Is this playing or fighting?

Is this playing or fighting: - Roxy, the kitten would run into the kitchen whilst Villy (the adult) would crouch down behind the doorway just out of sight, but Roxy knew she was there, then Roxy would come running in at top speed, bound up to Villy and Villy would do a bit of a hiss then bop Roxy on the shoulder. Then Roxy would bound off theyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d go and do it all over again!

Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m pleased that they are interacting, but were they playing or fighting, or is Villy playing but still telling Roxy whoâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s boss?!! It started to get a bit much so I separated them for a few minutes, then put them back together.

Villy is still hissing at Roxy but I think thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s to be expected, Roxy is very bouncy and full of life!

Roxy is trying her luck, sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll bound up to Villy and swat at her tail - sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s very brave!

Oh the old curiosty has set in with Villy!!!

This is exactly how Rosie was with Sophie, and how Rosie and Sophie are with Jack now, although the hissings now stopped.

Villy's curious watching Roxy playing, and theres a part of Villy that's wanting to join in, but another part that thinks "Just remember who's alpha cat here squirt!!"

I'd say that was playing though and it'll get better. Just wait until they have their wrestling matches. Rosie used to slam dunk Sophie but she still went back for more

Has Roxy not stood on her back legs and waved her front paws at Villy yet?, or has she jumped towards Villy sideways?

The only time i would say anything was when one of them let out a cry if the other one bit too hard

I always look at it this way with mine.....if the fur is not flying, then they are just playing.

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

Oh the old curiosty has set in with Villy!!!

This is exactly how Rosie was with Sophie, and how Rosie and Sophie are with Jack now, although the hissings now stopped.

Villy's curious watching Roxy playing, and theres a part of Villy that's wanting to join in, but another part that thinks "Just remember who's alpha cat here squirt!!"

I'd say that was playing though and it'll get better. Just wait until they have their wrestling matches. Rosie used to slam dunk Sophie but she still went back for more

Has Roxy not stood on her back legs and waved her front paws at Villy yet?, or has she jumped towards Villy sideways?

The only time i would say anything was when one of them let out a cry if the other one bit too hard

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She HAS been jumping sideways!

Originally Posted by Jessy

She HAS been jumping sideways!

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Sophie did that and Jack does now. I always say it's like their saying "Come on, chase me i dare you!"

Georgi and Tigg did almost exactly the same. Im sure Georgi really wanted to play but she was a little scared the next day she was completely used to him they were cuddling together and no hissing or growling.

Just be careful if they start rolling on the ground together they baby doesnt cry out because it usually means they arent happy. Tigg always goes back for more though!

I have a momma (Oreo) and baby (male, Merlin) and they are just a HOOT in the am, I don't sleep in late anymore, because they come on my bed and roll, play, run up me, and attack my feet at no LATER than 6:30. But w/in 20 min or so, they are rolling around, Oreo traps Merlin's head under her chest so his legs are sticking in front of her, and she starts going at him! Mouth, feet, whatever, they are kicking fighting, rolling, and baby is yelping, whining, etc. I was watching today and would pop Oreo's bottom when Merlin would cry out and she would move for a second, but that stupid Merlin would actually PUT HIS HEAD UNDER HER CHEST! and then she would lay on it and you would hear muffled cries emitting from him! lol

She seems to like to groom him in the am, and he doesn't want to, so that may be why he is fighting with her and why she is getting her mouth on him, to make him behave and get his bath! So, do I need to stop this, or what? After their morning romp, they still play sorta throughout the day, but never with the morning intensity, and never with her hurting him again. I am so green to having cats (never had one before!) that just 3 weeks into having them, I am sooooo unsure what is normal or right! lol

I came to this site looking for advice on this very topic. A few days ago I adopted a 3yo male, then today I brought home a 4 month old male kitten. Unfortunately I live in an apartment with a very open floor plan and the only place I can isolate either of them is in my bathroom. I let the kitten roam for a while after bringing him home, while my older cat was in the bathroom. Out of hope and curiosity I decided to let my older cat out after a while. Immediately they began grooming each other and running and wrestling together. Then my older cat started pouncing and biting my kitten on the neck and head. It is definitely very aggressive, but doesn't appear malicious (if that makes sense). No hissing or growling or anything. This really disturbed me and so I put him back in the bathroom for 10-30 minutes every time he did this. The funny thing is, my kitten never seems to care when he's being attacked. Not only that, it seems like he's asking for it! He keeps going back for more. And every time I put my older cat back in the bathroom, the kitten howls. I get the impression from the previous posts here that this isn't something to be really worried about. Am I right?

If there's no fur flying, no breaking of skin, and no screaming from the kitten, then they both seem to be enjoying themselves. Trust me the kitten would scream if he were being hurt, and if he were frightened he'd be trying to hide somewhere rather than come back for more!

The only thing you need to watch for is that if there's a big size difference, the older cat could accidentally hurt the kitten, so for the moment I'd only let them be together when you are around to supervise and intervene if necessary, and give the kitten breaks in the bathroom if it seems like he wants a rest when the older cat still wants to play.

Cats playing is part practising hunting skills and part reasserting dominance, and it does look horribly rough. But generally speaking if they meant to hurt each other, they would easily be able to and there would be screaming and blood! My two seem to be able to get each other's heads in their mouths at the same time

The main thing is that I can step in and separate my two with a stern word and my bare hands, if they were truly fighting I would probably need skin grafts if I stuck my hand between them.