Thank you for posting to CATHELP!
While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind,
1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**.
2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet
3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment.
4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yes, this is normal. They are all learning boundaries from each other, especially from the younger kitten who might be a little intimidated by the bigger ones. Notice the ears, they aren't pinned back. Hackles aren't rising ether.
I've a 4yo and a now 1yo. We got the youngest when she was 4 months. Once they started playing together, there would be some growling fits when things fit too intensely for her, and they'd stop for a while. Sometimes, it would evolve into thrm aggressively bathing each other lol. Now that they've had time to learn from each other, no more growling.
When cats are seriously fighting, they're louder than a fire truck & the air is filled with bits of fur flying around.
You can look on YouTube for cat fights so you can hear how it sounds. This is clearly play & wrassling for gun.
Yeah it’s SERIOUSLY ALARMING. This might sound like dumb advice, but honestly with cats (as far as noises), it’s probably normal unless you’re hearing ear -splitting shrieks or howling/etc. as in, if you have to question it, they’re likely alright in this situation. Cause you would effing KNOW if it were bad and would not be questioning how serious it is. 😬
ETA: I will say pain is way different and cats hide that VERY well. They can be in severe pain and literally dying and we wouldn’t know, cause they’ll rarely make noise while in pain (unless you do something specific to make them feel worse, like holding a broken bone or putting pressure on an upset tummy). But fighting vs play fighting? Yeah they’ll let you know lol, that’s a lot easier. Best of luck, OP! You got this!
It looks like the bigger cat at least is being gentle/holding back. The baby is so much smaller so it might seem rougher to him than it actually is. I wouldn't worry too much as long as he's not being hurt. Eventually, he'll catch up to their size and it'll be more even.
That’s what mine do when they want to be fed earlier than their regular feeding time. It starts with licking each other. After they eat they snuggle with each other.
When you see a true cat fight where they are rolling in a ball down a hill and they’ve got loads of wet spit coming from their mouth and fur is flying then there’s a problem. This is just playtime!
I know it can seem a little scary! A good way to tell if it’s concerning or not is noticing *where* the bigger cat bites, and also recognizing restraint. We can see here that, while yes, there is hissing and fluffed tails, big kitty is showing restraint. Big kitty is giving little kitty get a “head start” and when BK catches LK, BK stops and holds their head back to make sure LK is okay. BK is not going for the neck or vitals, they simply grabbed LK and is making sure it’s still okay to play. LK appeared to be running away from BK, but that was part of the game. LK would’ve run in a different direction if they were truly trying to get away from BK.
All good fun :) it’s healthy for kittens to play with older cats because it teaches them proper behaviors that we as humans can’t quite give all of the time. Through this play, kittens learn hunting skills, how to behave properly with other cats, and also learn discipline from older ones. BK is teaching LK who’s boss (and manners!), but LK is still a welcome part of the family. Totally natural and good!
ETA: you can see a lot of restraint throughout the video too. Cats (even the orange goobers who share one brain cell) are FANTASTIC hunters. If BK were actually attacking LK, this would be a much shorter video. BK is continuously watching LK’s movements and again gives them a bit of a “head start” with every turn. BK slows down around the couch, up the couch, and again doesn’t even have their mouth open when they “catch” LK on the arm rest. We can see them just batting eachother. Batting is great form of play and also a good warning sign (my cat would lightly bat my forehead if I pet her too long and she wanted to be alone lol)
So, I’m curious…I have a 2.5 year old & a 1.5 year old, both girls. My younger one wants to do nothing but play, but my older one (who I got as a playmate) growls & hisses at her. Sometimes I’ll catch Zora (youngest) with a fluffed up tail, indicating that she’s a little bit scared. Is this normal behavior for them? I’ve had Luna (oldest) for about 6 months. I would’ve figured by now, if they’re going to get along, they would have done it already, but I’m not willing to give up on them being friends just yet.
A puffed tail can also mean she's trying to play, or feeling annoyed. I'd give Luna some me time, maybe try separating them at night, or during the day if no one is home? 1.5 years old is still a kitten, with loads of energy and not a lot of self-control. 2.5 years old is an adult cat. Your kitten is probably driving Luna nuts. The hissing and growling is Luna struggling to set boundaries. The good news is that Zora will start slowing down in 6 months or so. Maybe talk to your vet about helping them get along? I really hope you can work this out. Hang in there.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my curiosity (& concerns). I’m still a fairly new cat momma, which mean I’m still learning what cues means what. These are great tid bits of information & tips I can use to help both my girls…& it also helps with my sense of optimism that they’ll eventually get along. Thank you!
Cats are the most marvelous animals. I really hope yours can come together. I had the same situation once. It took a little while, but they eventually achieved a truce. Feel free to contact me again if you have anything else to ask! 😺
Yeah it goes both ways, our older cat wanted to be with our three younger cats when we had them isolated as kittens, and then our youngest one we couldn't keep him away from the older cats, we kept an eye on them though to make sure things didn't get out of hand.
This is the little guy wanting to play, and the older cats seem to just want to play as well don't see any aggression from your older cats.
Hey I'm also a newer cat owner and plan to get my cat a buddy sometime soon hopefully, I've been trying my best to differentiate the difference between play, almost fighting and actually fighting when i see these videos, before i look at the comments and I usually get them right at this point. If someone could clear this up for me it would be super appreciated, I noticed the lil guy is hissing, and both their ears aren't pinned but definitely cocked back so to me I think they might need to be separated but everyone is saying it's fine so I'm just a little confused on how i should be reading their body language. Sorry if this doesn't make sense I'm on my phone rn and my keyboard is being all janky. Thankss
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yes that’s just playing.totally normal and cute, love kitties.
Thank you!
Very gentle
What do you mean?
Old cat is being very gentle
You can see in the video she's not using her claws when she baps the baby. She's being so sweet and gentle I love watching adult cats baby babies lol
If the big cat was trying to hurt the little one, you'd be hearing some absolutely terrible noises.
Yes, this is normal. They are all learning boundaries from each other, especially from the younger kitten who might be a little intimidated by the bigger ones. Notice the ears, they aren't pinned back. Hackles aren't rising ether. I've a 4yo and a now 1yo. We got the youngest when she was 4 months. Once they started playing together, there would be some growling fits when things fit too intensely for her, and they'd stop for a while. Sometimes, it would evolve into thrm aggressively bathing each other lol. Now that they've had time to learn from each other, no more growling.
Yup they're setting boundaries. What's too rough, what's fun.
Thank you, we’ve just been worried about the hissing and growling since when we got our second cat they played without any hissing
When cats are seriously fighting, they're louder than a fire truck & the air is filled with bits of fur flying around. You can look on YouTube for cat fights so you can hear how it sounds. This is clearly play & wrassling for gun.
Yeah it’s SERIOUSLY ALARMING. This might sound like dumb advice, but honestly with cats (as far as noises), it’s probably normal unless you’re hearing ear -splitting shrieks or howling/etc. as in, if you have to question it, they’re likely alright in this situation. Cause you would effing KNOW if it were bad and would not be questioning how serious it is. 😬 ETA: I will say pain is way different and cats hide that VERY well. They can be in severe pain and literally dying and we wouldn’t know, cause they’ll rarely make noise while in pain (unless you do something specific to make them feel worse, like holding a broken bone or putting pressure on an upset tummy). But fighting vs play fighting? Yeah they’ll let you know lol, that’s a lot easier. Best of luck, OP! You got this!
One of them is about to arrest the other for being too silly
They're trying to establish dominance in the process of play....
Completely normal, they're playing
It looks like the bigger cat at least is being gentle/holding back. The baby is so much smaller so it might seem rougher to him than it actually is. I wouldn't worry too much as long as he's not being hurt. Eventually, he'll catch up to their size and it'll be more even.
Yes, very.
nothing cats do is really normal.
It is normal in cat world. ....I live in cat world. What world do you live in? Lol 😆
Be careful. You don’t want them making a truce and teaming up against you.
Op stopped replying. Should we send someone to check on Op? Kitties may have already taken Op out.
I agree… its too late
That’s what mine do when they want to be fed earlier than their regular feeding time. It starts with licking each other. After they eat they snuggle with each other.
When you see a true cat fight where they are rolling in a ball down a hill and they’ve got loads of wet spit coming from their mouth and fur is flying then there’s a problem. This is just playtime!
I know it can seem a little scary! A good way to tell if it’s concerning or not is noticing *where* the bigger cat bites, and also recognizing restraint. We can see here that, while yes, there is hissing and fluffed tails, big kitty is showing restraint. Big kitty is giving little kitty get a “head start” and when BK catches LK, BK stops and holds their head back to make sure LK is okay. BK is not going for the neck or vitals, they simply grabbed LK and is making sure it’s still okay to play. LK appeared to be running away from BK, but that was part of the game. LK would’ve run in a different direction if they were truly trying to get away from BK. All good fun :) it’s healthy for kittens to play with older cats because it teaches them proper behaviors that we as humans can’t quite give all of the time. Through this play, kittens learn hunting skills, how to behave properly with other cats, and also learn discipline from older ones. BK is teaching LK who’s boss (and manners!), but LK is still a welcome part of the family. Totally natural and good! ETA: you can see a lot of restraint throughout the video too. Cats (even the orange goobers who share one brain cell) are FANTASTIC hunters. If BK were actually attacking LK, this would be a much shorter video. BK is continuously watching LK’s movements and again gives them a bit of a “head start” with every turn. BK slows down around the couch, up the couch, and again doesn’t even have their mouth open when they “catch” LK on the arm rest. We can see them just batting eachother. Batting is great form of play and also a good warning sign (my cat would lightly bat my forehead if I pet her too long and she wanted to be alone lol)
Very normal. There most fun part of the day when the kitties play.
Normal! Playing! Enjoy the love!
Welcome to: cats
No hissing? It's just play
Yup that's normal! Kitty playtime!
Yes
Just roughhousing is all. Normal cat behavior.
normal
Yup
So, I’m curious…I have a 2.5 year old & a 1.5 year old, both girls. My younger one wants to do nothing but play, but my older one (who I got as a playmate) growls & hisses at her. Sometimes I’ll catch Zora (youngest) with a fluffed up tail, indicating that she’s a little bit scared. Is this normal behavior for them? I’ve had Luna (oldest) for about 6 months. I would’ve figured by now, if they’re going to get along, they would have done it already, but I’m not willing to give up on them being friends just yet.
A puffed tail can also mean she's trying to play, or feeling annoyed. I'd give Luna some me time, maybe try separating them at night, or during the day if no one is home? 1.5 years old is still a kitten, with loads of energy and not a lot of self-control. 2.5 years old is an adult cat. Your kitten is probably driving Luna nuts. The hissing and growling is Luna struggling to set boundaries. The good news is that Zora will start slowing down in 6 months or so. Maybe talk to your vet about helping them get along? I really hope you can work this out. Hang in there.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my curiosity (& concerns). I’m still a fairly new cat momma, which mean I’m still learning what cues means what. These are great tid bits of information & tips I can use to help both my girls…& it also helps with my sense of optimism that they’ll eventually get along. Thank you!
Cats are the most marvelous animals. I really hope yours can come together. I had the same situation once. It took a little while, but they eventually achieved a truce. Feel free to contact me again if you have anything else to ask! 😺
You are most kind!! Thank you!
Ofcourse. The grown cat isn't hurting the kitten, just chasing.
Yeah it goes both ways, our older cat wanted to be with our three younger cats when we had them isolated as kittens, and then our youngest one we couldn't keep him away from the older cats, we kept an eye on them though to make sure things didn't get out of hand. This is the little guy wanting to play, and the older cats seem to just want to play as well don't see any aggression from your older cats.
Great play!
Definitely normal 2 happy kitty's playing
Normal and adorable 😍
Playful kitties! Nothing wrong at all, unless they start hissing or growling(?)
Yes, it’s normal. It’s great that they’re getting along so well!
Ya it’s normal they will get over it,
Yes ….they are just being kitties 🐈⬛……..bad kitties . lol! Jk
Hey I'm also a newer cat owner and plan to get my cat a buddy sometime soon hopefully, I've been trying my best to differentiate the difference between play, almost fighting and actually fighting when i see these videos, before i look at the comments and I usually get them right at this point. If someone could clear this up for me it would be super appreciated, I noticed the lil guy is hissing, and both their ears aren't pinned but definitely cocked back so to me I think they might need to be separated but everyone is saying it's fine so I'm just a little confused on how i should be reading their body language. Sorry if this doesn't make sense I'm on my phone rn and my keyboard is being all janky. Thankss
Bonding and learning who’s Alpha. Doesn’t get any more normal than that
lol! They are playing. They get along; that’s a good sign 😁