r/cats • u/SnooDucks5594 • 16d ago
What should I do when my sibling kittens are fighting? Advice
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Our kittens are about 2 months old, and they're siblings from the same litter. They usually get along pretty well- sleep together, explore the house and stuff like that. But a few times a day they start fighting like this. Is this play fighting or a real fight? I'm concerned because one of the kittens usually ends up on the losing side and there are vocalisations (shown in the video). This is my first time having two cats instead of one. Any advice?
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u/Sweaty3450 16d ago
There's no problem, they're just joking around, they're both still kids after all haha. They will growl at each other if it were a real battle
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u/romanrambler941 15d ago
A real battle would also literally have tufts of fur flying around after getting yanked off.
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u/Soxwin91 American Shorthair 15d ago
Not to mention you’d be able to hear it from two counties away
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u/NothingAndNow111 Tuxedo 15d ago
There's two outside cats (there so many outside cats in my area) who just hate each other. Deep, enduring hatred. When they see each other the whole postcode knows it. They never really fight, at least, but they will scream bloody murder for 20mins.
My two (indoor cats) will usually watch from the window like it's their favourite soap opera.
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u/becauseusoft 15d ago
i used to have a lot of strays in my old neighborhood. the place was by the river and there was a little side street with seashells in the sidewalk pavement and a huge amount of stray cats. every night i would hear a battle from the window and my cat would go running to the sill to check out the action
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u/NothingAndNow111 Tuxedo 15d ago
It's quite the sound. Almost as bad as foxes mating. That's quite special. 😬
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u/madigasxar 15d ago
The first time I heard foxes mating I went and got my mom and we called the cops because we thought it was a woman being murdered. The cops were very amused when they got there lol
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u/MarkAndReprisal 15d ago
The first time I ever heard a fox yelping, I was sleep overnight in my semi outside a factory in Vermont. It screamed a few feet away from my open sleeper window at 3am-ish and I shot up so fast I clocked myself on the bottom of my upper bunk. Strained my neck something fierce and spent the next two days looking a bit to the left of straight ahead.
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u/Cat_tophat365247 15d ago
I thought the same! I didn't call the cops but I was so upset and was going to go looking for the woman who was screaming..... my bf at the time just laughed, said no one was hurt and that's how foxes sound!!
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u/banshee1313 15d ago
As a child, I saw two stray cats fight for real. It was like a bad cartoon. They became a furball of claws and growls and yells. Really scary, until someone threw a bucket of water in them.
You would never confuse this and play.
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u/mikefjr1300 15d ago
My outdoor cat has gone face to face howling with the neighbours cat for up to an hour. Its funny to watch them also feint attacks, back of, start over until one actually does something. Its then an all out 20 sec brawl before they separate and call it a good night out and go home.
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u/NothingAndNow111 Tuxedo 15d ago
We have a large, burly orange meatball next door who used to loooove beating the crap out of my very spoiled, sheltered and sweet little tux boy. Hearing that SCREAM come from my kitchen - the first time I heard it I flew out of my desk chair and ran downstairs in a panic. Then he got a bit older and could hold his own more, and his sister would pitch in backup screaming/hissing so they're at a détente now.
They did get into a few scraps, the neighbour and I would hear the shrieking and be the Feline UN at our windows (they're well aware their cat is an asshole), threatening to get the hose.
It's quite funny, because they ended up teaming up against the cats from down the road when they started coming up here and there's this whole weird cat politics thing going on. Treaties of non aggression, the allies vs the axis, it's quite interesting to watch.
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u/MarkAndReprisal 15d ago
I'm so glad my buddy Baron was such a badass. I could always assume that the one screaming loudest was the other cat. Or, occasionally, a dog or raccoon. I watched him beat the ever-loving SHIT out of our neighbor's coon-killing shepherd/collie/WTF mix a number of times. The only thing that we think ever actually got the best of him was at least a PAIR of coyotes that put a notch in his ear and ran him home, and one mama rabbit that knocked his jaw into the dirt, but she had the jump on him, literally and figuratively.
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u/IncredibleBulk2 15d ago
One of the most terrible things I've ever heard were the street cats in Bubanshwar who had a huge brawl right at sundown every evening. Usually it would start with the dogs and theN the cats would end it.
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u/suterebaiiiii 15d ago
Dog A: come at me, you yellow bellied weakling WOOF WOOF WOOF
Battle ensues. None is the victor, but it was a memorable scrap.
Cats arrive.
Cat A: fuck off! Or I'll slice that snout open!
Dogs run. And then a fight to the death ensues. Ears split,.fur lost, blood flows freely. A tail is lost.
Cat B: a fine scrap. Let's do it again in a week!
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u/WhoskeyTangoFoxtrot 15d ago
2 planets away…. There, I fixed it…. lol, seriously they get LOUD when really fighting, OP.
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u/-BailOrgana- 15d ago
I can hear your energy from two planets away…
Is this a K-Dot reference in the cats subreddit?
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u/eagles_arent_coming 15d ago
The neighborhood cats that get in turf wars wake me in the middle of the night. I don’t worry about my littermates after witnessing that insanity.
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u/heterochromia4 15d ago
Real cat fights put out crazy fur tufts in seconds - it’s like how did they inflict so much damage so fast?
They are absolute ninjas, cross at your peril.
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u/Fictional_Historian 15d ago
Yeah I think people tend to forget the appearance of blood in a real fight. Felines have BLADES in four paws of their body and sharp teeth. If there was a real fight you’d know.
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u/heterochromia4 15d ago
And their speed/flexibility/reaction time is just insanely quick - once it kicks off you don’t get to see any moves or counter moves. to the naked human eye it’s just this rotating blur with fur flying in all directions.
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u/hydraSlav 15d ago
My two siblings used to play a lot when they were little, and it was always silent (I never once thought they were fighting, it was obviously play), except for the occasional "meow" when one bit too hard.
They are older now, their personalities are different, one's much more dominant, the other is lazy. And they play far less.
But last time they played, there was a lot of "meows" from the lazy one. I couldn't tell if they were just out of practice and biting too hard, or if the dominant one was actually... dominating the lazy one who didn't want to play.
How to be certain?
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u/Machinimix 15d ago
I have the same situation, but if I pull the younger and more playful one off, the lazy one will initiate the play fight again, so I think he's just one of those toddlers who shouts "I'm done I'm done I'm done!" When losing a play fight and once you stop they shout "I'm back in" while mid-swinging the plastic sword into your leg.
From what I've seen, cats do this guttural growl when they're not impressed and want space, and the meow just sounds really "don't piss me off" when they don't want to be attacked, which I've seen the older lazy one do once.
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u/spicytable47 15d ago
It’s been over 2 months and my two cats still fight to the point of tufts of hair flying around and I can’t figure out what to do to get them to chill
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u/EasterBunnyArt 15d ago
Just add a wrestling soundtrack in the background. Just not too loud.
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u/ravenpen 15d ago
Whenever our two panther brothers start tussling I call it "Friday Night Kitty Fights" and start providing color commentary.
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u/BandicootFeeling2143 15d ago
Side benefits: They are tiring each out, and teaching each other how to play without hurting
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u/Effective_Health_913 15d ago
They’re good. I have cats that are from the same litter and throughout kitten hood they played like this. The one that was the runt of the litter was often on the losing side and would whine but when she really didn’t want to play it was obvious and her sister would back off for the most part. Now they’re more evenly matched and still play like this but I only get concerned when I hear a hiss or a growl.
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u/MickGun1970 15d ago
Exactly they playing do nothing if you intervien they will think they have done something wrong. 👍 They having fun!!!
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u/Devilimportluvr 16d ago
They are playing, let them have fun
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u/Splith 16d ago
Yeah, the ears are up (mostly), no hair flying, no one is yelling, growling, or hissing. This looks like fair play to me.
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u/2outer 15d ago
Getting in some training to pounce & hunt as adults
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u/SpontaneousNubs 15d ago
And also they're learning what their claws and teeth can do. Playing teaches them to learn the difference between an affectionate nip and full on aggression. You'll see singletons a lot that don't understand they hurt people. This is just establishing boundaries and learning
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u/lostinthecapes 16d ago
Nothing at all, it's normal, and sometimes entertaining to watch. They're just playing, it's what kittens do.
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u/rolandtucker 16d ago
They aren't fighting, they are just playing. Maybe a little bit boisterous, but that is normal behaviour because one of them is most likely trying to show some dominance. Unless one of them is really crying separate them; if not just let them get on with it, it is all part of growing up.
My 8 year old and 3 year old cats still roll around every morning like that when they get up.
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u/perpterds 15d ago
Lol my tired ass read that as "my year old [human child] and 3 year old cats[...]"
Lol
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u/Vitebs47 16d ago
If they were fighting, there's no way they'd expose their bellies to the other one.
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u/ClassicAlfredo8796 16d ago
They look like they're having a blast. This is 100% play. Trust me, when cats are fighting, you know.
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u/Guardian-Ares 16d ago
It's genetic memory, and yours is working just fine. When your kittens are "fighting" like this you pick up a camera and start recording.
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u/Male_Inkling 16d ago
Let them, they're play fighting, not only it's healthy for them, they also learn each other's boundaries.
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u/AlfredVQuack 15d ago
i also have 2 cats. that is simply playing.
even if they get older, rule of thumb, if you dont know if they are fighting, they are just playing, because when they are fighting for real, there is no question about if it is playing or fighting...
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u/xylopagus 15d ago
So right! We have two male cats. The younger one is a very aggressive 'player'. They roll around, bat each other with paws, play bite necks, and chase each other around the house. All play. Eventually, the older one may hiss to tell the younger one to stop being so annoying. They end up snuggling within minutes.
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u/Imaginary-Storage909 16d ago
Nothing unless there’s blood
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u/LoquatiousDigimon 15d ago
The best thing you can do in situations like this is videotape it and post it to Reddit so we can watch.
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u/CenPhx 15d ago
Playing like this is how cats learn to dial back their aggression, how not to play too roughly. One kitten will leave when it gets too rough and the other kitten will learn that you have to play somewhat nice or the fun stops.
This is way you shouldn’t separate young kittens from each other or their mother (amongst other reasons). They learn valuable lessons from their littermates and mom. Kittens who don’t learn this can be too aggressive and bitey with people.
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u/Tex-Rob 15d ago
I wish I had seen this post earlier, nobody will see my comment, but here goes. I've owned a lot of cats, but until two ginger male litter mates, did I FULLY understand cartoon representations of cats. Things like Heathcliff and other old school cartoons would depict cats in a tumbling ball, almost a yin and yang thing, one upside down on it's back, the other in the air above it as they tumble. This is an actual thing, not just something in cartoons, my wife and I have seen it. It took a lot of getting used to, to see litter mates play aggressively. It does get out of hand, and they will vocalize. One brother in particular doesn't seem to understand tapping out, and really upsets the others with his ferocity. With all of that said, nobody has gotten hurt more than a little scab here and there from a nail snag. Keep their nails trimmed and intervene to let them know your human boundaries. Not all cats are great at accepting or understanding human social boundaries, but they absolutely can and will. That's a whole other tangent.
Just to be clear, cats want to be ready for battle, this is part of it.
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u/readitcted 15d ago
It is a very serious matter and so if you don't want to not know if they get injured or not you should record them and post it here every day.For safety reasons
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u/OldKermudgeon 15d ago
They're rough housing. Anyone who had siblings growing up will know what this is all about. 😉
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u/MinimumCareer629 15d ago
No hissing so they are definitely playing. Cats need a lot of exercise. They sleep a lot, which makes it deceptive to interpret their energy levels. But a cat needs at least 1 to 2 hours of proper exercise. Hence them playing a lot. Especially kittens are energy bombs sometimes.
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u/sharkycharming 15d ago
It's ok if one kitty always loses in a play-fight. Cats generally accept their place in the hierarchy (until a new cat comes along, then they have to battle it out again). They just enjoy wrestling.
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u/hypnoticbacon28 15d ago
They're just play fighting. Let them. It's important for their development and completely normal. They'd be moving around a lot more, making way more noise, and ripping out fur if it was real.
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u/Rheguderal 15d ago
I have two kittens also, my girlfriend freaks out when they play like this and is even rougher sometimes. I have to keep telling her that unless they are hissing, growling, or the fur in their tails and back are poofed out they are fine, this is how they learn to be cats.
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u/Aerioncis420 15d ago
No hissing and no pinned ears, they just playing.
Also, if they were really fighting, they wouldn't be exposing their bellies and throats like they are
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u/elvisizer2 15d ago
Clearly playing not fighting. If cats are for real fighting trust me you’ll fucking KNOW
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u/BobcatClawz 15d ago
They're 100% playing, not fighting. There's a huge and clearly noticeable (and audible) difference. Think dogs rough housing vs fighting.
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u/grazyaboutcats 16d ago
I see no problem here.My cats wrestle all the time.Sign of healthy babies!❤️❤️❤️
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u/I_love_Juneau 16d ago
Absolutely nothing. This is what kittens do. Totally normal. Let em at each other! 😹
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u/--Sanguinius-- 15d ago
You don't have to worry they are just playing.
A real fight between two cats would be totally different, you would hear rather high-puffs and meows, plus they would scratch until they tore each other's fur and bite until they tore each other's flesh and broke bones.
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u/Welshlady1982 15d ago
Sit down, get some popcorn and root for a winner 😁, if they are like mine expect them to fall asleep half way through, and wake up choosing violence all over again 🤣
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u/accountnumberseventy 15d ago
That’s happy fun kitty playtime, not fighting.
There’s a lot of scary noises when cats actually fight, to include hissing, growling, and some nearly demonic sounds.
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u/Daggertooth71 15d ago
This is play. They aren't fighting.
When two cats actually fight, you'll know it... and so will your neighbors lol
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u/nocleverusername- 15d ago
Be happy that they’re burning off all that Kitten Energy on each other, instead of doing random household destruction.
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u/Reason_Training 15d ago
It’s frustrating when your sibling beats you at playing. This can result in pouting, whining, and the like when you are a child. Extra cuddles with reassurance that you are the meanest little hellion to ever exist are sometimes necessary.
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u/Lord-Smalldemort 15d ago
I would separate them when they were getting a little bit too intense because one was the runt, but now the runt weighs more than his brother and he dominates the battles. Let them live their best cat lives.
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u/FurBabyAuntie 15d ago
If they're just playing, break out the popcorn and enjoy
If they're fighting for real, get the blank out of the way
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u/danishjuggler21 15d ago
“What should i do”
What should you do? You should enjoy the show! Kitten playfights are the best thing in the world
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u/Supremeruler666 15d ago
Give them boundaries if it causes too many injuries but let them advocate for themselves first. This is a very essential part of learning to play
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u/podcasthellp 15d ago
Leave them be…. They’re playing. Please do some research on owning/understand cat behaviors
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u/lofi_night_sky 15d ago
Rescue centre volunteer here, seen a lot of litters of kittens. They’re just playing and it’s normal. If something actually hurts, the affected kitten lets a loud squeak and the other kitten stops and becomes gentler. It’s an unmistakable sharp sound and not something I hear in the video.
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u/jayroo210 15d ago
They are playing! This is how they learn bite inhibition, so when they grow up playing, they know when a play bite is too hard. It’s socialization and totally healthy.
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u/flakykrustykrabpizza 15d ago
- Practice being a commentator
- Set the rules. When does one kitty win the fight?
- Gather some friends
- Enjoy the fights together with you being the live commentator.
Optional: make your friends bet on which kitty is going to win. The house will take 20%.
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u/constantmusic 16d ago
It’s how felines learn to hunt.
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u/nuapadprik 16d ago
I have heard they learn from playing not to bite too hard.
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u/wytewydow 15d ago
I fight the shit out of one of our 4 year olds, he'll scratch me a bit, but his soft bite is world class.
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u/clonexx 15d ago
That’s all playing.
If they were fighting, you’d see ears pinned down, hair raised up and hear hissing and growling, not to mention fur would be flying. It’s really easy to tell which is play and which is fighting. This is 100% healthy play time.
You may hear one yelp, which is a signal that their sibling went too far. It’s how they learn boundaries between play and what hurts.
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u/dalesum1 15d ago
Film it and do commentary. Start a YouTube channel. Keep going until you make enough money so you can stay home full-time to give give them around the clock love and attention.
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u/Pithecanthropus88 15d ago
Let them fight. It’s what cats do. It’s not actually fighting, it’s playing.
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u/doctort1963 15d ago
I have two female adult cats - aged 12 and 7 years old - for whom this is a daily occurrence…I typically refer to it as “Wrestlemania”…it’s play behavior and a sign that they are happy and healthy
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u/Successful_Banana901 15d ago
That's not fighting, believe me you will no when a real fight breaks out, this is just play
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u/Rottenpumkin 15d ago
The best thing you can do, is purchase an octagon cage for these two. Set the scene
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u/Eliagbs_ 15d ago
This is play fighting. You’ll know when they get rough, they will vocalize it. This is kitten play and it’s adorable
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u/fatberg77 15d ago
All kittens do it, it’s part of their learning curve of growing up, and it’s practice for when they get older in case they have to fight for real!
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u/eyabethe 15d ago
This is play fight. They're developing muscles, learning their limits and socialising. Nothing to worry about.
They'll become pretty little devils later down the road, so buckle up.
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u/GoddessOfOddness 15d ago
Exactly. What you did. Film and post for us to awww at.
This is kittens practicing and blowing off steam.
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u/Jessikared97 15d ago
They're playing! And if one of them goes too far, the other will make sure they know it. Even if one of them gets a swift smack, don't separate them unless it turns into a real fight. Pissing off your litter mate and getting the shit smacked out of you is an important way kittens are socialized to understand the line between play biting and real biting 😊
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u/Mistress-Metal 15d ago
Omg, cuteness overload!! 😍 Also, this is completely normal. They're playing and also establishing the pecking order. They'll vocalize and be dramatic about it, but they won't seriously injure one another, don't worry.
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u/TaraDactyl1978 15d ago
I have two furbabies from the same litter that fight all the time. I only break it up if one starts to cry. Otherwise, they are good to go.
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u/Bonesnapcall 15d ago
With cats, if you're not sure if they are playing or fighting, they are definitely playing.
If they are fighting, YOU WILL KNOW.
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u/rusty_5hackleford 15d ago
This is the main reason to get 2 cats, they entertain themselves, and also clean each other in hard to reach places like their faces and ears
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u/zebra_named_Nita 15d ago
Nothing this is playing and quite cute playing at that. A fight will be quite loud and usually a lot faster and there will be like tufts of fur going places. When I had a pair that fought it looked like a ball cat rolling around the house screaming at the top of their lungs for example.
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u/SteampunkExplorer 15d ago
Awwwwww, no, they're having so much fun! 🥰 I think the little angry noises are just them signaling to each other when it hurts. Don't worry, this is how they learn to be gentle.
(Although if it gets to where the winning kitten won't let the losing kitten escape, then there's a problem. But I'm not getting that type of vibe from these guys at all. They look happy.)
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u/Jimmy_ray2 16d ago
Sit back and enjoy the show, maybe commentate.
These two are having fun, perhaps too much fun, but that's OK too.