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Playing or fighting?

1K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  tanyuh 
#1 ·
By now, most of you know about my new kitty. As the introduction period has progressed I am allowing them to be together supervised. For the most part the new kitty plays while he is upstairs and doesn't pay a lot of attention to Barnaby. However Barnaby's curiosity has him following the new kitty into every room checking out what he's up to. I'm not exactly sure what started it but this morning after about a half-hour the new kitty jumped down from the couch and pounced on Barnaby and then they got into a bout where they were chasing each other madly, pouncing, rolling, meowing, jumping, etc. This lasted just a short period of time and then I decided to separate them before it got too out of hand. Even when I was carrying the new kitty back to the basement Barnaby was following me. I don't know if he didn't want me to take away his playmate or if he wanted another piece of him.

What they were doing didn't seem vicious and there didn't appear to be any hissing. It all came and went rather quickly.

So my question is, is behavior like this a fight of sorts, or is it just the way they play?


Here's a couple of pictures of the new kitty playing with his toy mouse and Barnaby watching him closely...

 
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#2 ·
I'm no expert but our two boys who have been together since about 10 weeks old, (now they're 5 years) play alot and it sounds like what you're describing. I think that if you don't hear any hissing or spitting and hear only low key growling that they're just playing.

Our two go at it lots of times but we're sure they're just wrestling and no one ever gets hurt or loses more than a tiny scap of fur. It's so funny to see them roll around on the floor and then see one of them walk away with a tiny fluff of fur in his mouth and 5 minutes later they're curled up together licking each other! :lol:

They have provided hours of entertainment for us! :D
 
#3 ·
I have two male cats just over a year of age each and they play like that sometimes. The older one (Henry) will pester the younger one (Sherman) and he will hiss at him to leave him alone, then they'll start rolling on the floor, biting each other and chasing each other all over the house. It's funny when Sherman gets mad, he'll hiss at Henry but then when Henry turns and walks away, Sherman will then jump on him or bite him in the butt and they start all over again. :roll:
 
#4 ·
CheeseheadKitties, another fellow "Wisconsinite". I'm in Green Bay, where are you?

Anyways, I let them together this afternoon and they went at it again almost from the get-go. Barnaby likes to jump on him and bite the back of his neck. He must have bit hard at one point because the new kitty let out a wail. That's Barnaby's play style though because when I play with him he likes to latch on to my arm and bite my hand and the longer it goes on, the more aggressive he gets and bites harder.

I don't really know how to handle this because I don't want to see either of them hurt.
 
#5 ·
To me, it sounds a lot like playing. I think you would definitely know fighting when you saw it. With the biting on the back of the neck, like you said, that's Barnaby's play style. They'll probably get a feel for each other and you'll hear less of that. However, it'll always happen. Sometimes cats get carried away during play and hurt each other. (Especially male cats, but it even happens with my two girls.) It's nothing to worry about really.
 
#7 ·
Hey Richo, I didn't even notice you were from Wisconsin...duh. We are in Bloomer, north of Eau Claire.

Your kitties sound a lot like mine. When we brought Sherman home Henry would bite him on the back of the neck or wherever he could grab him and try to play. Sherman didn't know what to think at first and neither did we, but now Sherman will do the same to Henry. When Sherman has had enough, he jumps up on top of our CD case which is very tall and Henry leaves him alone. They love each other and I think your kitties like each other too. I wouldn't worry. You'll know when play turns to real fighting. Growing up on a farm, I knew when two "tommers" were going at it, it's an awful sound and they come home full of scabs. :( Like having two kids, just keep an eye and ear out for them. :lol:
 
#9 ·
I have a bunch too... They seem to be fine a lot, but Julia doesn't like being chased from behind which is what Moby does. And he doesn't go away when she hisses at him. She bats at him and when he doesn't move she bolts (and he chases again). I thought it was playing at first but maybe it's aggresion? They ok most of the time, but can't really play together (Julia isn't used to it), and they're too paranoid to be too close to each other. I wouldn't care, but Moby keeps getting cuts on his nose. :(
 
#10 ·
It might be a good idea to trim Julia's nails - if you haven't done it yet :wink:

SO you haven't named the new kitty yet, have you, Richo? From your picture he seems a little more relaxed and at ease than Barnaby.But it looks like things are going to get better. Engage both of them in play time - make them chase the toys by giving them equal attention. Praise them for being good sports. Treats are also going to help - call their name with a loving voice when you give them those- and keep posting pictures :D

It may be a good idea to not encourage the new kitty's latching on your arm at all - not until he will learn some more manners. Reduce the loving to just petting for now so he won't have any chance to bite. It might be why he was abandonned - did the shelter employees tell you why your kitty was there?
 
#11 ·
Actually that's Barnaby that latches onto my arm and bites. His ears even go back but he's not really vicious about it. It's kind of cute. He doesn't do it alot and doesn't bite hard at first but if I let him continue he gets more aggressive and leaves me with "battle scars".

The new kitty is vocal, friendly and outgoing where Barnaby is more of a scaredy cat but a mild mannered sweetheart, but he's also the aggressor lately when they play. That's just his play nature because he's not really into toys like most cats. That's why I really felt he needed a playmate.

It's been 12 days and all seems to be going well. I think they're ready to be left together unsupervised. However, I am a little apprehensive about letting the new kitty stay upstairs when I am sleeping right now because he is talkative and where Barnaby's meow is high pitched and soft, his is lower and quite loud.

The play/fight sessions are just occasional and I'm convinced that it's just playing because nobody runs away screaming and other cat owners I know describe their cats playing exactly the same way. They've spent 6 hours upstairs on Sunday and so far another 6 today and most of the time they keep to themselves doing their own thing, but they can be walking by each other and in close vicinity without any hostility. The new kitty even stuck his face in Barnaby's food dish and nudged him out of the way. He didn't even seem to care though.

I'm still waiting for the first time I see them laying together. I hope I have my camera close by.
 
#12 ·
Me too *smile*

I was away in the mountains for a few days, but I wanted to pick back up on the introduction-story. Sounds like it's going very well! I'm so happy to hear it! I have a huge crush on Barnaby, so I'm glad to hear his new friend is fitting in hehehe. Keep taking those pictures! Oh, and... GO PACKERS!
 
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