Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: kp76 on January 03, 2009, 00:52:30 AM

Title: Play fighting??
Post by: kp76 on January 03, 2009, 00:52:30 AM
I have a 9 month old tom & a 4 year old queen cat. Both are neutered & indoor only cats. The 9 month old seems to provoke the 4 year old into fighting. They don't seem to do much damage to each other, normally it's hissing, a few swipes of paws, a few bites & lots of chasing. Is this normal behaviour?
Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on January 03, 2009, 08:23:45 AM
That sounds fairly normal to me and is more than likely just play, on your 9 month old's part anyway.  He's still a kitten and will be wanting to play but it sounds as though your 4 year old is not wanting to play so is telling him to  :censored: off by hissing.  The swipey paws thing and chasing probably has a play component.  Just keep an eye on them to make sure he doesn't go too far and stress her out, and try to distract him with toys if he is bothering her.  Tire him out as much as you can so that he has less energy for bothering her.  It's the same with my 2 as I have one young cat and one older.  The younger one is always wanting to play and chasing the older one who doesn't always want it.
Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: Rosella moggy on January 03, 2009, 09:43:58 AM
We have opposite "problem" (not a problem really). Freddie is about 5 and runs up to Noni aged 2 and sort of touches her with his paw and does a runner. Most times she runs after him and gives him what appears to be a good hiding, he often ends up squeaking and it stops..... for maybe a minute when he starts it all over again   :Crazy:  Quite a lot of white fluffy fur on our red carpet nowadays  :naughty:

Sounds like what your 2 are up to is quite normal. Perhaps boys are generally more playful than girls?

Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: caledonia on January 03, 2009, 16:01:24 PM
Nina and Edgar do this now  - he usually chases her and he is 12!!!!  :evillaugh: Then she chases back and he hides!! lol!! No hissing though and when they arent chasing each other they are grooming each other so I think it is all love!!
Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: Sam (Fussy_Furball) on January 03, 2009, 16:13:23 PM
Sounds normal to me as well ... Zephyr (aged 6) often walks up to Rossi (aged 2) and pounces on her ... lots of hissing and squealing from Rossi so Zephyr lets her go then she bops him one and pounces on him!  :rofl:  and so the game continues.
Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: blackcat on January 03, 2009, 16:19:38 PM
same here with Esther and Smidgen, But if Esther won't play, then Smidgen just picks on the dog instead  :Luv: They do, however, from time to time, sound quite fearsome so unless one is showing signs of stress, I would not intervene...
Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: MrsR on January 03, 2009, 16:40:15 PM
Poppy and Elvis do this all the time, occasionally Bunty who is over 15 years of age will do this to the younger ones :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Play fighting??
Post by: kp76 on January 03, 2009, 21:51:11 PM
After watching them today, it's definately the cat equivalent of tag. Alfie, my 9 month old, is at the moment sneaking up to the footstool that Storm is sat on. Waiting for her to pounce then running away. Lol. It's nice to watch them playing even if it is quite boisterous. They must be feeling more settled.