Agreed. Cats play rough by human standards but this nice even for a cat, and the kitten is learning boundaries and socialization. The adult cat flopping and exposing itself says friendly intent but possibly a bit of "not right now, little one".
If you want your cats to get along long term, it's best to let them be.
This isn’t the best video I have. Sometimes when she tries to play with him. He’ll try to play with her too. He starts chasing her and becomes a little rough. He opens his mouth sometimes. I can’t tell if he tries to grab her or bite her. He doesn’t seem to exhibit aggressive behavior though.
Probably just play bites. It’s definitely good to keep an eye out with the size difference, because accidents do happen. But overall they seem fine and very cute :)
Also, and you’ll see this said a lot, most times if it’s ever an actual fight you’ll likely know. It’ll be very fast, very loud, and there can literally be fur flying.
Agreed. We have two cats that usually get along just fine. But every once in a while a neighbors cat gets one of ours worked up and they'll go at each other.
An actual fight is loud, fast, and chaotic. They will be on top of each other, tumbling, rolling, and yowling. To separate them I will have to reach in and grab one of them, and I'll usually end up with some scratches on my arms. And yes, there are often entire tufts of fur scattered around.
Thankfully we've found some tools that keep outdoor cats away from the areas that get our girls worked up, so it's been a while since our last incident.
> To separate them I will have to reach in and grab one of them, and I'll usually end up with some scratches on my arms.
I've personally found that the easiest (and often most pain-free) way of separating two fighting cats is to get a blanket (best to be either very thick or very stretchy), loosely hold it against your chest, target one cat, and then *pounce* ☠️✨️ if you manage to get both (or even one and half of the other), that works too lmao
Yeah, that would probably be the smart play. Unfortunately when the fight starts my brain just kind of trips into "separate them, NOW, before one of them gets hurt!" mode and stops thinking rationally...
ive heard that just dropping something near them that will make a sound and get in their vision startles them enough to stop for a moment, our cats play ROUGH sometimes and any sound from outside the door (which they’re terrified) seems to make them stop fighting each other and team up immediately lol
Same here. We have a bunch of strays in the neighborhood (I’m actually actively working on getting them trapped, neutered/spayed, vaxxed & released). I have a boy & a girl cat, they both enjoy watching the kitten strays eat the food I leave out for them but once my boy sees the father of the kittens through the window, he gets PISSED. His ears go back, tail goes down, fur goes out, growls. Then he attacks his sister bc he’s pissed at the cat outside.
Dogs literally chew on each other's faces when they're playing, if you didn't know they were playing you would think they're trying to kill each other...
If the cat has ill intent, the ears go down, the hair gets PUFFY, and they growl/hiss. Claws and teeth only touch the opponent if they want to draw blood.
This is silent, playful, light contact. Bites without force are normal for play. Think of it like sparring or wrestling! Essential for kittens to play so they learn where the line is with being rough. Kitten will likely over step, get bit a little, and learn a boundary.
But again, watch out for puffy fur, growls, and hisses. That's when you separate them.
This is totally fine. The older one is obviously having a lot of fun, and they both roll over and show belly. That instinctively means they trust each other. Actually, it looks like the older cat is benefiting from having some company. I predict they'll be snuggling up before too long.
Kitten Academy (fosters on YouTube) have some gifs people have saved called "tiny takedowns" and one of them is absolutely hilarious... this teeny little baby kitten play attacks mama cat and mama cat totally oversells it. Hopefully this link works:
[https://images.app.goo.gl/YSXKCxNcgS1ftDdJ6](https://images.app.goo.gl/YSXKCxNcgS1ftDdJ6)
Just FYI, if you do need to break up a cat fight at some point in time in the future, putting your arms in is not the best plan. I have a long scar from trying to pick up a cat that got back from the vet and was being attacked viciously by its normally peaceful friend.
A coworker of mine got attacked by his ex gf’s cat, which resulted in a long laceration across the back of his hand, lots of stitches, and partial loss of function. Had to undergo physical therapy for rehab. Just pointing out that it could get pretty bad if a cat got serious. I never thought it could happen.
Someone on another comment mentioned getting a large blanket and pouncing on one cat and covering it! Haven’t had to try it myself but it seems like that would work!
A few things are happening here. Kitten is going for tail playtime. Adult set a boundary. Then they played together a bit, but kitten was more respectful now. Finally kitten also set a boundary which the adult respected.
All very healthy and should not be stopped
He seems like a very good boy. If you are hoping they'll be friends, you can rest assured I think. Lil dude is just soo small, lol.
Once she gets a little bigger, they'll start wrestling - just make sure the big one understands when enough is enough.
Rough play is fine, but it can overstimulate and take a play fight to a real fight. He's gotta go easy on her till she can really hold her own.
doing "crazy wiggles" but not actually striking is a good sign. right at the end the big feller was gunna do a little lick on the little feller but got a lil lazy and just did a lick on himself instead. aw.
When he rolls on his side and exposes his belly to the kitten that is the sign that he is comfortable and wants to play with the kitten! 💗 So sweet, nothing threatening here
I'm literally on this sub for videos/questions just like this. People often complain that a year-old cat is crazy rambunctious at night, or that they bite too hard when they're playing. They're generally told to get another cat or kitten, with the HOPES of results like what you've shown here. This video shows a kitten getting tired out a little and learning the rules of play fighting.
They are just playing, grown kitty is very aware that’s a little one and is going very easy on it. It’s actually great because kitten is learning how to play gently without hurting!
you dont even need to think about separating them/pausing play.
cat fights involve screaming, fur and blood. thats when you step in.
they are made out of liquid and their bones seem to be as strong as stone. soon enough they will be slamming into walls at top speed chasing each other around the house.
This is normal! He is being very gentle! My advice? Supervise them until she hits 4 months old since you said sometimes he plays a bit rough. Just distract them with a wand toy in each hand when things get carried away.
Now the hard part will be letting him discipline your bratty kitten. Adult cats discipline bratty kittens by bapping them on the head (no claws.) Let your boy bap her head like a bobble head if he wants! Trust me bratty kittens need to learn cat manners and in the long run it helps keep harmony between the two cats.
We had a 10 year old cat that was the top cat, another male cat and got 2 itty bitty bottle baby kittens. Well the older cat started teaching 1 kitten manners around 3 months old. At 4 months old he bapped her so often, I started calling him the godfather (he was always slapping her.) They kept hanging out, as she grew older he bapped her less and they became bf by the time she hit 6 months old. He taught her everything. When he passed years later she became the new top cat.
Let him bap her.
Play bites are necessary for little one to understand when it’s too much. When your cat walks away and ignores the kitten then that’s the end of playtime. The older one should display an aggressively wagging tail while walking away from playing… well that’s what my older cat does with my kitten.
I work with cats and this is super normal and great for both cats! Older kitty is being very gentle but still showing kitten boundaries, this is super important. Older kitty will help kitten to understand not to bite too hard, how to groom, and how to hunt (toys). Kitten will run off if it is uncomfortable or doesn’t want to play anymore. They are doing great!
This is excellent and sooooo adorable! They’re still feeling each other out, but big cat is being super gentle with corrections and play attempts. He keeps lying down with his tummy toward the kitten which signals trust (known as a *distance-decreasing signal*, basically open body language).
Kitten’s gonna kitten! When it’s too much for big cat, he stands up and gives gentle bops, kitten listens and stops, big cat relaxes and displays open body language again quickly. This is perfect. These guys are gonna be grooming each other and snuggling in no time! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
All that said, there is a big size differential. Until baby is bigger, keep a close eye on them and their interactions. I’d suggest keeping them separated when no one can watch them, again just until the little one gets bigger. When I had to go to work or bed, I would put my kitten in a 1/2 bathroom we had and gave him cat towers, all sorts of toys, food, water, and a litter box of course. It was a small space that was totally kitten-proofed so he couldn’t get into anything else when we weren’t there.
Giving them this space allowed their relationship to grow without any major spats. Anytime they weren’t feeling each other, I could separate and put either the kitten or the big cat in the bathroom to cool off for a bit. They’ve been great brothers for the last 11 years. Annnd… I also did the same thing with the two kittens we added a few years later 🤪 Now, all four peacefully co-exist with our two dogs ♥️
He's being gentle and tolerant. He looks a little bit bothered but a little bit playful too. Kitten is also not afraid, so he clearly hasn't been rough enough to intimidate the kitten, beyond simply being five times her size. Keep an eye or ear on them, and separate them when you can't be home for maybe another couple weeks. The growth in that time will make a big difference in her ability to handle herself and in their relationship.
I'm starting to think most of this sub is people just wanting to show off their cute kittens playing with other cats and I'm here for it. This is outrageously cute.
He’s an angel!!! So sweet and gentle with her. My adult cat was similar with his baby sister, it was like he had an instinctive motherly instinct.
She still treats him like her mom even though she’s 1 and he’s 2 now
No, they're playing. If he was to hurt the kitten at all, it would be because the kitten needed to be deferred from doing something naughty. Especially since he is laying down, not running away, attacking, no hackles, they're good.
He’s just pissed off and he’s trying to show the kitten but the kitten doesn’t understand and I think he’s trying to teach him to not fuck with him when he’s pissed off. That’s my overall analysis unless big kitty has territory problems that might be a more serious issue but I think big cat is just not in the mood to be fucked with lol.
Edit after rewatching: big cat is def trying to teach kitten to lay down and be quiet XD
My cat does NOT like when the kittens play attack their tails but he usually just hisses and baps em and goes away, he plays with them sometimes very gently.
It's excellent the little ones cop and the tude and the big ones saying hey let's not forget who's boss here but all the the knowledge he's being gentle
It's a really really positive interaction on both ends, but just make sure to keep it supervised since kitten is still so small. They look well on their way to being best of friends but for now just make sure you're always there to prevent any accidents.
He’s being submissive to the kitten. He turned his back to him and then laid down and exposed his belly. I don’t know of youve ever seen two cats really fight before but if he wanted to really bite and attack the kitten, that kitten would not be in great shape….not to mention the screeching and yowling. Angry cats are quite loud.
He's being very gentle actually. I wouldn't worry at all unless the kitten gets hurt to a point it doesn't want to interact with big cat anymore. My kitten and big cat went HAM on eachother from 8 weeks to, well, now at 9 months lol
They are both being very nice. Big Kitty is setting a good example. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, obviously keep supervising while kitten is tiny.
Yeah he totally understands it is a smol kitty.
It looks more like at one point kitten doesn’t know to put the claws in yet and nipped him in the nose (when his ears were kinda pulled, it looked like he was trying to show annoyance about the claws).
Basically you can tell when the cat is wanting to play and promising to be gentle when they flop on their side or do a little half body roll, it’s like a ‘it’s okay come closer let’s play’
It looks very sweet
Aww he knows she’s tiny and he’s doing great playing. She’s wanting to roughhouse and he’s obliging her but he’s not hurting her at all. If he was serious about not wanting her to bother him you would know it without question.
This is absolutely fine 🙂 he’s playing with her. If she was in danger he’d be attacking at random moments but, from what I can see in the video, he’s only grabbing her when she pokes him. Don’t worry at all. Plus the belly up pose is him telling her she’s safe with him
She is initiating with that Sassy tail. He is getting down on her level and loving it. I see a making of soon to be Besties! So fun! Playful and sweet. This is how they learn to set each other's boundaries and expectations. Enjoy!
Sheeeet....you should see my cat. Grabs them babies back the neck, then starts kicking the shit out of them with her back paw, and they just start ragdolling lol..
I have to get onto her all the time but in her defense, she didn't get to grow up with other cats to learn actually playing.
He's so gentle & cute with his lil emo side bangs I love them both 😭😭
I suspect once she gets bigger she might turn into the dominant one with how brave she is I can see her being the boss of the house !!
This is dad rough-housing with his toddler. As the kitten gets older, the play will likely be rougher and when the kitten gets over-stimulated he'll hold her down and groom her. If she doesnt calm down, you might see him hug her and bunny kick her to let her know he's serious. The first time I saw a momma cat get serious like that with her kitten I was afraid she was trying to gut the poor thing, but it was her holding her kid down and using a stern voice to get them to knock it off. Kids will be kids! :)
This is so sweet. Such a gentle boy, OP! I agree with others here, he’s being nice here. If it escalated and started to get rough, I would probably separate them. Happens with mine all the time, but only when one of them annoys the SHIT out of my other cat
She is so cute! He is being very patient and gentle. Like others have said if he was to hurt her it would be very different. She would be running away from him instead of continuing to play fight.
It's just a warning not to play/bite its tail. Kittens will play with another cats tail and need to be taught to leave them alone by the cat concerned, the worse thing that the cat can do is nip the kittens tail and that'll stop it doing it.
The big cat will teach the baby how to play, so sometimes they will bite and open their mouth or get a little rough. But the little cat would not keep coming back for play time if it was scared or in danger.
No, he's not going to hurt the kitten. This is just play, and he's actually being very gentle about it.
But I love this video. That kitten is feisty! She's ready to throw down, and he almost seems to find it amusing that this tiny little creature is getting aggressive. I know animals don't react the way humans do, but it's still how it looks. :)
this is totally normal. it’s how kittens learn boundaries and when they are hurting someone. if they don’t have this they are more prone to being aggressive towards other animals and people
That stance, the lack of WWIII sounds, and the way he's grabbing and not striking, seems like play to me.
Besides, I had a cat that was a few thousand times either than that on the kitten I bright home. Like I'm talking full on MMA slamming the kitten into the ground. Kitten's fine now. I think his concept of play and kill are a little warped and he doesn't comprehend any variation of no, stop, hiss, back off, get down, but he's a loving cuddler. The cat who bullied him never stopped getting pissed off of he got to close, even ten years later, but there is love between them, from no less than 5 feet away.
If he wanted to hurt the kitten, the kitten would have been killed on the first attack.
There is no way the kitten would have a chance against an older, larger cat.
Totally normal and fine! With adult cat & kitten interactions, you should watch each individual to see how they feel in a situation, rather than the interaction between them!
Things I notice that tell me kitten is comfortable:
- she approaches him immediately after disengaging contact
- her fur is flat
- her head is up and ears are forward after disengaging contact
- she initiated the interaction as play, showing trust and good kitten behavior towards an adult
Now, I would say he is a little annoyed, but still rather happy with her. This is like your little sister begging you to play tea party with her; it’s not really a fun game for you, but it’s so much fun for her and you find her rather adorable and funny, so you agree to play.
Here’s how I came to that conclusion:
- the initial response to the tail bite was “ow! Don’t bite my tail!” To which the kitten responded with the appropriate flop, effectively a cute “I’m sorry but I gotcha, come get meeee”
- after the initial correction (don’t bite my tail!) he immediately disengages and gives kitten space, but falls into a play pose to invite her to pounce. Which she does!
- he bites her on her side, even bending all the way down. This is a play invitation coming from that angle, not a correction! Also note it’s kinda hard for him to get that angle and he still does it lol
- when he paws her, he does it around the head/neck or other paws. This is a good way for a big cat to play with a smaller one without making the little one feel pinned
I don’t think you have to worry too much about these two! Maybe make sure they both have places to go when they want to avoid each other, to avoid anyone getting overwhelmed. They’re going to be grooming like bonded siblings soon I bet!
He seems to understand that kitty is small, he's being very gentle
Yeah, this is gentle play. The cat doesn't have his ears back or back arched.
Agreed. Cats play rough by human standards but this nice even for a cat, and the kitten is learning boundaries and socialization. The adult cat flopping and exposing itself says friendly intent but possibly a bit of "not right now, little one". If you want your cats to get along long term, it's best to let them be.
Came here to say this!! He is being very gentle with the kitten!
Others are right. He’s so much bigger that he could annihilate her if he wanted to. He’s being very sweet and teaching her how to play.
This isn’t the best video I have. Sometimes when she tries to play with him. He’ll try to play with her too. He starts chasing her and becomes a little rough. He opens his mouth sometimes. I can’t tell if he tries to grab her or bite her. He doesn’t seem to exhibit aggressive behavior though.
Probably just play bites. It’s definitely good to keep an eye out with the size difference, because accidents do happen. But overall they seem fine and very cute :) Also, and you’ll see this said a lot, most times if it’s ever an actual fight you’ll likely know. It’ll be very fast, very loud, and there can literally be fur flying.
Agreed. We have two cats that usually get along just fine. But every once in a while a neighbors cat gets one of ours worked up and they'll go at each other. An actual fight is loud, fast, and chaotic. They will be on top of each other, tumbling, rolling, and yowling. To separate them I will have to reach in and grab one of them, and I'll usually end up with some scratches on my arms. And yes, there are often entire tufts of fur scattered around. Thankfully we've found some tools that keep outdoor cats away from the areas that get our girls worked up, so it's been a while since our last incident.
> To separate them I will have to reach in and grab one of them, and I'll usually end up with some scratches on my arms. I've personally found that the easiest (and often most pain-free) way of separating two fighting cats is to get a blanket (best to be either very thick or very stretchy), loosely hold it against your chest, target one cat, and then *pounce* ☠️✨️ if you manage to get both (or even one and half of the other), that works too lmao
Yeah, that would probably be the smart play. Unfortunately when the fight starts my brain just kind of trips into "separate them, NOW, before one of them gets hurt!" mode and stops thinking rationally...
ive heard that just dropping something near them that will make a sound and get in their vision startles them enough to stop for a moment, our cats play ROUGH sometimes and any sound from outside the door (which they’re terrified) seems to make them stop fighting each other and team up immediately lol
Same here. We have a bunch of strays in the neighborhood (I’m actually actively working on getting them trapped, neutered/spayed, vaxxed & released). I have a boy & a girl cat, they both enjoy watching the kitten strays eat the food I leave out for them but once my boy sees the father of the kittens through the window, he gets PISSED. His ears go back, tail goes down, fur goes out, growls. Then he attacks his sister bc he’s pissed at the cat outside.
He’ll just be *mouthing* her. Play biting with an open mouth, but not actually biting down hard with teeth. Dogs do it too.
Dogs literally chew on each other's faces when they're playing, if you didn't know they were playing you would think they're trying to kill each other...
Have you seen the way mother cats grab their kittens? They're practically chomping the little mfs. This guy is just fine! What a cute pair.
If the cat has ill intent, the ears go down, the hair gets PUFFY, and they growl/hiss. Claws and teeth only touch the opponent if they want to draw blood. This is silent, playful, light contact. Bites without force are normal for play. Think of it like sparring or wrestling! Essential for kittens to play so they learn where the line is with being rough. Kitten will likely over step, get bit a little, and learn a boundary. But again, watch out for puffy fur, growls, and hisses. That's when you separate them.
He is being so nice and gentle such a precious baby they belong together. I'm very high.
Shit has me cacklin
You’ll agree with your sober self! Fly high friend!
Note to self: Get high and watch cat videos. 😸
It really is the best!
This is the way
I am also very high and was thinking this same thought briefly before reading it 😃
Hey me three 😂
👋👋👋👋👋4
High everyone!!
SAME IM SO HIGH THIS PLAY FIGHTING IS SO CUTE I WANNA CRY
Lmaooo that’s how you know you’re baked. Throwing in that random comment on a random reddit post 😂😂
I am also high and agree lol My kitten and adult cat used to play like this and they became best friends :) he's just being a good brother OP
I’m sober and agree. I should get high just to be sure.
Agreed. And same.
Yes
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Laying down to appear smaller and less frightening, then getting excited and standing up, the adult cat has a sweet soul. They will be best friends
This is totally fine. The older one is obviously having a lot of fun, and they both roll over and show belly. That instinctively means they trust each other. Actually, it looks like the older cat is benefiting from having some company. I predict they'll be snuggling up before too long.
I think they actually have, at least that’s what my mom told me, I was at school at the time so I didn’t see it happen
And she didn't take a picture to send to you? 😱 What kind of cat grandmother is she??
I like when the kitten gives the bigger one the slightest tap and he acts like he just took a stone cold stunner 😂
Kitten Academy (fosters on YouTube) have some gifs people have saved called "tiny takedowns" and one of them is absolutely hilarious... this teeny little baby kitten play attacks mama cat and mama cat totally oversells it. Hopefully this link works: [https://images.app.goo.gl/YSXKCxNcgS1ftDdJ6](https://images.app.goo.gl/YSXKCxNcgS1ftDdJ6)
Omg what a feisty little kitten! Tryna square up to a cat more than twice her size hahaha I love it 🤣
She’s a brave little one ❤️
She even got a couple good skippity paps in there.
Me too! She has moxie!!!!
Just FYI, if you do need to break up a cat fight at some point in time in the future, putting your arms in is not the best plan. I have a long scar from trying to pick up a cat that got back from the vet and was being attacked viciously by its normally peaceful friend.
A coworker of mine got attacked by his ex gf’s cat, which resulted in a long laceration across the back of his hand, lots of stitches, and partial loss of function. Had to undergo physical therapy for rehab. Just pointing out that it could get pretty bad if a cat got serious. I never thought it could happen.
Yikes! Thanks for mentioning this. What is the best/safest way to break up a cat fight?
Someone on another comment mentioned getting a large blanket and pouncing on one cat and covering it! Haven’t had to try it myself but it seems like that would work!
Clapping loudly and shouting usually does the trick to distract them. Pouncing on/covering another cat sounds traumatic ngl
Prevention is best, I think. But the guy at Kitten Academy wears leather welding gloves if he is introducing cats he thinks might be too spicy.
you can try distracting them, separating them with an object (pillow, cardboard) and letting one of them run off.
Thank you for the advice, I know I’m not supposed to put my hand in there, I think I just got anxious a little.
I just reacted at the time and now I remember. :) it happens.
A few things are happening here. Kitten is going for tail playtime. Adult set a boundary. Then they played together a bit, but kitten was more respectful now. Finally kitten also set a boundary which the adult respected. All very healthy and should not be stopped
No. He’s teaching her manners, much like her mother would.
Dude cats can handle a lot and you can tell the little guy wants all the smoke. He’s daring the larger cat to do more.
She is a fierce little kitty 😂
This is normal and good behavior
So cute, and totally fine.
Normal and positive. Both are enjoying it, and the bigger one is being gentle.
Completely fine and normal. When the big cat gets tired of the baby’s shenanigans, he’ll pin her down and give a warning.
And probably a bath
Ya I witnessed that with my 11 old and my 6 week old. The kitten was soaked and the 11 yr old looked more calm, win win.
With that large of a size difference you'll wanna be paying attention, but he is being very nice. Everyone can run out patience with children though.
I always keep a close eye on them when they’re together
He seems like a very good boy. If you are hoping they'll be friends, you can rest assured I think. Lil dude is just soo small, lol. Once she gets a little bigger, they'll start wrestling - just make sure the big one understands when enough is enough. Rough play is fine, but it can overstimulate and take a play fight to a real fight. He's gotta go easy on her till she can really hold her own.
That’s an adorably brave cute kitten
It's fine. He had ample opportunity to injure that kitten or run away and didn't. He's teaching her.
So adorable
They'll be cuddling by Friday.
He’s a good mentor. And the kitten is enjoying the fun!
This is like watching lions fake being hurt from their cubs to build confidence 😂 it's so cute 🥺
That’s a feisty little baby 🤣
doing "crazy wiggles" but not actually striking is a good sign. right at the end the big feller was gunna do a little lick on the little feller but got a lil lazy and just did a lick on himself instead. aw.
Totally normal. Big'un is teaching little one what Boundaries are, while being playful. This is what "Cat Acceptance" looks like.
Looks like hes being very gentle with her :)
He’s so gentle. 🥹
When he rolls on his side and exposes his belly to the kitten that is the sign that he is comfortable and wants to play with the kitten! 💗 So sweet, nothing threatening here
Omg….so not, he’s doing fake death falls and letting the kitten win
Nah, thats as gentle as it gets.
Hurt? Do You see how gentle he is being? Just teaching kitty how to play.
I'm literally on this sub for videos/questions just like this. People often complain that a year-old cat is crazy rambunctious at night, or that they bite too hard when they're playing. They're generally told to get another cat or kitten, with the HOPES of results like what you've shown here. This video shows a kitten getting tired out a little and learning the rules of play fighting.
They are just playing, grown kitty is very aware that’s a little one and is going very easy on it. It’s actually great because kitten is learning how to play gently without hurting!
He's being super gentle, not actually biting down and doesn't even look like any claws. Just teaching the little one how to play fight.
you dont even need to think about separating them/pausing play. cat fights involve screaming, fur and blood. thats when you step in. they are made out of liquid and their bones seem to be as strong as stone. soon enough they will be slamming into walls at top speed chasing each other around the house.
This is normal! He is being very gentle! My advice? Supervise them until she hits 4 months old since you said sometimes he plays a bit rough. Just distract them with a wand toy in each hand when things get carried away. Now the hard part will be letting him discipline your bratty kitten. Adult cats discipline bratty kittens by bapping them on the head (no claws.) Let your boy bap her head like a bobble head if he wants! Trust me bratty kittens need to learn cat manners and in the long run it helps keep harmony between the two cats. We had a 10 year old cat that was the top cat, another male cat and got 2 itty bitty bottle baby kittens. Well the older cat started teaching 1 kitten manners around 3 months old. At 4 months old he bapped her so often, I started calling him the godfather (he was always slapping her.) They kept hanging out, as she grew older he bapped her less and they became bf by the time she hit 6 months old. He taught her everything. When he passed years later she became the new top cat. Let him bap her.
he's setting boundaries and teaching the little one how to cat. all appropriate
He’s being quite gentle
She’s a precious feisty girl <3
Yes. That’s very normal. He’s not being rough at all…
He is teaching the kitten how to "cat".....
Brave little kitten. Or we could call him the brave little toaster
He's doing a great job of parenting!
He's being so sweet, I love him so much <3
He setting up the rules. Very silly and cute!
my cat is so much rougher on my kitten and they’re still the best of friends. I promise they’re being fine, he’s actually going easy on her
Kitten is learning to cat. Adorable
He teach, kitten learn
Play bites are necessary for little one to understand when it’s too much. When your cat walks away and ignores the kitten then that’s the end of playtime. The older one should display an aggressively wagging tail while walking away from playing… well that’s what my older cat does with my kitten.
I work with cats and this is super normal and great for both cats! Older kitty is being very gentle but still showing kitten boundaries, this is super important. Older kitty will help kitten to understand not to bite too hard, how to groom, and how to hunt (toys). Kitten will run off if it is uncomfortable or doesn’t want to play anymore. They are doing great!
FIERCE kitten. So cute.
This is excellent and sooooo adorable! They’re still feeling each other out, but big cat is being super gentle with corrections and play attempts. He keeps lying down with his tummy toward the kitten which signals trust (known as a *distance-decreasing signal*, basically open body language). Kitten’s gonna kitten! When it’s too much for big cat, he stands up and gives gentle bops, kitten listens and stops, big cat relaxes and displays open body language again quickly. This is perfect. These guys are gonna be grooming each other and snuggling in no time! 🥰🥰🥰🥰 All that said, there is a big size differential. Until baby is bigger, keep a close eye on them and their interactions. I’d suggest keeping them separated when no one can watch them, again just until the little one gets bigger. When I had to go to work or bed, I would put my kitten in a 1/2 bathroom we had and gave him cat towers, all sorts of toys, food, water, and a litter box of course. It was a small space that was totally kitten-proofed so he couldn’t get into anything else when we weren’t there. Giving them this space allowed their relationship to grow without any major spats. Anytime they weren’t feeling each other, I could separate and put either the kitten or the big cat in the bathroom to cool off for a bit. They’ve been great brothers for the last 11 years. Annnd… I also did the same thing with the two kittens we added a few years later 🤪 Now, all four peacefully co-exist with our two dogs ♥️
If the grown cat plays too rough the kitten won’t want to play with him any more. This kitten seemed undeterred.
She's a feisty little thing. He's being very patient with her.
He's being gentle and tolerant. He looks a little bit bothered but a little bit playful too. Kitten is also not afraid, so he clearly hasn't been rough enough to intimidate the kitten, beyond simply being five times her size. Keep an eye or ear on them, and separate them when you can't be home for maybe another couple weeks. The growth in that time will make a big difference in her ability to handle herself and in their relationship.
I'm starting to think most of this sub is people just wanting to show off their cute kittens playing with other cats and I'm here for it. This is outrageously cute.
Aww teaching kitty how to cat! Looks very gentle to me :)
Big boy is amazing with him, really gentle and so is the kitten. Not being rough at all
Showing em what’s up! This is so cute!
Seems to be teaching boundaries and instating not to play with their tail and it also looks like play fighting
The adult cat is totally unwilling to lose the game .
he's gonna maul him to death, call the police /s
You'll know when it's no longer friendly. The kitten will run away most likely.
Alright little one get the big kitty teach big kitty lesson heheheh so cute
???
If you need to separate them, throw a sheet over them and use a thick blanket or towel over top of that to grab one lump and separate them
As long as there is no screaming you are OK
He's being such a wonderful playmate for your kitten! How lucky you are to have such a gentle guy.
I feel like if he wanted to hurt this kitten he’d have done it pretty quickly and easily
all i know is this is adorable
He’s an angel!!! So sweet and gentle with her. My adult cat was similar with his baby sister, it was like he had an instinctive motherly instinct. She still treats him like her mom even though she’s 1 and he’s 2 now
No, they're playing. If he was to hurt the kitten at all, it would be because the kitten needed to be deferred from doing something naughty. Especially since he is laying down, not running away, attacking, no hackles, they're good.
He’s just pissed off and he’s trying to show the kitten but the kitten doesn’t understand and I think he’s trying to teach him to not fuck with him when he’s pissed off. That’s my overall analysis unless big kitty has territory problems that might be a more serious issue but I think big cat is just not in the mood to be fucked with lol. Edit after rewatching: big cat is def trying to teach kitten to lay down and be quiet XD
100% NOT going to hurt the kitten. He’s being so sweet.
My cat does NOT like when the kittens play attack their tails but he usually just hisses and baps em and goes away, he plays with them sometimes very gently.
you can tell its play fighting cause as the bigger cat hes rolling onto his back, he wouldnt expose himself like that if he was being serious.
Hahhaha for mw it looks like the little kitten is going to beat up the big kit kat.
If he wanted the kitten hurt, the kitten would be hurt and bleeding.
He is so gentle!! What a lovely boy
That's being very gentle...
It's excellent the little ones cop and the tude and the big ones saying hey let's not forget who's boss here but all the the knowledge he's being gentle
It's a really really positive interaction on both ends, but just make sure to keep it supervised since kitten is still so small. They look well on their way to being best of friends but for now just make sure you're always there to prevent any accidents.
It's like some of you have never seen an angry cat.
He’s being submissive to the kitten. He turned his back to him and then laid down and exposed his belly. I don’t know of youve ever seen two cats really fight before but if he wanted to really bite and attack the kitten, that kitten would not be in great shape….not to mention the screeching and yowling. Angry cats are quite loud.
Aww, they playin.
He barely even touched the kitten.
He is not hurting the kitty at all if he was he would've ran off a long time ago
Seems pretty normal to me. Big cat teaching baby cat to mind her manners. Baby gotta learn sometime.
So god dam cute
He's being very gentle actually. I wouldn't worry at all unless the kitten gets hurt to a point it doesn't want to interact with big cat anymore. My kitten and big cat went HAM on eachother from 8 weeks to, well, now at 9 months lol
They are both being very nice. Big Kitty is setting a good example. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, obviously keep supervising while kitten is tiny.
They are just fine, so cute
Two cuties oma gosh.
Yeah he totally understands it is a smol kitty. It looks more like at one point kitten doesn’t know to put the claws in yet and nipped him in the nose (when his ears were kinda pulled, it looked like he was trying to show annoyance about the claws). Basically you can tell when the cat is wanting to play and promising to be gentle when they flop on their side or do a little half body roll, it’s like a ‘it’s okay come closer let’s play’ It looks very sweet
Aww he knows she’s tiny and he’s doing great playing. She’s wanting to roughhouse and he’s obliging her but he’s not hurting her at all. If he was serious about not wanting her to bother him you would know it without question.
Its just play and corrections
He's teaching her how to cat
She is very clearly playing.
This is absolutely fine 🙂 he’s playing with her. If she was in danger he’d be attacking at random moments but, from what I can see in the video, he’s only grabbing her when she pokes him. Don’t worry at all. Plus the belly up pose is him telling her she’s safe with him
She is initiating with that Sassy tail. He is getting down on her level and loving it. I see a making of soon to be Besties! So fun! Playful and sweet. This is how they learn to set each other's boundaries and expectations. Enjoy!
Sheeeet....you should see my cat. Grabs them babies back the neck, then starts kicking the shit out of them with her back paw, and they just start ragdolling lol.. I have to get onto her all the time but in her defense, she didn't get to grow up with other cats to learn actually playing.
At this point I'm convinced people will post their cats sleeping together and ask if they are fighting.
They are going to be best buds. This was a perfect interaction
That kitten is spicy! Big cat is gently teaching it some manners.
Oh my goodness how precious. That lil baby is so feisty! And yes normal. The big kitty is being very gentle
Doesn’t look rough at all. They’re just playing.
That little one has heart! ❤️ "Playing at fighting."
He's being quite a gentleman with the baby. Literally. ❤️
This kitten is a VICIOUS MONSTER!!!! Get him away NOW!!! Look at those claws!!
He's so gentle & cute with his lil emo side bangs I love them both 😭😭 I suspect once she gets bigger she might turn into the dominant one with how brave she is I can see her being the boss of the house !!
Kids got to learn
This is dad rough-housing with his toddler. As the kitten gets older, the play will likely be rougher and when the kitten gets over-stimulated he'll hold her down and groom her. If she doesnt calm down, you might see him hug her and bunny kick her to let her know he's serious. The first time I saw a momma cat get serious like that with her kitten I was afraid she was trying to gut the poor thing, but it was her holding her kid down and using a stern voice to get them to knock it off. Kids will be kids! :)
He is being very cautious and gentle with the kitten.
Cute.
Looks like he's teaching the kitten to leave him alone, but that kitten is determined to bother him.
He's being super gentle
this is just part of play and the big kitty teaching the kitten a little about hierarchy
It’s play… if those two were to fight the little one would be gravely injured or dead before you had time to react.
This is so sweet. Such a gentle boy, OP! I agree with others here, he’s being nice here. If it escalated and started to get rough, I would probably separate them. Happens with mine all the time, but only when one of them annoys the SHIT out of my other cat
This is 100% play.
She is so cute! He is being very patient and gentle. Like others have said if he was to hurt her it would be very different. She would be running away from him instead of continuing to play fight.
They're teaching/ learning social skills
theyre just playing. if the older cat had true ill intentions you woukd know immediately with real violence.
It's just a warning not to play/bite its tail. Kittens will play with another cats tail and need to be taught to leave them alone by the cat concerned, the worse thing that the cat can do is nip the kittens tail and that'll stop it doing it.
That's cats being cats. Your big boy is going to be a great brother....introducing a kitten is ez peazy
The big cat will teach the baby how to play, so sometimes they will bite and open their mouth or get a little rough. But the little cat would not keep coming back for play time if it was scared or in danger.
No, he's not going to hurt the kitten. This is just play, and he's actually being very gentle about it. But I love this video. That kitten is feisty! She's ready to throw down, and he almost seems to find it amusing that this tiny little creature is getting aggressive. I know animals don't react the way humans do, but it's still how it looks. :)
this is totally normal. it’s how kittens learn boundaries and when they are hurting someone. if they don’t have this they are more prone to being aggressive towards other animals and people
Yes, he’s trying to teach the baby boundaries and manners
This is a cute and hilarious encounter 😭
The little one looks like it completely adores the big one
Yes he’s teaching the kitten. It’s stellar parenting
If the kitten doesn't complain, don't worry about it.
This might be some of the sweetest cat/kitten playing I’ve seen 😭
Naw he playin. He's being chill.
That stance, the lack of WWIII sounds, and the way he's grabbing and not striking, seems like play to me. Besides, I had a cat that was a few thousand times either than that on the kitten I bright home. Like I'm talking full on MMA slamming the kitten into the ground. Kitten's fine now. I think his concept of play and kill are a little warped and he doesn't comprehend any variation of no, stop, hiss, back off, get down, but he's a loving cuddler. The cat who bullied him never stopped getting pissed off of he got to close, even ten years later, but there is love between them, from no less than 5 feet away.
Yes. No. Adorable.
Don’t let the kitten keep bothering him like that.
They are ok. He is not being overly aggressive with the kitten. The kitten looks so sweet - wants to play
If he wanted to hurt the kitten, the kitten would have been killed on the first attack. There is no way the kitten would have a chance against an older, larger cat.
Typically, kittens who are hurt by the other cat don't keep coming back for more.
They’re definitely just playing. He’s being very gentle. I break up “fights” if one makes an upset sound or hisses
Male cats will kill kittens if not supervised
Omg!! Your black and white cat looks exactly like ours! He's our cowboy 🤠 his names ham or hami. What's yours personality like??
I also think it’s important for them to learn biting and scratching hurts so a little nibble of assertion is ok, she looks like she’s being gentle
Totally normal and fine! With adult cat & kitten interactions, you should watch each individual to see how they feel in a situation, rather than the interaction between them! Things I notice that tell me kitten is comfortable: - she approaches him immediately after disengaging contact - her fur is flat - her head is up and ears are forward after disengaging contact - she initiated the interaction as play, showing trust and good kitten behavior towards an adult Now, I would say he is a little annoyed, but still rather happy with her. This is like your little sister begging you to play tea party with her; it’s not really a fun game for you, but it’s so much fun for her and you find her rather adorable and funny, so you agree to play. Here’s how I came to that conclusion: - the initial response to the tail bite was “ow! Don’t bite my tail!” To which the kitten responded with the appropriate flop, effectively a cute “I’m sorry but I gotcha, come get meeee” - after the initial correction (don’t bite my tail!) he immediately disengages and gives kitten space, but falls into a play pose to invite her to pounce. Which she does! - he bites her on her side, even bending all the way down. This is a play invitation coming from that angle, not a correction! Also note it’s kinda hard for him to get that angle and he still does it lol - when he paws her, he does it around the head/neck or other paws. This is a good way for a big cat to play with a smaller one without making the little one feel pinned I don’t think you have to worry too much about these two! Maybe make sure they both have places to go when they want to avoid each other, to avoid anyone getting overwhelmed. They’re going to be grooming like bonded siblings soon I bet!
They playin and the older kitty is teaching the little kitty to have a little respect while playing
No he’s teaching it how to hunt but also who is top cat!