- Joined
- Dec 18, 2013
- Messages
- 7
- Purraise
- 1
Happy New Year everyone!
I recently adopted two adolescent kittens, a boy and a girl, who have lived together all their lives (all eight months or so) - first one the street with their feral mother, then a little time in a foster home with lots of other cats, now with me. They're both a little skittish sometimes if I move quickly or seem to be walking directly toward them, but otherwise they've settled in well and are comfortable asking for petting (by which of course I mean, "informing me that I will be petting them and in what manner").
I think I'm just overreacting to be concerned about this, but they spend a lot of time chasing each other, lying in wait around corners to pounce on each other, sneak attacks, and tumbling around and around with their forelegs wrapped around each other, biting. All while making this chirrup noise and usually one is running away from the other (though sometimes they switch). It can get quite noisy as they crash into walls and skid across the floor, but I never notice any fur missing or other damage, there's never any "cursing" and they just kind of flop over and stare warily at each other when they're done. Sometimes there is hissing, sometimes ears are forward and sometimes bent back.
Other than this they often show signs of what I think(?) is affection, like mashing their heads together and rubbing their bodies against each other, and they sleep in the same bed a lot.
This behavior would be really adorable if I could quell my anxieties about there being any kind of aggression. Does this sound like normal sibling spats/playing? I do try to play with them myself quite a bit, to keep them engaged and work out some of their kitten energy, but maybe I'm not doing enough? If it's just playing, how can I tell if it does escalate into something I need to intervene in?
For the record, these activities never involve my little dog, who lived here before they moved in. They never pounce on her or show any aggression that I'm aware of.
Sorry about the noobie questions and thanks for any advice. I've attached a couple blurry, inadequate iPhone photos of the scrap that just occurred on the rug, if that helps
I recently adopted two adolescent kittens, a boy and a girl, who have lived together all their lives (all eight months or so) - first one the street with their feral mother, then a little time in a foster home with lots of other cats, now with me. They're both a little skittish sometimes if I move quickly or seem to be walking directly toward them, but otherwise they've settled in well and are comfortable asking for petting (by which of course I mean, "informing me that I will be petting them and in what manner").
I think I'm just overreacting to be concerned about this, but they spend a lot of time chasing each other, lying in wait around corners to pounce on each other, sneak attacks, and tumbling around and around with their forelegs wrapped around each other, biting. All while making this chirrup noise and usually one is running away from the other (though sometimes they switch). It can get quite noisy as they crash into walls and skid across the floor, but I never notice any fur missing or other damage, there's never any "cursing" and they just kind of flop over and stare warily at each other when they're done. Sometimes there is hissing, sometimes ears are forward and sometimes bent back.
Other than this they often show signs of what I think(?) is affection, like mashing their heads together and rubbing their bodies against each other, and they sleep in the same bed a lot.
This behavior would be really adorable if I could quell my anxieties about there being any kind of aggression. Does this sound like normal sibling spats/playing? I do try to play with them myself quite a bit, to keep them engaged and work out some of their kitten energy, but maybe I'm not doing enough? If it's just playing, how can I tell if it does escalate into something I need to intervene in?
For the record, these activities never involve my little dog, who lived here before they moved in. They never pounce on her or show any aggression that I'm aware of.
Sorry about the noobie questions and thanks for any advice. I've attached a couple blurry, inadequate iPhone photos of the scrap that just occurred on the rug, if that helps
