Cats play fighting - reassurance/advice please!

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
Post Reply
Bluebell
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2016 9:10 pm

Cats play fighting - reassurance/advice please!

Post by Bluebell »

Hi. We have recently adopted two cats, we collected them on New Year's Day so they've only been with us a few days. They are both 3 and a half, a boy and a girl, and although not siblings they have always been together. Their owner became unwell and was unable to look after them so they were returned to the shelter and had been there for around a month.
They have settled in well, seem happy and relaxed most of the time, but one thing I have found rather alarming is that they have started to play fight. At least I assume it is play fighting, it looks pretty energetic to me with lots of chasing and pouncing! Having only ever owned a single cat before this is new to me.
I guess having been in the shelter for a while they could be excited about the space around them? We are giving them plenty of play time with feather toys etc to chase, is there anything else I should do? Should I leave them to it or is it something to be worried about? At night they have the run of the lounge and kitchen which are both large rooms but there's nowhere for them to escape from each other if it gets too much.
Any advice or reassurance very gratefully received! Thanks.
User avatar
MarySkater
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 564
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:47 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: Dumfries, SW Scotland

Re: Cats play fighting - reassurance/advice please!

Post by MarySkater »

I've owned cats in pairs, and they always play-fight. If I don't see any blood, I don't worry about it!
Bluebell
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2016 9:10 pm

Re: Cats play fighting - reassurance/advice please!

Post by Bluebell »

Thanks that puts my mind at rest, I'll let them get on with it! :D
User avatar
MarySkater
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 564
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:47 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: Dumfries, SW Scotland

Re: Cats play fighting - reassurance/advice please!

Post by MarySkater »

A year ago I adopted 2 cats, like yours probably not related, but had been together for a long time. I was told they were both 6 years old, but background details were uncertain. They would play-fight, "boxing" with front paws, pouncing and pinning one another down, chasing about - but taking turns to be chaser and chasee. A pair of cats I had some years ago behaved the same way.

Last summer, one of my pair died. I didn't want the remaining one, Rocky, to be left alone. Two months after I lost the other one, I brought home a 3-month kitten. I knew it would take Rocky time to get used to her, because he had been closely bonded with the one I lost. For a long time, the interaction consisted of the kitten pursuing Rocky and wanting to play, while he just wanted to be left alone. I made this video of them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxbQDhW ... e=youtu.be
two months after I brought home the kitten, and I posted it on here, because at the time I was still unsure if I'd done the right thing. But people replied reassuringly that they were getting on fine.

Another month on from when I filmed them, I noticed that Rocky was finally starting to initiate interaction with Ria. He'd pounce on her, or he'd chase her and then take a turn at being chased. So I take this as a very good sign that they are settling into a friendship. And it gives Rocky some exercise! Left to himself, he's rather sedentary. So while I'm not the most experienced cat owner (one pair in the old days when I lived in a flat, then Rocky and Bridie, now Rocky and Ria) so far as I can see, play-fighting is normal and healthy. I think your two are settling in and feeling at home. Good luck with them.
User avatar
Ruth B
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1998
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:31 am
No. of cats in household: 3
Location: Wolverhampton

Re: Cats play fighting - reassurance/advice please!

Post by Ruth B »

Cats play fighting can look awful rough to us humans, but rarely is there any harm done. As long as no one actually gets hurts then you don't need to worry. Watch them while they play and you will start to see the changes in body language and when one has had enough you will be able to tell. My younger two play together a lot, the only thing I have to watch for is the lad can be a bit too enthusiastic and doesn't always listen when the girl says she has had enough (basically behaving like a typical teenage lad).

There are times when they are rampaging upstairs and I am down stairs and i do wonder if they can change into baby elephants when I'm not looking, it sounds like the ceiling is going to cave in.

Yours will be fine, hopefully your house and furniture will be as well.
Post Reply