Desperate! My cat is terrorising my kitten!

(Just to mention I haven't read all the comments, I haven't got the time)

A year ago I adopted Shunga, a female, who has a lovely temperament :3 I obviously had her spayed!

A month ago I adopted a little kitten. Shunga used to hiss at Natsu and at night the little one slept in the bathroom with the door shut. After three days Natsu wasn't sleeping in the bathroom anymore because Shunga had stopped growling—they even started playing together! But now Shunga often gets pestered by Natsu, so Shunga grabs her, bites her etc., but don't worry, it's nothing serious. Sometimes I say "GENTLY SHUNGA!!" and if she doesn't stop I move Natsu away.

But if your adult cat is doing that, it's probably because she's jealous (you're giving the kitten more attention than her compared to before).

Are you actually sure your cat is really biting your kitten? I’ve got the exact same situation, except with me it’s the dog doing it. My dog behaves just like your cat; he eats from the kitten’s bowl and grabs him by the throat but doesn't actually hurt him (he doesn’t bite him as far as I can tell and my kitten doesn’t cry out, though obviously he does squeak every now and then). Also, the kitten’s bowl is in our garage and the dog’s is outside under the pergola (it’s a bit like a conservatory). As soon as we let the dog into the house and the garage door is left open, he nips into the garage and pees on the washing machine (which is right next to the litter tray and the kitten’s food). Whenever he gets the chance, he scoffs the kitten’s dry food. Personally, I think it’s down to jealousy, but it’s up to you if you want to look at it that way. Your cat might be jealous because you’re constantly cuddling and fussing over the new kitten—which is totally normal, but it can make your older cat feel a bit pushed out. Anyway, I hope this helps! =) :) ;) 3 I’ve also added a photo of my dog 'biting' my cat (well, he’s not really biting, they’re just playing together).

😉

Like I told you, your video didn't look like violence or rejection, just dominance. She wants to teach him to respect her and her personal space! In my case, I had an old three-legged cat who was blind. The problem was she couldn't see the kitten coming, and then suddenly, bang, he was right in her face, so she’d react with anger and fear. Even if a couple of times a year it ended in a proper scrap and I’d come home to a total war zone with clumps of fur everywhere, there were never any actual injuries. Hercule (the kitten at the time) eventually learned he had to keep his distance. He really wanted to be near her, so he’d lie down about three feet away or sleep nearby. Sometimes she didn't mind, and they’d sleep quite close to each other. In the car, they’d sit side-by-side (I don’t use a carrier; they’re used to lying wherever they like in the car because I take my cats everywhere with me, even if I’m just away for the weekend). They’d eat right next to each other without any trouble. But it took time ;)

So, in my opinion, things will settle down at your place. You shouldn't worry; nothing is going to happen to your kitten because 1) cats are tough little things and 2) she’s not being fast or aggressive. Your cat is just asserting dominance, though the kitten will probably challenge her every now and then, and things will kick off again for a bit ;)

With cats, it usually goes one of three ways: 1) they become best friends for life, 2) they share the space by tolerating and ignoring each other (which is what happened with my old girl and the kitten, with a bit of extra sweetness on top), or 3) they can't stand each other and the older cat won't even come into the house anymore, changing their whole personality, even towards their owners. You're in a "Scenario 2" situation. It'll either stay that way or, given A LOT of time, move towards Scenario 1 ;)

When you bring a new cat into a home where there’s already one, you can never tell how it’ll go, but it’s always one of those scenarios. Just be patient because time really does heal all things. Let them get on with it; I’d even say don't bother separating them when you go out. Stop worrying—your cat isn't going to hurt the little one. If she really wanted to hurt her or had truly rejected her with aggression, believe me, she would have done it by now. When a cat wants to attack and do damage, they do it incredibly fast and effectively before you can even react, and I'm just not seeing that in your case :)

Thank you so, so much for your reply, it’s such a relief to see people helping us out!!!! I’m still in the same boat, and I think it’s always going to be like this. The problem is I just can't see myself leaving them alone together, so when I have to go out, I end up having to separate the kitten and rush off, which is a real struggle to deal with every day... It’s true that I can see the kitten doesn't understand; he’s constantly looking for her to play, and when she's not in the mood, it turns into a proper chase around the house with yowling everywhere! Sometimes it’s 'gentle' and calm, she 'bites' him but nothing like what you see in the video, and then I just let them get on with it. Other times it's quite violent, like you can see in the video! So, how did the situation between your older female and your male develop over time? Thanks again for your reply :D

But Amelie, this comment isn't for you, it's for them.

You’ll have to see over time if this continues, but cats need their peace and quiet as well as playtime. When they feel like they’re being pestered too much, they’ll either find a quiet spot to hide away or show that they’ve had enough through behaviour that might look a bit aggressive to us, but it’s nothing nasty...

The kitten wants to play, which is perfectly normal, but an adult cat doesn’t necessarily have that same drive. So, getting another kitten could be one solution...

but sometimes that’s just not possible.

When the older cat has had enough, you should also step in and play with the kitten yourselves to stop her from bothering the adult cat too much...

Not much else to say, really.

You really should have started your own thread because, to be honest, the issue you're having with your cats isn't quite the same. I’m in desperate need of help and people are trying to support me here, so I don’t understand why you’re bringing up a different situation when I’m looking to hear from people who’ve gone through the exact same thing..

HELP me!!!!!!

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