Are they playing, or just annoying each other? ('Cause they're annoying me!)

Diesel and the kitten have been driving me absolutely batty for about the last hour.

Diesel will sit on top of my guitar case, which is propped up against a couch, and the kitten will sit underneath. They'll bat at each other from this position for a little while, then they'll do a few laps around the house, with the kitten chasing Diesel. They sound like bloody horses running around in such a manner.

Diesel's normally a very sweet cat (he's a neutered male, btw) and he doesn't particularly interact with my other cat, Hobbie (the kitten's mother) unless she starts with him.

I'm hoping that the kitten isn't annoying Diesel. I'm sure that if Diesel didn't want to "play" then he'd be keeping to himself, and not playing an active role in the stampede. If he didn't want to partake, he wouldn't be coming back for more, would he?

I believe this is their fourth day together. There's no real agression and no claws, though the kitten does occasionally hiss at Diesel. When they're not doing laps, they've been content eating with one another, staring out the window together.. Diesel's been flopping on his belly between rounds of this, and I'm guessing he wouldn't be doing that if he felt threatened.

I'm new at this multi-cat household thing. It worked rather well with just Hobbie and Diesel, because they never really bothered with one another, unless Hobbie felt the need to display her princessy nature. I've always been super-protective of Diesel, because he's always been sweet and innocent and spookish. This kitten is the first kitten I've ever had - Diesel was about 4 months old when I got him, and Hobbie was full-grown.

I've separated them for a little while now, putting Diesel in my parents bedroom with the door shut. If he really wants to, he can come out and get back in here - But the kitten can't get in. So I'm hoping that by the time Diesel wants to come out, the kitten will have expended his energy attacking the legs of the dining room table.

So what do you think? Diesel's been a lot more active since the kitten's been around.. Less skittish, more outgoing. Is the incessant running of the Living Room 500 just a case of 'cats will be cats' or is the kitten attached to his tail irritating?

So much for separating them.. Here comes Diesel, slinking past the couch. Should I take this as a sign he wants to play with the little squeaker?

They are playing and being cats. When an older cat gets with a kitten, it is an automatic reversal back to kittenhood. They are getting along well, may I suggest ear plugs for you?

You should probably suggest a good carpet-layer for my kitchen.. Hobbie sounds like a horse when she's running through there, and the kitten sounds like a bag of marbles.. Diesel's got that wierd extra toe thing going on, so he sounds like he's wearing heels.

I'm really happy about this transformation in Diesel's personality - I never thought having a friendly kitty around would brighten his mood, especially since Hobbie didn't do much for him socially.

Thanks for the affirmation

They are having fun - my cats do that all the time - they sound like a herd of wild elephants running up and down the stairs. When they don't want to play any more one will hide! It is great exercise for them, especially if they are indoor cats!