Older cat very rough with 2 month old kitten

[kitkattuxedo]

We have recently started physical introductions of our 3 year old resident and our 2 month old kitten.

Our older cat is being very rough with the kitten, he's diving on him, smacking him, biting so hard the kitten is crying, literally every time the kitten tries to get away his on him, batting him and hitting and biting...kitten is on his back, he's crying out and hissing...my older cat is alot bigger than my little kitten, the vet has said he's really small for his age and I'm worried if how rough my older cat is being is normal? Big cat isn't hissing or growling, he's just being really really rough? While there is no growling there is alot of "communicative" meows and chirriping from older cat when he's diving at the little one?

 

[di and bob]

I would only let them together when you can supervise. 8 weeks old is too small, he could accidently get hurt. Older cats always 'discipline' new kittens. the way I tell if it is truly too rough is how the kitten acts. If he cries out and hisses (normal) and then runs away and hides but comes back out in a bit, everything is fiine. If he hides and does NOT come out as long as the older cat is around, or runs when he sees him, then it is too rough and he is getting hurt. 8 weeks is too small really to be roughhoused. I would supervise and intervene by pulling the older cat off of him, or try to distract the older one by trhowing a treat or a toy. I would NOT leave them alone until the kitten is at least 12 weeks old. the little one does not have a mom present to step in if he is getting hurt, you must be the mom. All the luck!

 

[kitkattuxedo]

I would only let them together when you can supervise. 8 weeks old is too small, he could accidently get hurt. Older cats always 'discipline' new kittens. the way I tell if it is truly too rough is how the kitten acts. If he cries out and hisses (normal) and then runs away and hides but comes back out in a bit, everything is fiine. If he hides and does NOT come out as long as the older cat is around, or runs when he sees him, then it is too rough and he is getting hurt. 8 weeks is too small really to be roughhoused. I would supervise and intervene by pulling the older cat off of him, or try to distract the older one by trhowing a treat or a toy. I would NOT leave them alone until the kitten is at least 12 weeks old. the little one does not have a mom present to step in if he is getting hurt, you must be the mom. All the luck!

Thank you, I haven't left them alone at all and never would any time soon at all, when they have been together I've made sure to clap loudly and scare my older cat away and end the interaction but thank you for letting me know my kitten is juat too little to be around my older cat, I've never had two together so I was just following all of the introduction advise and they seemed ready to be physically in contact.

 

[di and bob]

Oh I think they are ready, your little one just needs to be physically able to handle the interactions and your older cat needs to learn to play nice. That will take your supervision and interference. I would still let them be together, just keep doing what you are doing, just pull the kitten away when your older cat gets too intent. Maybe shut him up in a bedroom and give the kitten some playtime by himself once in a while. Older cats almost never hurt kittens, but it could be an accident. If there is no blood everything is most likely fine. Believe me, the kitten will get back at him when he gets bigger!
Believe me, kittens playing together often sound like they are killing each other!

 

[Furballsmom]

I've made sure to clap loudly and scare my older cat away

you might try something that's not a loud noise, because the kitten doesn't know the difference or what you're intending with the clap. Di and bob has good suggestions in their post above for redirection.

 

[ArtNJ]

Happens a lot, especially with one year old adults that are still stupid enthusiastic with play. But three is still very young, and its not unusual. Its almost always fine no matter how it looks. Well, fine as long as the kitten isn't generally afraid of the older cat, and only wants to get away when rough play is actually happening. You can trust the kitten's judgment, and if they don't seem to be holding a grudge, don't seem generally afraid, that is a strong indication that everything is fine. That said, 8 weeks is really young and I can hardly argue with better safe than sorry.

 

[kitkattuxedo]

Thank you all, I've now attached a video of what a typical interaction is like with them, it really hurt me to record this rather than stopping it straight away but I really cannot tell what is happening. I separated them immediately after this but kitten wasn't upset, he has hissed and growled at big cat before though.
Is this normal or bullying?

 

[di and bob]

I would stop it too. Not because the kitten is being hurt, but because he is too small to get away or fight back properly. Yeah, I would supervise. Maybe put a harness on older cat to keep him under control. Harness training is not easy for the cat, mine just fell over and refused to move for a while, but eventually they get used to it and enjoy going for walking the yard. Start with 15 minutes and work up. We’ll wait for more experienced people to chime in, my kittens and adults have always been families!

 

[ArtNJ]

At a certain point, you really have to let them do their thing, and you really can trust the kitten's interpretation of how its going. If the kitten acts like nothing happened later, even tries to play, its a strong signal everything is fine. I can certainly see an argument for waiting a week or two though. While there was no yelping, it really did seem like a lot, and kitten was not allowed to escape. That said, its not going to be much better in two weeks, so at some point your going to have to let them work through it. The kitten *will* get a net benefit even if its too much in the moment. Think about human brothers. Little bro cries for mom because of the head noogies, but two minutes later he is begging big bro to play. Its just the way of things.

 

[di and bob]

He is right. I, myself, would give it the two weeks to let him get a little bigger. But he is right, if the kitten doesn’t scream or hide from the older cat, everything is ok.

 

[ArtNJ]

And di and bob is correct too, harmless to give two more weeks, and the video did look a bit over the top.

 

[di and bob]

I cringed when I watched that video, if the older cat could have let up after a few seconds it would have been fine. But he wouldn’t and that baby is so little! Maybe have a box with a hole cut in it too small for the big cat. At least the little one could get away.

 

[kitkattuxedo]

I cringed when I watched that video, if the older cat could have let up after a few seconds it would have been fine. But he wouldn’t and that baby is so little! Maybe have a box with a hole cut in it too small for the big cat. At least the little one could get away.

My problem is that is just the whole interaction every time and because of that I don't really know how I'm meant to make it better and them atleast be indifferent to each other? Other than just not letting them near each other until the kitten is big? Like...he's 9 weeks now and still so small.

 

[Alldara]

My problem is that is just the whole interaction every time and because of that I don't really know how I'm meant to make it better and them atleast be indifferent to each other? Other than just not letting them near each other until the kitten is big? Like...he's 9 weeks now and still so small.

What activities can you provide them to "do" together.
Personally, I don't let those types of things go on like that. I separate the cats and distract them when possible. I verbally encourage positive interactions. ArtNJ and I have always had a different approach that way

I would go back to using a baby gate until the kitten gains some size. Set up the gate so they can play feeties under it and use some toys to play with them as well.

 

[kitkattuxedo]

What activities can you provide them to "do" together.
Personally, I don't let those types of things go on like that. I separate the cats and distract them when possible. I verbally encourage positive interactions. ArtNJ and I have always had a different approach that way

I would go back to using a baby gate until the kitten gains some size. Set up the gate so they can play feeties under it and use some toys to play with them as well.

That is also an issue, if they are in the same room they have NO interest in what I'm doing or providing, they ignore me talking, ignore me when I try to use their fave toys ect...the only thing that seems to work is treats? So should I just let them be near each other for treats and then separate them again do you think? I obviously don't like interactions like that happen, I don't even let them near each other without me literally following them to ever room they run too. Just wasn't sure how I was meant to make it better If I couldn't let them be round each other for 2 minutes but I think I'll just leave It till kitten is bigger, I have a cat screen on the door so they can still see each other instead.

 

[Alldara]

That is also an issue, if they are in the same room they have NO interest in what I'm doing or providing, they ignore me talking, ignore me when I try to use their fave toys ect...the only thing that seems to work is treats? So should I just let them be near each other for treats and then separate them again do you think? I obviously don't like interactions like that happen, I don't even let them near each other without me literally following them to ever room they run too. Just wasn't sure how I was meant to make it better If I couldn't let them be round each other for 2 minutes but I think I'll just leave It till kitten is bigger, I have a cat screen on the door so they can still see each other instead.

Yeah that hyperfocus can happen for sure. Magnus had it with Calcifer but Cal was such a big kitten at 5 months that he could hold his own.

It's totally fine as well to do treat tosses to opposite sides of a room or carry thr kitten to look outside a window altogether. That way you can reward for calm time together.

Also try and get your older cat running around and tired out a bit before you do "out" time together. That will really help.

You can certainly feed and then separate until kitten gains some size.

If the screen can leave and inch or two at the bottom, they can play with toys together or play feetys.