Kitten Terrorizing/Attacking Older Cats: Your Queries, Our Answers

Being in a cat world can often be intimidating, and triggering and can make you end up with certain vague questions that have answers you mostly cannot find.

Don’t worry, I got you covered.

Kittens act as dominant and aggressive when they see another cat is likely to invade their territory. Because of this, they seem to terrorize the other cat’s boundaries to make them bound to their own.

I know this intrigued you, hold on there is a lot more for you In this article to learn.

Aggressive Kitten Behaviour Towards Older Cat

 It’s most common to take aggression as a threat, attack, and challenge.

Some aggression types may be normal compassionate behavior and sometimes abnormal depending upon the situation it’s carried out on.

Most kittens are aggressive towards older cats because of the constant fear of being harmed and being inquisitive to know them better.

It can also happen because for other reasons such as-

1. Being Protective Of Their Territories

Kittens are more likely to be attentive when being in charge of their boundaries

Which results in them being aggressive and shielding their aggression.

When they see their competitors, they happen to overlap their fear through aggression.

2. Fear Of Being Sidelined

Once kittens are put in a new home, they feed the constant fear of not being the site of attention and try to seek as much of it by showing their aggressive side to the owner and especially older cats.

They do so to come in charge of the whole scenario.

3. Play Aggression

Cats are most likely to show their aggression by scratching and minor biting. they often chase, pounce, and lay as a form of playing roughly which makes it difficult to differentiate.

Different kittens have different ways of playing and some of them opt for showing it aggressively. 

4. Kittens Who Were Weaned Early

 Usually, cats show this behavior to other elderly cats to use them as a coping mechanism.

Yes,  you heard it right.

Mostly the cats who were orphaned and weaned early are very likely to show aggression.

To prevent this, you need to encourage your kitten to play with more toys and keep a distance from your older cat until it comes to terms with the cat being around.

Younger Cats Bullying Older Cats

Younger cats are likely to bully your older cat because you haven’t given them the correct time to know each other and just pressurizing them to stay together.

I know this is a major problem.

It’s tough to tackle this type of occurrence but here I have summed up some pointers which might help you.

1. Keep The Younger Cat Separated

Your younger cat should realize that you are not here to take any kind of incorporative behavior and you will bring forth actions if taken lightly.

Gently move your cat every time they do something unacceptable which would keep them from showing any kind of misbehavior.

2. Reintroduce With Time

Give both of them adequate time to get used to the fact that now they are going to have someone else around.

Once it is evident, start organizing their playtime and walks together which would give solid reasons to be with each other.

Also, check out about why older cat attacking new kitten

Why Is My Kitten Mean Towards Older Cat?

Your kitten is being mean to your older cat because of inadequate time given to know each other, the fear of deception, and to protect their territory.

Cats are meant to be despicable and choosing their own time to socialize so often it can just be a phase where being unknown makes them disoriented.

They also fear the sense of deception once they try to get close to another cat which makes them act mean to be unapproachable.

Is My Kitten Trying To Dominate My Older Cat?

Your kitten will try to dominate your older cat once they act as submissive and choose not to retaliate by either hissing or vocalizing by body postures.

How to control the situation? how do make them be friendly to each other?

I know the question struck you. But hey don’t numb your brain cells. We got you, always.

Don’t you worry, You have reached the right destination? Here’s how you can control this to an extent-

1. Build A Shelter For The older Cat

You can try to build a shelter or a hiding place for the elder cat to get away once your younger energetic house of energy appears to conquer his nerves.

2. Decide A Boundary

Decide a point where you would step up and define the boundaries for your kitten that where it has to stop.

Start keeping them in different rooms once it gets out of control.

Gently decline to their dominant nature and put forward the terms in which they need to coordinate. once they deny it, gradually stop rewarding them to make them come in terms with the rules and settle down.

How Do I Stop My Kitten From Attacking My Older Cat?

You can stop your kitten from attacking your cat by keeping them separate, spending quality time with both of them, and keeping their resources separate from each other.

Below is the explanation of the above point thoroughly.

1. Spending Quality Time Together

You need to devote your time in such a way that they get to spend equal time with you.

Kittens tend to feel left out whenever they see their owners being extremely friendly with the older cat, which evokes a sense of anger that they try to take out by attacking the older cat.

2. Creating A Safe Distance

Your kitten is likely to act aggressively whenever you will put both of them together without giving them appropriate time to adapt to the habit of each other.

You need to gently create a distance between them which would be automatically eradicated once they feel comfortable with each other’s presence.

3. Keep Resources Separate

You need to put extra attention into every piece of stuff you provide your cats. that is their litter, their play toys, and even the spots they sleep in.

Consider providing a safe space and equal resources to both of them that would erase the possibility of developing an envious nature in between them.

Kitten Won’t Leave Older Cat Alone

Your kitten doesn’t leave the older cat alone because now she has reached a phase where she finds it uneasy to play alone.

Which says that your kitten is looking for a playmate in your older cat.

Kittens get very surprised seeing moving objects and what better than a moving cat? kittens are very inquisitive and look for finding companions when they are in the growing stage.

But sometimes the same nature can be excruciating for the older cat and at this point in time you need to reassure your cat and be a safe home for it. patting comes as a boon in this situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

Kittens are considered sassy and social only when in the mood.

Kittenhood is their initial stage where they are starting to know their surroundings better.

That often leads to aggression and them feeling awkward In front of older cats.

They feel invaded once put in place with them.

Being accepting and letting them be confined to their own space for a time being will diversify their horizons in being more vocal and accepting towards you and the surroundings you offer to them.

References

• https://www.thedrakecenter.com/services/cats/blog/15-strange-cat-behaviors-explained
• http://blog.feliway.com/us/7-tips-to-introduce-a-kitten-to-an-older-cat
• https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-behavior-problems-aggression
• https://www.thesprucepets.com/cat-play-aggression-553957