My boy kitten plays too roughly

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  • #835444
    Tim Sutton
    Participant

    Hello all!
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    I could really use some advice or re-assurance!
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    I have a 4 month old ginger tom called Mal who is unbelievably active and boisterous. He’s utterly unafraid of anything or anyone. He hunts the vaccuum cleaner, when my builder brought his Staffordshire bull terrier dog into the house (an English breed of fighting dog) Mal took one look and then chased her until she hid under my coffee table, and he will play fight ANYONE.
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    I’ve only had him two weeks, and am teaching him that biting is never acceptable in play. He has always gloved his claws, but biting is still an issue, though usually a quiet hiss calms him down 🙂
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    However, I’ve just introduced a new kitten, Saffron, to be his playmate, and she’s tiny. I was told she was 8 weeks by the breeders, but my guess would be 6 weeks. She’s not steady yet on her hind legs, and she’s still got traces of blue in her eyes and isn’t very fast to focus on moving objects.
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    Mal loves her, but he wants to play with her constantly and he is way too strong for Saffron to cope with. He is at least three times her size and weight and when they swipe at each other he just knocks her over, and then grabs her and bites her and she can’t get away, and she screams and screams. Mal sometimes lets go when she cries, but then just grabs her again when she stops crying or when she tries to escape.
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    So, what should I do? I’ve been keeping Saffron shut in a room for the last 4 days and bringing the two together a few times a day for a few minutes at a time and its always the same, both happy and sniffing each other for a minute and then Mal pounces on her to play and I have to separate them again.
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    Am I just being too protective of Saffron? My vet said to just let them sort it out themselves, but it’s REALLY not comfortable to watch. Would Mal actually know he was hurting her and stop? Should I keep them separate at least until Saffron is a little bit more able to defend herself or run away? Can I teach Mal to be gentler without stopping him playing with her completely? Any advice is gladly received!
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    Wow, essay. Thanks for making it this far! Tim x

    #835548
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Tim,

    Welcome to the fluffiest place on the Internet. It sounds like Saffron is younger than 6 wks. I’d venture that she’s maybe four, possibly five weeks old.

    Max is very rambunctious OT (Orange Tabby.) Is he neutered? That calms them down a lot. I’m concerned about Saffron’s well being. Because she is much smaller than him, Mal may see her as a plaything or prey.

    Yes, it is a good idea to keep them separate and slowly introduce them. Because she is much younger than Mal, it’s going to take longer. Here’s a link to help you –

    How to Introduce a Second Cat

    You should ask if a baby kittah is what Mal needs or purrhaps one that about the same age. Opposite sexes is good.

    Keep in touch
    PG

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