It's common for kittens and young cats to engage in rough, active play because feline play can consist of mock aggression. Many cats retain this kitten-like behavior well into adulthood. Cats stalk, chase, pounce, swat, kick, scratch and bite each other—all in good fun.
Young cats and kittens that were not raised with littermates, or that lack opportunities to play most commonly show play aggression. Learning appropriate play is an important part of a cat's socialization, and this normally occurs during time spent with littermates.
If your cats' bodies are relaxed or their ears are pointed forward, they're likely just playing. If your cats flatten their ears, hold their ears back, or puff up their fur or tails, this is a sign that they're fighting, not playing.
Young cats are hyper because they are learning about the world around them and how to act like a cat, and it's up to us as pet owners to create as fulfilling of an environment as possible for them. This includes regular playtime, lots of places to play, and space just for them to calm down.
The good news is that most kittens calm down with age. Cats develop much quicker than their hooman families so you can expect your kitten to slow down at around 9-14 months as they advance into adulthood.
"For indoor cats who don't get enough exercise, they may engage in the zoomies as a much-needed energy release." Cats of all ages can experience zoomies from pent-up energy, but the behavior may be more common in younger cats and kittens who have more energy to expense.
While this behavior may be normal at first, if it doesn't subside within a few months, it may be time to take corrective action. Of course, aggressive behavior may come from a mother cat protecting her kittens.
From 6 months to a year is what could be called the “teen years” as the cat moves toward its sexual maturity. You may find a male or female trying to claim territory by marking, or with assertive behaviors such as aggression, scratching, or biting.
Single kitten syndrome is the idea that young kittens, when raised with other young kittens and cats and then adopted into a home by themselves, can become aggressive, anxious, stressed, and even develop behavioral issues like inappropriate chewing/scratching and inappropriately using the litterbox.
Is it just rough play? Keep in mind that sometimes what appears to be fighting between cats may actually just be normal play. An aggressive display usually involves vocalizations such as growling or hissing and facial expressions will look aggressive with ears flattened back.
Creating a relaxing environment for your cat, with access to toys, scratching posts, and a safe space away from potential threats, can help reduce anxiety. Playing with your cat and providing them with interactive toys, such as wand toys and puzzle toys, can also reduce anxiety.
A simple training method involves praising and petting your kitten when it leaps onto acceptable surfaces while scolding and removing it from unacceptable surfaces. The spray bottle can help train your kitten to stay off specific surfaces.
Kittens teethe between two weeks and seven months of age, and biting tends to increase during this time. However, several instinctual factors can also lead to kitten biting: Love bites: As many cat owners know, a petting session with your cat or kitten can abruptly end when they nip you seemingly out of nowhere.
From Ten to Fourteen Months is the Worst
Most kittens edge into adolescence at about ten months of age. This can vary, though, depending on the kitten. My orange tabby, Kirk, was actually closer to a year when I saw the adolescent changes in his behavior.
Social play usually peaks at about 3 months of age. As they get to 4-9 months, they hit their teenage years. They may start to feel their natural predatory selves and the need to begin “hunt” and scavenge. They may start bringing toys, sleeping more during the day, and playing more in the evenings.
A cat's temperament, training, and personality are the result of genetics and upbringing, and are generally unaffected by the presence or absence of male hormones. Castration is unlikely to calm an overactive cat or decrease aggression toward people.
Simple dominance will be exhibited by a cat by marking or spraying urine on territory, stealing and hoarding toys, rubbing its face on items it wants to claim as its own, claiming specific areas to sleep, pushing other cats away from the food bowl, and/or starting at or physically intimidating other cats.
It's common for kittens and young cats to engage in rough, active play because feline play can consist of mock aggression. Many cats retain this kitten-like behavior well into adulthood. Cats stalk, chase, pounce, swat, kick, scratch and bite each other—all in good fun.
Every cat owner needs to know the physical cues that a cat might express when it's feeling aggressive, frightened or threatened. Crouching, flat ears turned backwards, dilated pupils, arched backs and bottle-brush tails are all signs that something isn't right, and that you should approach with caution.
Observe your cat for signs of overstimulation and impending aggression. Common signals to look for include: tail swishing, skin twitching over the back, flattening of the ears, tenseness, dilated pupils, low growl, walking away and lying down. Stop petting at the first sign of any of these early warning signals.
It's actually a natural behaviour that a lot of cats display, but it's more common in younger cats or indoor-only cats. While an occasional burst of 'frapping' is quite normal, if your cat is getting the zoomies on a daily basis then this could be a sign that they are under-stimulated and frustrated.
By structuring in playtime with your cat, you can reduce unwanted or over-the-top behavior. Using cat-friendly toys, such as interactive LED lasers or a tennis ball modified to contain treats, can work. “You're having fun, interacting with your cat, and directing their energy,” says Dodman of structured playtime.
You can tell a lot about them by the ways they interact. Kittens who are perpetually stalking their siblings' tails and generally horsing around will be the most outgoing and playful. Kittens who are willing to play but don't initiate a lot of games on their own will generally grow up to be more laid-back.