Kitten randomly growling and is not as affectionate

[gemmamiso]

Update on her eye!! I just got home and her eye looks almost completely better! It's open and it isn't runny anymore

Does anyone else feel super proud when your cat gets better? Or is it just me lol

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Update on her eye!! I just got home and her eye looks almost completely better! It's open and it isn't runny anymore

Does anyone else feel super proud when your cat gets better? Or is it just me lol

Not just you, we all do!  You should hear us cheering when one of our members who is hand-rearing a kitten (or litter of orphans) when they actually poop on their own for the first time!  We're all cat-crazy here, and we celebrate EVERYTHING good that happens with our cats, and with each other's cats!

 

[gemmamiso]

The kitten is basically pouncing on my older cat every single time she walks by. It doesn't seem like he'a trying to play, either. Any advice? He also charges at us whenever he sees that we're with my other cat and not him. Please help

 

[orientals]

Are you doing the daily play sessions? Maybe you need to do more of them with the younger cat. He sounds energetic so provide enough outlet for his energy and he may go a bit easier on your older cat.

A kitten/young cat is a lot of work. People sometimes get one and think all will work it out by itself. And it usually does to some degree but now that you have him you have to provide for his needs. Find out what it is that he needs.

Could be a lot more attention as he seems to have had a bit of a rocky start in life. Could be that he needs more play. Have you tried to hide some of his dry food around the house so he is bussy a while finding it? Where does he sleep at night? On you bed or is he not allowed in the bedroom? How much time are these cats by themselves on average per day/night? 

If you could fill us in a bit more about the situation we can try to help you manage it better. What would also be nice is to their names, and how old the older cat is. 

 

[iwilltakethem]

How serious would you say the younger cat is being when he charges you and jumps the older cat? Like an I'm going to hurt yu type thing or an I'm just really wanting all the attention and that cat is getting in my way type thing.

 

[gemmamiso]

The older one is named Gemma, she's 1 year 8 months. The kitten is named Jupiter, he's 5 months. He sleeps in my bed usually, and she sleeps in my mom's bed sometimes. They're by themselves for about 7 hours a day while we're all at work/school. Sometimes they're alone together at night, but usually they're asleep in bed without each other. Is there anything else I can do? Gemma kind of just walks off when he pounces on her so I guess it doesn't hurt her. Also,I've been noticing that Jupiter keeps kicking Gemma out of her favorite spots and she doesn't stand up for herself enough, gets annoyed, and then just leaves.

 

[orientals]

It sounds like they have a really nice life with you and your mom! Maybe let them work out things for themselves a bit? We humans don't really speak "cat" so it can be hard to see sometimes what exactly is going on. Also kittens will be kittens, they can be a handful. Try and play with them a lot, and maybe hide some dry food in different places all over the house when you leave for the day so the kitten had something to do for a while.

 

[gemmamiso]

Okay thank you! I played with them both for like 20 minutes before I left for school today so hopefully that tired them out a bit. I'll also play with them later on when I'm home. Hopefully he'll stop pestering her Also, is it normal for him to seem jealous when we're giving Gemma attention and not him?

 

[orientals]

Of course some jealousy is to be expected. You are kinda like their mom, so it's like with siblings I guess, they can get a bit jealous.

I try to have a bit of a separate ritual with each of my cats where they get my exclusive attention for a bit. Seems to work well. Sometimes the new kitten is so adorable that people forget to bestow lots of love on their older cat as well.

Keep us posted how they are doing!

 

[gemmamiso]

I'll make sure to keep you posted!! I think things between them are going to be better now that I'm playing with them more

 

[orientals]

Good stuff, keep it up!

 

[gemmamiso]

I haven't asked about this in a while but now that it's been a month and it hasn't stopped I thought I would ask again. The kitten is still randomly growling and I can't figure out why. He loves people and playing. He doesn't growl when he's playing or snuggling, but when he's just walking around, he'll randomly growl. It isn't like a long drawn out, low growl, it's short. Does anyone know what it could be? Could it be dominance/territorial issues between him and my other cat? 

 

[LittleQuill]

 
I can promise you this...no matter how it may sound to you, if those two are exposing their tummies to each other every thing is fine.   Cats flat do not do that where there is not a high degree of trust.  In this case, it sounds like an invitation to play. 

My partner has been stressed about the way our cat introductions went. He'd get annoyed at the older cat if he so much as hissed at my kitten. I've basically had to tell him pretty much what you've said here. Cats don't function like we do, and their playful interactions look horrendous and mean to us, but they're just being instinctual. If there are no claws, aggression, biting with the intent to harm, everything is fine. I can't count the amount of times I've told him "She wouldn't want to be near him if he hurt or scared her. Everything is fine. You just have to let them go at their own pace." Lol.