I thought I was doing the right thing by getting a kitty friend for my big cat but maybe not. Hopefully things will get better as the kitten gets older
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
Thanks so much for the articles. I did not i troduce them as is recommended initially. Hopefully the articles will have the right fix for our situation. I so much want a peaceful houseDid you do proper introductions? If not, use these TCS articles (see links below) to start over, or as a guide on how to back up to a place that would be appropriate to re-set the introduction. There is no reason you cannot teach the kitten to 'respect' her elder, it just takes time. Time outs following the actions of picking her up and either saying a firm 'NO' or hissing at her are appropriate in this case, but it has to be done each and every time that she becomes aggressive or it won't work. That means if there are times you are away from the home, then they need to be separated when you can't watch them. I have also included another couple of TCS articles about setting boundaries, as well as introducing a kitten to an older cat, should those help overall with training your kitten.
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction - TheCatSite
Unsuccessful cat introduction can lead to stress and conflicts in your furry family. Discover the steps for a proper reintroduction.thecatsite.comHow To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite
Introduce cats seamlessly into your household with our comprehensive guide. Gain insights into cat behavior, discover effective techniques, and make this journey as smooth as possible for your beloved pets.thecatsite.com
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat [A Guide] - TheCatSite
Discover our expert advice on how to introduce a kitten to an older cat. From understanding feline behavior to practical step-by-step guidance, we help ensure a smooth transition to a multi-cat household.thecatsite.comHow To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat [A Complete Guide] - TheCatSite
Discover effective strategies to establish healthy boundaries for your cat. From creating safe spaces to managing behavior, learn how to set boundaries for your cat and foster a harmonious living environment.thecatsite.com
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In my apartment right now I have two older cats and 1 five month old kitty who just wants to play seemingly non-stop. Just this morning she chased my Bourbon all the way to the living room, much to the consternation of Bourbon and redirected her anger to my other older cat Barley. Barley, on the other hand, is also sick and tired of my kitty Graham’s naughtiness and just tries to keep away from her as much as possible. This is the scenario almost everyday in my home too. So better wait until your kitten gets a bit older and make sure it gets fixed at the soonest if not yet.
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Kittens also have a ton of energy, so playing with her a lot, especially before her meals can help release her energy and divert her attention from attacking your older cat (if you don't do timed meals yet, then this is something you might want to start. It allows your kitten's energy peak times to stay consistent every day, and less unpredictable). When my cat was a kitten, we would play with him for 30 minutes before dinner sometimes and even then he was not tired. I'd recommend playing with her for 5-10 minutes in the morning before her meal, and then if you can, throughout the day whenever you can see her wanting to attack your older cat. Before her dinner, play with her for another 10-20 minutes. This routine might get her to release all that energy she has and prevent her from attacking your older cat. As she gets older, she'll likely become much calmer and you won't have to play with her for as long.
Almost certainly they will get better, inching ever closer to toleration. Friendship is still very possible in the long run, but just not assured. Millions have made the same assumption you did. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it doesn't. Introductions are generally easier when the resident cat is young and get harder with age.
I am not at all certain a reintroduction helps at all in this situation. It won't touch the kitten's desire to play, play, play and it won't magically make your older cat tolerate being jumped on. I think an introduction process is more important when the newcomer is an adult.
I think things will get better once your kitten gets older. Just ensure you get her spayed by the time she goes into heat, otherwise that could cause some territorial behavior.
How many litter boxes do you have? And do you have cat trees, or somewhere that your older cat can go to get away from the kitten?
And make sure you spend lots of time playing with the kitten. She's just full of energy right now, so she wants to play, play and play some more.
Are you sure it's not play? Does she hiss or growl? She seems too young to actually be attacking your older cat. Here's another TCS article with pics and videos to help determine the difference between play and fighting.
Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing? [Answered] - TheCatSite
"'Are My Cats Fighting or Playing?' provides insights into cats' interactions and tips on how to respond to their play-fights or conflicts.
thecatsite.com
