If you have an old cat and a kitten in your home, chances are they play from time to time. Still, you may find it surprising to see that the small kitten would show more aggression towards the cat. While it doesn’t seem problematic, it can cause injury if the kitten won’t stop. Thus, it begs the question:
The kitten won’t leave the older cat alone – what to do? Kittens are like cats in terms of playfulness. However, they have more energy and curiosity. Thus, chances are your cat would grow tired while the kitten still keeps on terrorizing. In this case, you’ll need to bear off the kitten’s energy and give your older cat a place your kitten can’t reach.
Felines have hunting and stalking instincts, and it comes from a long line of ancestors. Thus, any cat or kitten would get triggered even by simple movements they can sense around. Since kittens have the upper hand in energy, they are less likely to stop even if the older cat doesn’t want to play.
In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about kittens and their aggression. This way, you’ll learn how to deal with such a situation and help your older cat from getting bullied.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Contents
Why is my kitten terrorizing the older cat?
As I said earlier, kittens are just as playful as their adult counterparts. However, they have more energy, and they can be more curious.
Suppose your kitten is terrorizing your older cat. The following can be the reasons behind it.
The older cat is a submissive type.
Felines have some sort of ranking system in them. Thus, while some old cats are ready to fight when they feel pissed, some are submissive.
A submissive cat is usually the one slinking around and acts like a victim. If your kitten senses this on your older cat, it may start bullying and attacking. It’s their way of expressing superiority above the others.
The kitten is more active and curious than average.
Even modern-day house cats come from a long line of hunters. Thus, they have that hunting instinct that gets triggered now and then.
In general, felines usually get triggered by any movement they sense as prey.
Kittens are a bit more clueless than older cats. Thus, chances are they won’t stop attacking every time they see the old cat.
The kitten feels threatened or frightened.
Another reason why the kitten won’t leave the older cat will be if it feels threatened or afraid. It’s not a usual case if your senior cat is not aggressive.
However, if the kitten feels something is wrong, it may redirect its aggression towards the old cat.
The kitten is territorial.
Kittens are just as territorial as old cats. Thus, if they think they own a particular area and your senior cat always stays there, chances are it won’t stop being mean and aggressive.
Such behavior is normal and should wind down in a few months. However, if it stays like that for a long time, it may be a signal for you to take action.
How do I get my kitten to leave my older cat alone?
Since there are many reasons why your kitten won’t leave your older cat alone, there are also many ways to solve it.
However, what if your kitten only wants to play with the older cat? How would you stop such behavior?
The following tips should work on your kitten. It will depend on your pet which one would work best. You can also try doing everything at the same time.
Tire your kitten out.
Kittens have way more energy than any typical adult cat. Thus, tiring your kitten can wear off its power not to have enough to annoy your other cat.
You can do it by giving your kitten some time playing. You can use interactive toys or anything that needs focus or attention.
Create a safe place for your older cat.
A safe place will be ideal for your older cat if your kitten doesn’t stop bothering your pet. You can create a space high enough for your kitten to reach but low enough so your adult cat can jump up and down from it.
Make separate resources for both pets.
You can also lessen the chances of your kitten approaching the older cat by separating their resources. Give your pet separate food bowls, beds, and even a playing area.
In general, all you need to do is not give your kitten a chance to start being mean to your adult cat.
How do I stop my kitten from attacking my older cat?
If your kitten doesn’t stop attacking your older cat, there are many possible reasons. Chances are it’s territorial, or the older cat is submissive. Another reason would be it doesn’t like sharing space and other resources.
The best way to stop your kitten from attacking your older cat is by giving some space apart from each other. It would be better to place your older cat somewhere far from the kitten.
You can consider giving a place unreachable for your kitten. It can be a cat shelf patched in the wall.
This way, you can stop your kitten from attacking your older cat. It will also give your older cat some peaceful place where it can rest.
Also Read: Do Cats Kill Each Other?
How do I stop my kitten from jumping on my older cat?
If your kitten is jumping on your older cat, chances are it wants to play or fight. Whatever the case, the jumping can piss your older cat. Thus, you need to stop your kitten from doing so.
Put your kitten somewhere else to give it a break.
If your kitten doesn’t give a break from jumping on your older cat, put it somewhere else. The playfulness may lead to triggering your older cat.
Thus, to avoid fighting, separate the two immediately if you see your kitten is mean.
Play with your kitten.
Another thing you can do is to play with your kitten. This way, you can tire it out and won’t have enough energy to play with your cat. You can do so by using interactive toys or other activities.
Reward your kitten if it shows good behavior.
If your kitten shows good behavior, give it some treat as a reward. If you do it continuously, your kitten will continue offering good behavior in exchange for a treat.
When will my kitten stop terrorizing my older cat?
Since kittens are full of energy and curiosity, they may remain like that until they grow older.
If your kitten is active, engage it in other tiring activities. It can help stop it from terrorizing your older cat. Interactive activities will help burn out its energy.
Thus, if your kitten would always get tired, it won’t have any energy left to terrorize your older cat.
If possible, the best way you can do is to get another kitten for your pet to play with, and it’s probably better that way.
Kittens are exceptionally playful, and they can stay like that for months. Thus, getting another kitten may solve your problem.
You can also create safe places for your older cat. It will be its safe place that your kitten can’t reach. It will help your older cat sleep or rest without getting annoyed by your kitten.
How to Stop My Cat From Chasing My Other Cat? Read our article.
Summary
Kittens are playful animals, and they can even be more so than adult cats. Thus, it can be troublesome for the old one if you own both pets.
While kittens may be challenging to train, you can still do something to stop them from attacking. The best way would be to separate both pets or get another kitten as a playmate.
As always, kittens can be aggressive, so constant guidance is necessary when dealing with such behavior.
Resources
Image credits – Canva
