Random Fights or Playtime?

This is a question for those of you with 2 of more cats.

Baylee and Max have been together for about 3 weeks, but it feels like longer. They have this routine and I was wondering if it sounded familiar to anyone:

They'll be fine during the day.... sleep, play, etc. At least that's what happens when I'm home and so I assume when I'm not. At about 7pm they get sleepy and zonk out on the couch... curled up together, usually after grooming each other. Later during the night they wake up, play a bit but kind of ignore each other.

At midnight they go nuts. They run up and down the stairs, sounding like elephants. They look to body slam each other, they appear bite each other (not actually BITE, but just appear to), they'll run smack into the wall, etc. Usually they don't cry out or hiss at each other.

Are they fighting or playing? It usually ends with us getting fed up and sticking Max in the bathroom, where he usually goes willingly (as in RUNS in)... and then Baylee goes downstairs and meows for 5-10 minutes.

The vet thinks Baylee is stressing him out and so we're putting him in the bathroom more. But how do I know when he's stressed and they're fighting... and when they're playing?

It sounds like playing to me, that is pretty much how it goes here too. Close to bedtime my 3 youngest start tearing through the house destroying everything in their path.

Does the age difference maybe have something to do with how willing Max is to get locked up for the night? Bay is what... 7 months and Max is 6 years? Could he be welcoming the break?

Baylee is almost 9 months and Max is 6 years... so I DO think that he gets worn out fast. Sometimes by the end he's panting and definitely ready to get a break from her.

But what about when they start tussling and biting at each other... even if they're not breaking skin is it that they WANT to hurt each other, or just playing? Do we just let them go for it or stop them?

Mine bite at each other all the time, in play. I would let it go unless someone starts getting hurt. My one male Sturgis plays very rough and when his sister has had enough she will pin him and bite him to tell him to stop.

Ari they sound like Rosie and Sophie and their playing!. They both "slam dunk" each other as well as bite each other.

Sophie could be on her back and Rosies going to give her a quick bite but Sophie gets her back paw and sticks it against Rosies chest to stop her!

The only time i say something is when i hear one of them letting out a muffled cry!, but it's nothing bad!, theres no blood drawn or anything, i think they just get carried away with themselves while their playing.

As long as theres no hissing or growling, or blood drawn!! i wouldn't worry about it.

That's so good to hear Susan, I knew I could could on you to calm me down! I should've just PM'd you first and gotten it over with! My two sound likes your when they're playing so I feel better.

Maybe you could try to play with them before you go to bed so they are tired and perhaps they won't wake you up in the middle of the night!!

If yours are anything like mine, if their running around together upstairs it sounds even worse!.

I wanted to say as well that i started putting Sophie in the bathroom when they were like this, but it would end up with Rosie standing outside the bathroom door sniffing and making those "trill" noises for her and trying to put a paw under the door for Sophie because i took her play mate away from her

So after a couple of days i realised that although it looked rough to me they were only playing

I'd do what Gail said as well about playing with them. I always keep Sophie awake an hour before i go to bed otherwise she'd be running like mad around the bedroom!

Originally Posted by GailC

Maybe you could try to play with them before you go to bed so they are tired and perhaps they won't wake you up in the middle of the night!!

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Oh I do. Believe me... yesterday we had Baylee panting. But as soon as the lights go out, she goes nuts.

Have you tried giving them the food trick before bedtime?!.

You know what happens if we have a full tummy!

Yup... they still go nuts. It's so weird. And what's weird is how Baylee acts when it's bedtime and he's in the bathroom - she meows for ever! It'd be cute if it weren't when I'm trying to sleep!

Originally Posted by rosiemac

I wanted to say as well that i started putting Sophie in the bathroom when they were like this, but it would end up with Rosie standing outside the bathroom door sniffing and making those "trill" noises for her and trying to put a paw under the door for Sophie because i took her play mate away from her

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WOW! i think Pixel would be THRILLED if i stuck Cable in the bathroom for any length of time - when Cable is trying to play, i think she's too rough for Pixel. i haven't worried too much about it because Pixel's twice her size. anyway, Pixel growls & hisses at Cable, but no one is drawing blood.

Well at least my two aren't growling and hissing. And no drawing blood... but they really tussling and bite and it's scary to watch.

I had to shut Jazzie in the study as a kitten, until a few weeks ago and I still do now if she's not 100% as the wild hunt goes on in our house after dark- the boys tear around like a herd of elephants on caffeine and it was too much for her. I was worried she'd be lonely, but she was glad to go in there at night and get some peace and quiet I think! All three of the raggies duff each other up constantly, even Jazzie and Jake go at it and she's a quarter of his weight and size, but if he stops she follows him for more, she often starts it and there's no anger or hissing involved, just play. Jake though does sometimes get a bit much for the other two who are ready to stop long before he is, at which point to his indignation, I take him away.

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

Yup... they still go nuts. It's so weird. And what's weird is how Baylee acts when it's bedtime and he's in the bathroom - she meows for ever! It'd be cute if it weren't when I'm trying to sleep!

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Ari i honestly think Baylees crying because her play pals been put in another room

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

Yup... they still go nuts. It's so weird. And what's weird is how Baylee acts when it's bedtime and he's in the bathroom - she meows for ever! It'd be cute if it weren't when I'm trying to sleep!

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AWWW :-) it sounds like a little kid whose friend got time-out

"MOOOOMMMM I'm sorry! We'll be good I promise!! MMMMOOOOOMMMM"

I dont have two cats so my advice is kinda useless, but I would think that if they aren't growling or hissing that it is play, and since that is what people seem to be saying its probably sound...but I would have a hard time watching my babies even play kill each other..

Hi Ari!

Just my .02 worth...my boys are VERY rough with each other. They get that wild look in their eyes (yes, even Riley) and just run all over the house, up and down the stairs, body slamming each other, biting, bunny kicking...the works. It is all in good fun, though. I don't know if it is a little different for me, though, as my boys are littermates and have always been together...but it sounds to me that your two are just having good fun, and Bay is making up for lost time as being an "only kitty"

Originally Posted by Cyclesarah

Hi Ari!

Just my .02 worth...my boys are VERY rough with each other. They get that wild look in their eyes (yes, even Riley) and just run all over the house, up and down the stairs, body slamming each other, biting, bunny kicking...the works. It is all in good fun, though. I don't know if it is a little different for me, though, as my boys are littermates and have always been together...but it sounds to me that your two are just having good fun, and Bay is making up for lost time as being an "only kitty"

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No not sweet Riley! Okay well I'm sure everyone's right, that they're just playing... but I DO think that sometimes Max gets fed up pretty easily, seeing as how he's not a kitten anymore.

And everyone may be right about Baylee meowing because her playmate got locked up... but last night she started doing it again and Max wasn't locked up... I'm thinking it might be her way of saying "hello? Someone wanna come down and play with me?" but it's so silly because she should know that at 1am we're not gonna go down and play with her, it's bedtime!

Hahaha! Poor Miss Baylee!