My kitten just saw another cat and freaked out! Normal?

pepsiandmax

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Hey

I habe two kittens who will turn 5 months on the 12th. I live close to a very trafficated road and do not want them outside by themselve. I have lost too many cats to the road before, amd I intend to keep these two alive for as long as possible, hopefully for the next 25-26 years.
So to be able to give them some fresh air I bought a collar and a leash (the type that gies around the neck as well aa the chest).

Max is not too found of the outside, too many noises I think, but Pepsi really loves it (also a bit scary with too many loud noices but still loves it).

Andlast night I found out that nighttime is apparently more interesting than daytime.
Tonight I desided to then take them outside again fir a nighttime outing. Mum had Max and I Pepsi.Max really did not want to go outside, so mum entertained him inside while Pepsi andI was outside.

He was loving it, and walked a lot further away from the doorstep than before (still in the driveway, which is really big).
I was a bit conserned when I saw the neighbour cat sitting across the road, but when Pepsi did not rwact to him i figured it was okay.

He walked around a bit annoyed at the leash (he really wanted to go places like under the car where I can't follow) but still happy smelling things. Then another cat (not the neighbour one still sitting across the road) came up to our driveway. I react be taking Pepsi close to the door, not too sure og how he will react to a moving cat.
I put him down on our doorstep while the other cat walkes into our driveway. Still no reaction from Pepsi.
Then the other cat comes up to the doorstep, and Pepsi backes into the corner of the house, his back and hair standing up, and his ears really really flat, but no sound.
I did not see any threathening reaction in the other cat but I really freaked out thinking now there will be a fight and my poor kutten will get really hurt. Ipick him up and take him inside.
I walk over to my mum who is on the floor teachibg Max to fetch the collar. Pepsi is still in the same position, back and hair standing tall and ears flat. He sees Max still the same pose. I get really worried, is he going to becomr agressive towards Max...
Max wakes over, and almost senses that somethibg is wrong. Pepsi starts to walk in a strange slow mition waks still with his back and hair atanding up and ears flat. Max walked along side of him and I can se that he is trying to comfort Pepsi. And it seemes to work. He calm a bit down. I take them bothto the kitchen and give them both a treat, hug Pepsi, play a little with him, more hugs and I pet him on my lao in thr sofa and he seems fine, purring and back to his normal self.

So thus really freaked me out. I do not think we will go for a late night walk again soon, not untill they are bigger.

But I am wondering did I do the right thing? Should I have seen what would have happened? As I said I did not notice any aggresive reaction from the other cat. Could it have been fine? No fight and Pepsi could have made a friend? Or if things would have ended badly did I "make him feel less of a mad" (don't know any better way to put that). Should I havd let him react to a cat being on his land? Can't imagime him winning a fight just yet...

So yeah incase this happens again during a daytime walking, should I still take my kitten inside? Or...

We have had cats before, but they webt outside by them selves and met other cats. (And got hit by cars...)

Any advice would be really helpfull, and sorry for the very long explenation.
 

Columbine

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It's absolutely normal to have that kind of reaction. Remember that a lot of cat communication is silent. You definitely did the right thing. You know NOTHING about the other cat - it may have had FIV for all you know, and you do NOT want your baby to get into a fight. Nighttime is when the strays and ferals will come out. Stick to daytime walks for now. Also - don't feel under any pressure to take them outside. I have two indoor cats, one of which had been living outside for some time. Neither show any real indication that they want out - they're more than happy to look out the windows instead!
 
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