# New Kitten Jumping Older Cat - Help!



## CrazyK (Dec 28, 2014)

Hello,

I have searched the internet including this forum for help with our 4 year old cat and 5 month old kitten, but nothing quite matches our situation so far...

A lot of people seem to have problems with an older cat lashing out or pouncing on a kitten, but ours is the other way round with the pouncing! So we've had our kitten Sybil for 2.5 months now and did the recommended separation, swapping of scents, supervised play and interaction etc and we got to a point about 2-3 weeks in where the cat accepted the kitten and could even be left alone with her for a short time. We'd come in the room to find them sharing the cat tree, layed side by side under the bed or playing together. Happy days....but now we have plateaued with their behaviour. Smudge, our older cat, is a semi long haired sensitive cat who is not naturally aggressive, so my bf doesn't think she's 'telling off' our kitten enough when Sybil pounces on her head repeatedly or even sits on her head. Smudge will grab her in a headlock and batter her round the head (with claws partly out!) and Sybil just laps it up! Sybil is learning that us humans don't like this behaviour and typically does it when we're out of sight (we hear hissing and growling from the older cat and come in to find them doing this). Unfortunately Sybil also bites the older cat's ear on occasion, and still bites us occasionally when excitable which I guess she'll grow out of.

Our ways of dealing with this include separating them at night (with Sybil in the living room) so Smudge gets a break (they are indoor cats), clapping our hands to break up their 'play' when Sybil wants to jump on her and telling her off...we thought we had made progress as Sybil is doing this less and less. 

Then yesterday, Smudge wee'd in Sybil's playpen we have for her when she gets a bit crazy. It's only plastic so we've thrown it away, and we have just bought a new covered litter tray for Smudge so she's had some change to deal with BUT it's very similar to the covered loo she had before and we've seen her happily use it AND it was cleaned out just before the weeing incident. Smudge has also generally become more withdrawn, never comes for cuddles etc. Both cats are otherwise healthy and eating well, but Smudge just sort of seems to have given up on life because every time she does something the kitten is there.

Sorry for the long post but has anyone else had any problems with a very confident kitten, and what we can do other than separating them sometimes to give Smudge a break? I am sure we introduced them slowly enough and I must stress that the more aggressive play is occasional now (maybe once a day)...the weeing incident is what prompted us to think that whilst Sybil is thriving, Smudge is actually very stressed.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Is Sybil spayed? If not that could be the cause of your present problems.


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## CrazyK (Dec 28, 2014)

lymorelynn said:


> Is Sybil spayed? If not that could be the cause of your present problems.


No we haven't actually as we thought she was too young, but having just read up on it it seems that 4-6 months is the norm....so we shall ring the vets and book her in  Thank you for that. I also forgot to add that they had previously made some progress with greeting and licking each other, but this is very few and far between.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I agree with Lynn, I'd get Sybil spayed a.s.a.p. if she has not been done. Once her hormone levels have dropped (within a few weeks or so after the op) it will calm her down a bit..

You're right to be concerned about Smudge. It is likely she was scent marking Sybil's play pen because she feels overwhelmed by the presence of the kitten and fears she is taking over her territory and resources. If Smudge is withdrawn and doesn't want cuddles then I agree, she is fed up.

The only way you are going to make things better for Smudge is to give her more time apart from Sybil. 2.5 months is not long in terms of introductions. I didn't allow my kittens unsupervised access to my adult cats for 7 months, and this was to protect the older cats not the kittens who were full of confidence.

Even now that my kittens have grown into 3 years old cats they still have their own room where they spend every night and half the mornings and this is specifically to give the older cats time on their own.The time apart keeps the stress levels down. The need for Smudge to have time on her own is even more important as being an indoor cat she can't go out to get some peace from Sybil.

I would set up a regular routine where Smudge has her space to herself for set periods every day e.g. all night, and perhaps several hours in the morning, and then a period of a few hours in the afternoon. The emphasis for the moment needs to be the 2 cats spend more time apart than together.

It is great you are well in tune with how Smudge feels, so continue being guided by her behaviour and reading her signals, just as you have been.  When she seems happier (maybe in a few months time) you can gradually increase the amount of time you allow the cats to be together. But I would supervise them when together and lift Sybil off Smudge if she jumps on her when Smudge does not want to play.

Play with Sybil a lot yourself - about 4 hours a day split into periods of about 40 minutes a session. Use fishing rod toys such as Flying Frenzy, to get her leaping about uisng up energy. Throw ping pong balls for her to chase. And a laser light.


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## CrazyK (Dec 28, 2014)

Hiya,

Thanks for such a considered response, that's really nice of you 

I think you're right, we need to give Smudge set time apart away from Sybil. We did this overnight last night and also frequently go up to Smudge for attention and strokes (she is more of a cat where she likes this anyway, rather than her approaching us all the time). 

I should also say that even when Smudge instigates the play and chasing each other around, when they catch up with each other Smudge hisses and I think that despite the play she doesn't like the bodily contact with Sybil. I think that's how they can be side by side perfectly well but not touching. Sybil does try and snuggle up to her, but understandably Smudge is wary as she never knows when Sybil might pounce on her head rather than be nice.

Anyway, we've booked her in to be spayed in just over a week so that's the first step towards a calmer kitten hopefully!! Thanks again for your help.


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## CrazyK (Dec 28, 2014)

Hello all,

I just wanted to provide a brief update on this, as from looking around the forum other people have also had problems with introducing cats/kittens. Sybil's behaviour reached it's peak the other week whereby she was constantly blocking Smudge, hunting her and jumping etc and we don't know why it suddenly increased but it did. I went straight out and bought Feliway Friends which calmed Sybil down a lot, but interestingly Smudge got a bit worse and wouldn't tolerate Sybil coming near her much. Smudge also wee'd in my handbag last week.

We took Sybil to get spayed last week and this also seems to have calmed her slightly, although I noticed from one of the replies that it can take a few weeks for her hormones to settle. She is still playful and affectionate with us (she gets through loads of fishing rod toys!!) but importantly doesn't try and hunt Smudge any more. This has helped chill out Smudge and she only bats Sybil away when they have bodily contact.

We also separate them properly a couple of times a day to give Smudge some dedicated attention. As she is 4 and has past her most playful stage, she doesn't need a lot of playtime (as in not 4 hours like a kitten) but she does need some. Interestingly, the past few days she has led me out into the stairwell of our flats and promptly rolled over for stroking, cuddles and purring. I think this is because she was properly away from the kitten.

We have thought about giving up (i.e. giving Sybil to another good home) but we really don't want to do this because they are comfortable enough around each other mostly, it's just the hyper/hunting activities of Sybil really stresses Smudge out and we know it will pass. But I hope this post gives the impression to others in a similar situation that progress can be made!! We are by no means 'there' yet, but there has been some greeting of each other, play and a lot calmer behaviour.


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