1 year old cat is mean to 8 year old cat

by Nina
(Novi, MI, US)

I just moved in to a house that already had 2 cats. they are both males and 1 year old. They are both nutered also. I brought my cat, who is an 8 year old female and she is spayed also. I didn't just throw her into the house and let her walk around everywhere, i introduced them slowly and kept her in my room for a week or so and then slowly let her out around the house. At first everything was great, they were all getting along and looking at each other and smelling each other... everything was fine. My cat seemed really comfortable and happy and the other cats seemed happy to have a new friend. I've been at my new place for about 3 months now, and the one male cat, who is not the most affectionate of cats in the first place, started being really mean to my cat. I think he just wants to play, but she clearly doesn't want to and she hisses and growls at him but he just keeps pawing at her and chasing her. I read that you shouldn't scold the cat for being mean to the other cat, but to let them work it out otherwise the anger of scolding the cat will just transfer back to the other cat and it will keep happening. So ive tried to just let them work it out but he just doesn't stop! I dont want my cat getting stressed out and upset over this cat, i just want him to leave her alone! They aren't like this all the time, and sometimes they can sit by each other and be fine.... at first when i moved in we all thought he had a crush on my cat.. he would stare at her and follow her everywhere... it was cute.. but now.. he seems more aggressive and i dont know what to do. The other male cat gets along just fine with my cat. He just stays out of it and they are friends, sometimes he will try to play with her and they will bat their paws a few times, but nothing compared to how the other cat is. Also, those 2 male cats have all their claws, and my cat only has back claws.. So i dont want them hurting her when they bat at each other. I have to seperate them for a while because i get so mad at the other cat for being mean to mine... I don't know what to do. I don't know if he is just playing or he is being mean but either way i don't understand why he doesn't stop.

Answer from Kate
Hi
I can sense your anxiety and it is important that your cats dont also sense this from you as this can make them anxious too.

It does sound to me like play. I have two male brother cats who every day have a fight, this fight look s and sometimes sound rather nasty but it is only play.

It is not in the interest of a cat to risk serious injury by getting into unnecessary fights. So even if they did get a little aggressive with each other it is likely that it would only be a spat.

The fact that they get along most of the time suggests that they are learning to rub along together and so these little incidents are either just games or little spats to assert top cat etc in the home. Please try not to worry, after all female cats are generally very good at looking after themselves and can in some cases be the more aggressive.

best wishes KAte