it was nice to hear jackson say that cats pretend they're not interested in the middle of hunting. that explains why my cat will start grooming herself while we're playing. like every single time.
Yeah, my female cat sometimes laying down looking at me. I thought she done playing. But when i stop and rest, she looks confuse and beg me to play again. If i swing the wand again, she play little bit more, then just sitting there again looking at me like im a clown that amuse her. I have been so confused with her behaviour. The male cat is different. Mostly he is lazy to play. But when he wants to play, he will play hard. And he is big. When he is chasing my wand, i run for real. Feels like chased by a boar 🙄
@@veilenedream5825 haha yeah. Honestly, i play with her half heartedly. Maybe that stare is judging stare so i swing the wand better and run faster. I really run when playing with the male, because he run for real, i feel like being chased instead playing 😅 (when he caught the wand, his force impact is so strong, the wand got thrown away. I have small stature and almost no stamina, playing hard with 7kg cat is fun, but bit too much). The fun part is, he play like those movie actor. Including sliding, rolling, salto jump, and snatching the wand mid air 😆 (mostly he just sleep tho)
your babies are adorable!!! their names really fit their looks. thanks for sharing their cuteness with jackson, so he could share with the rest of us! hope you and your kittens have a great new year!
I’m a first time cat mom and adopted 2 kittens at the same time one month apart in age. When they became friends with each other there were times when they would play fight that I felt was getting a little out of hand. One time I broke it up and the younger of the 2 immediately grabbed my hand with his paws and played like he was biting me. He didn’t hurt me at all. Then he just stared at me like he was telling me See? That’s all we’re doing. We’re not hurting each other. It was crazy that he did that. Ever since I have just let them be when they “fight”.
Me too, I have a very active/aggressive 6-month male kitten who plays very rough with my 8-yo girl. She is very vocal and makes a lot of noise. She sometimes chases him and wrestles him around, but most of the time he is chasing her and jumping on her.
Love that mom isn't laughing it off but rather truly doing best to raise the little guys in a safe and happy home. What a great live they have to grow into!
I agree with Jackson's statement--if you adopt a kitten, bring home 2. Cats are able to give each other feedback and social skills that people cannot necessarily give to cats. If a cat uses too much claws and teeth in their play, another cat will give them direct feedback about it.
I agree. I adopted a 2 year old cat and noticed he used his claws too much when I or sitters would play with him. So a year later. when my friend took in a pregnant street cat that had 7 kittens, I adopted one. Now there's much less claws used when we play and I have the snuggliest little addition to our family
This was definitely helpful! My two adults play like this constantly. One doesn't make any noise, but the other- a vocal girl- will meow, squeak, you name it. It's the classic sibling thing of 'I barely touched you'. And now our group of three kittens are starting to play, and one of the girls is also vocal. I love it.
I have two males, 6 and 4 years old, both pushing 20 pounds that play fight like this on a daily basis. just when I think they are actually fighting, they stop and start grooming each other.
@@matts1166 Similar I have two both over 10 that we got a year apart when one was a kitten. We always worry when they start to vocalize during play/fighting because one has the other in a wrestling hold (but with biting their neck). But they groom each other and share beds all the time.
Listen to the yowl. In that video he showed, there's a purr in it. They're having a blast. When they're fighting, there will be an angry edge like a belligerent pissed off guy
I recommend that you take a look at how alley cats fight over mates/territory, and you'll quickly figure out what the differences between playfighting and real fights are. Notably: ● real fights are MUCH louder. Lots of wauling before it even starts. Lots of staring with the ears all flat. ● real fights are SHORT & INTENSE. Fur goes flying, fast. And, again: it's _loud._
Same here. I'm a first time cat mama since January. I adopted my boys, Onyx and Zeus when they were just under a year old. Best decision I ever made and i'm grateful everyday that they let me take care of them.
This is exactly what I needed. One of my kittens is doing the same noises and they’re both doing the tail wag. I always worry that one is hurting the other. This video helped a lot. Thank you, Jackson!
Getting a kitten and a teen cat for my older cat was probably the best decision I ever made. He's become a young cat again ♡ he plays, chases, makes cute little noises calling for them, eats, and cuddles more... I was so worried he'd want to be a solo cat, but I'm thankful I went for it.
@@goldenretrievermom7945 and they're the cutest! I also adopted an elder cat, she was the single one before the shelter closed 6 years ago and she's the most loving, grateful, playful cat I've ever adopted! She was my first adopted adult but defo not the last one 😊🥰🐈
@Kaylen Ricker Any advice on how to choose a companion cat for my petite 7 yr old female? We’re currently in a multipet household, and have been since I adopted her when she was a year old. She gets along great with the other members of the household (and sometimes picks on them), but she’s also highly territorial of HER space, especially the bed. Eventually I want to move out, but with trying to balance her anticipated Loneliness with territorial behavior, I’m not sure what age would seem the most Unthreatening/easiest to boss around (without actual fights) for her. We used to have a large 20 lb senior cat. She’d cuddle with him sometimes, but mostly to try and steal his beds, and sometimes he’d corner her. (The other cat would often intervene and tell them both off, but mostly side with the smaller cat.) She’s also shown interest in kitten videos, but I don’t want to risk a kitten outgrowing her and turning into a bully-we had one kitten when I was a kid who’d beat up the preexisting and now much smaller cat, and it forced us to rehome the kitten. I don’t want to put either cat through that in a Worst Case
Growing up I had a cat who would climb a tree in the horse pasture and wait for one of my horses to pass underneath. She would then drop onto the horses back and take a nap on their rump as they grazed... the horses got use to her fairly quickly, though the first time they would jump!
Jackson my cat is NINE years old. He was the only cat until a few months ago. A 3 year old homeless cat cat moved himself in and now they both wrestle just like that!! It's crazy and fun to watch! I never knew a Senior cat could be so playful and energetic!!
I have a 12 year old cat and I just brought a 2 month old kitten into my home in September. And it's amazing to see how my senior cat will play with her. They are almost 12 years apart in age & he will tussle with her very gently and she loves it. Sometimes she will climb right on top of his back while he is sleeping and it does not even bother him. She sleeps right next to him all of the time. There is a bond between those 2. It is so awesome. :)
We have a 10 year old and a 12 year old. We brought home a 4 year old cat we thought was an older kitten. The 10 year old doesn’t want anything to do with her, but the 12 year old has been more playful than ever! Although sometimes he will let her know he’s all pooped out.
7:04 calling my kitties my kids is how I always want my kitties to be referred to. I understand, they’re not human but my 4 angels are MY children. Thank you Jackson for always educating us and being an amazing cat daddy advocate. 😺
So helpful! We just adopted an 8 month old kitten and have had a solo cat that’s now about 1.5 years so we have been nervous about it being play or fighting. Perfect timing! Thank you and everyone in the comments!
Thank you so much for this video, Jackson! Sometimes I get so worried about my cats (Peter Parker and Elvira) that I run to split them apart... but I've just realised I'm overreacting... I love them so much and it's hard to be "a first-time mom". They are my first cats and I learn a lot from your videos. Thank you so much for helping us all ;)
jackson ! i'm getting a kitten in a few days and i've been binge watching your videos to help ease my nerves and to make me feel prepared :] with your help i'll be able to give her a good life so thank you so much for that. i love you !
I did the same thing when we decided to adopt! I’ll second the recommendation to also check out Hannah Shaw, here on TH-cam, and on Instagram. Both Jackson and Hannah prepared me for being a first time kitten parent! We now have two female kittens, 7 months & 3 months old (we adopted each at 2.5 months of age). Everyone said to get them close in age, so we didn’t waste time, and they are doing great. We still introduced them slowly, and no regrets!
I've had a cat that was a solo kitten and he has biting issues. Now I have two cats that grew up together as kittens, and I've never had one of them try to bite me or anyone else. I'm convinced it's because they learned the limits through playing with each other.
Two 3 month old sisters rescued me 2 weeks ago and it's been pure joy watching them play. My whole outlook on life has been shined up since they came to me! Definitely 2 is the best way!
I have a kitty and a 2yo cat, they usually play fight and my rule generally is "if they REALLY wanted to hurt themselves, they would, and if it gets too far, they know how to run away" getting in the middle would only hurt me too, so I just let them have fun and when I pet them I make sure there's nothing that needs cleaning or a vet
i was so worried my 2 year old cat was being too forward with my new kitten. this video really helped me understand how they play and not be so nervous and hover-y! i wish i would have learned sooner about the lone kitten thing. but my older cat really does seem to be enjoying having a playmate, as he really does still act like a kitten. anyway, thanks for the video!!
same, my cats are 2yrs and 9 months old right now & i got the little one just a few weeks ago. was worried if it might be aggressive behaviour (like maybe they're still getting used to each other and my 2yo is defending her territory or whatever) but it seems like things are perfectly alright haha
Yeah, I got a playful young adult from a shelter and one year later, I got him a kitten friend. They were thick as thieves within 2 days and love playing together and grooming each other.
Perfect timing! Introduced our new kitten to our adult cat a couple of weeks ago. There were initial conflicts and hissing and growls, but they are best of friends now 🐈❤️
This is a reassuring video. I’ve introduced my cats Gomez (4 months) Kasper (11 months) and they chase each other and Gomez made this exact sounds when Kasper was getting the better of him. Kasper growls at him still as he’s pretty new. I’m hoping they manage to become more accustom. There’s way less hissing and stuff now.
I have adopted two kittens from our local shelter because of Jackson’s recommendation that two are better than one…It’s so much fun watching them interact. Thank you!💕
I wish he’d given an example of a fight went too far. My kitten tries to play with my adult cat and he yowls very loudly and I don’t know whether he is upset or not
My first kitten died this year, she was only a year old. Then my mom rescued 3 cats that lived in a park nearby, two of them were pregnant, one gave birth a week ago. Now we have 5 cats and more to come. It’s lovely 😊
I'm glad you guys are saving lives, but also please get them spayed/neutered asap. You'll not only help your cats enjoy their lives and keep the overpopulation of kittens down, but you'll help them have lower risks of some cancers down the line too.
A request for Jackson's fans: if you leave a comment, it helps him with the TH-cam algorithm that gives him a higher placement in the stream. Let's face the truth. We love the Jackson Galaxy channel, and so do our fur children! 😸😸😻😻
I needed this video today! My 5 month old kittens have been playing more aggressively than I’m comfortable with. One has a super strong prey instinct and the other one is getting the brunt of it. Thanks to your videos, we thought maybe Tony needed more engagement and play even though we play with him often. It does seem to help. I feel like seeing this video made me proud that we were doing the right thing. You really reassured me.
I adopted 2 a month apart, and I lost one to cancer in September of 2019. The remaining one now has kidney disease, and I swear the kitty that passed has been watching over him and was even giving me clues on what to pay attention to and what to do before he was even diagnosed. I pray every day that my kitty overcomes his kidney disease and thank his brother for being his angel, and mine. Miss you, Elmo. Please keep telling me what I should be trying to heal your brother. I wish I'd have had more time to try to heal you. 💕
My two kittens do exactly the same and I was worried they might be fighting so thank you Jackson. I have your book but not always time to read, so these quick videos are a great help!
I have an almost 3 year old and 1 year old cats. Due to COVID we had to wait to get the 1 yo neutered, and they were having food aggression with one another as a part of it. Their interactions changed dramatically when they were fighting. Usually they’ll go after one another and then snuggle. They were inseparable. But when they were actually fighting the older one tried to avoid the younger one and would make noises at him when they weren’t playing, noises I’d never heard before. Getting the 1yo neutered and changing their feeding pattern helped a bunch and they’re back to normal, loving each other a bunch.
Fun fact: research has shown cats from a litter bite less. The thinking is that kitten play teaches them how to not go too far. Also cats are so sensitive in their biting that they can sense bone from soft tissue. When they’ve studied the prey of cats they find they almost never crush the spine. That means they are able to bite between the tiny vertebrae of small animals. So your cat knows how to bite soft or hard. This is why it’s important when raising a kitten without a litter to give negative feedback when a kitten plays too rough. I say, imagine if a full grown cat did what the kitten is doing. How much damage would it do? If it would really hurt, do not encourage it in the kitten.
So true. I cringe when I see videos of people like, "lol, look at my kitten climb me like a tree." and then I get mad thinking how later they might blame/punish the cat for the bad behaviors they, as poor owners, taught them as a kitten 😡
Also, some people think it’s fun to annoy kittens to the point of them scratching and biting, that’s cute when their teeth and claws are not sharp, but when they grow up, then what?! Important to teach them early biting and scratching is not acceptable.
@@Poorstargazer23 That’s completely different lol, cats naturally climb things. I’m not gonna teach my cat to associate climbing with a negative reaction. How else will it be a good hunter like I want it to be?? You know not everyone in the world has pets for a fluffy cute friend, some pets have an actual purpose lol.
My kitten was adopted at 8 weeks he's 11 weeks . He's starting to play but he won't play either toys he plays with my hand. He bites too hard when playing and it breaks skin. I say ouch or pull my hand away but he doesn't seem to understand he's play biting too hard. What do I do?
I have one that was taken away from her family at a too young stage. She's been a single cat in the home for the last four years but I think she would like another cat around. I also worry because what if she doesn't want any other cat around? :(
I want an answer to this question. I wish I saw Jackson's advice on getting two kittens instead of one but, as a first cat owner, I was afraid I couldn't handle two. Also, I was afraid of my father-in-law's reaction wouldn't be good if we got two. So we brought one home. She's been a single cat for almost a year and a half (we got her as a kitten). I felt she was lonely. Not very active or interested so we got a second cat last year during the summer. He was also a kitten and is now a year old while my first cat is two now. They just don't seem to get along anymore. 😕 my second cat he likes to play ALOT while my first cat just likes to chill and bathe herself lol sometimes she will play(I noticed she mostly likes to play by herself). Now I'm thinking maybe it was a mistake on my part for getting a second cat. She was perfectly fine as a single cat. Now our home is a living hell while I'm calling the vet trying to get the situation under control. We simply cannot let go of either of them... we have to compromise somewhere and we are still in the process of helping my two cats be calmer. So far, no one has taken an eyeball out. But it's been quite stressful when cats don't get along or don't communicate very well.
I think it's a matter of the cat's age and attitude/behavior. The older and more territorial the cat is, the harder it is. Most cats will at least tolerate each other eventually with a careful introduction. See if a local shelter will let you foster to adopt. Another strategy is to get 2 kittens so they focus on each other and (mostly) leave the elder cat alone.
@@yazzybananas3106 I have found that getting cats of different sexes can be more trouble than a same sex pair, even when both are desexed. Although I have had more issues, in general, with female cats of different ages getting along than male cats in a similar situation.
We had an male kitty who loved our older female. She wasn't amused. One day while petting his head, I felt a bump... After investigating I found a claw embedded in the top of his head where she had rejected his advances.... No telling how long it was stuck in there... Needless to say, she was not playing!
Not only am I so happy you made this video, I actually teared up because I realised my boys are friends 🥹 they’re 1 and 2 years old and I brought home the younger one a month ago. They aren’t quite kittens but had both lived with other cats previously. I was worried it wasn’t going as well as I’d hoped because of the screaming during play but you’re absolutely right, they don’t hide from each other or go to a corner. They also alternate in initiating the fights. I’m just so happy my two rescues are happy and fulfilled ❤
I did NOT think I was a cat person but I really wanted a pet to love and I couldn’t get a puppy because both my husband and I work long hours. We got a couple kittens. KITTENS ARE FABULOUS! I love them so much. I am not only a cat person now but I totally understand why getting two is better than one. In fact, if I lived alone, I’d get one more! I now know how someone becomes a CAT LADY.
So glad I found this channel. I just adopted the sweetest boy two days ago approx age is 1.5years old who was returned for unknown reasons after a previous adoption.
Thank you for Promoting adopting kittens together. Even pair bonded adult cats.I always try and tell people at the shelter where I volunteer that adopting two kittens isn’t really more work and even easier in many ways because they will tire each other out, and when you’re not home you’ll feel better knowing they have each other for company. I’m always sad when someone only takes one little kitten - especially when it has a sibling that is not being adopted.
We brought a young dog and a cat together. It took time, but they did learn how to play Together very successfully. The dog would play endlessly, but there are times the cat would have enough. She found polite ways to tell the dog to stop without attacking or hurting it. She is a great little cat.
We adopted an adult cat, Cherri, then we adopted a single kitten, Turbo, because he was all alone. And Cherri acts like a mom to turbo and it is so sweet. They also love to wrestle.
We foster kittens and watching them be SO FEROCIOUS!!!(tm) with each other is one of my favorite things. They will wildly bat, kick, and growl...then pass out cuddled up together.
Super long question here: Moved in with my boyfriend who has two cats that are brother and sister, and I have my cat who never really liked other cats. He gets along really well now with the boy cat, and tolerates the girl cat. My cat never really socialized with other cats (when he was young I tried and the other cats attacked him). Now, my cat is learning to play with the boy cat, and it's been so interesting to watch them interact. From Jackson's show I learned that both cats were displaying confident behavior and I didn't hear the really "angry" growls when they were rolling around together. Their claws weren't out either, so I classified that as play. HOWEVER.....lately my cat seemed to learn that he could easily win the play session by biting the other boy REALLY hard. The other boy cries when he does that, and he runs away. My cat then gets the message and backs off, but then comes back to assert his power minutes later. This keeps happening throughout the day, but then at night they'll sleep together and cuddle. Is there a way I can teach my cat not to bite so hard, but still encourage him to play nicely? Or is this something he'll just have to figure out on his own?
Step in after the bite and don't allow him to come back , I recommend using a wand toy something to distract and block if he is really intense then a water spray bottle , I would also recommend playing with him a little extra it's sounds like he's letting himself get to amped up so giving him more exercise helps to chill them out, ending play sessions with treats also helps them feel like playtime as ended because play is just mimicking the hunt and the hunt should end with catching prey (treats) (: hope that helps!
Don't use water bottles. It breaks your cars trust in you apparently. Jackson has some video on it if you want to research for yourself. They never work in the long run anyways, it's just a way of intervention that you could manage just as easily by stepping in yourself. My guess would be to step in and do the bad thing good thing type play. JG also has videos on that but about cat clawing things I think. Basically break up his bad play and then offer an alternative good play. I have a very bite happy player and I got him a stuffed cat half his size we named Tater Tot. When he gets to bitey I say, "No ows," and that's his que to release and pull back, I then give his "Tater tot" plush over and he bites into that thing like Dracula after a walk in the Sahara. Now, even when there is no toy around saying, "No ows," makes him release teeth and claws from whatever he's working on...cause he also loves attacking/hording laundry and makes putting clothes away a whole big deal 😂😅 Now if the cat is showing dominant behavior in areas other than play, that might need a bit research and intervention.
I'm having this problem also, but my older kitty is 10, younger new addition to the fam is 1.5, and she won't let younger kitty cuddle at all even though you can tell she really wants to. Idk what to do anymore. We separate and intervene but after a year there isn't a difference :( I feel like I ruined older kitty's golden years and made her life a living hell :'(
Thankful for this! I was pretty sure my babies were just playing but I wanted to be sure. I sometimes have to remind them not to be too aggressive but they do a good job of holding back too.
Thanks for the video! I just got two male kittens, I already had one and than I went back for his brother a week later at first they did not like each other at all! But now they have been playing and eating threw a door together, your videos have helped me get to this point of rebounding them in only 3 days they are going to have a great quality relationship and life now 🥰
Having two kittens shows how much having only one deprives it of the interactions they need. We got two brothers when our 22 year old passed away about a month ago. They do everything together and always sleep within a few inches of each other or touching. They spend nearly all their active life interacting with each other, even when playing with us humans. When I got my last cat that I had before meeting my wife I initially had 2 though rescued from different places as kittens. Unfortunately Mono had a heart defect and passed at only 13 years old and Cookie went on to live another 7 years. When getting kittens please be prepared for the fact that 20+ is now a norm and not a rarity, make provision for what happens to your cat(s) when you’re gone.
We agree. In May 2020, we adopted 2 6 wk old tuxedo sisters who had feral parents. They were so much fun to watch growing up. Then we had opportunity in July 2021 to adopt a 4 mo old male stray. He loves having the sisters to play with or " torment". All good fun. We love having 3 cats...& a dog who will run check on the cats when she hears a fuss.
Thank you for this one. My Norwegian Forest cat Woolley helped my kitten learn to fight/play/hunt. And all was good until my ginge reached 9/10 months. Woolley doesn't instigate that rough play anymore as if to say, 'nope, I've taught you well grasshopper, you'll be fine without me.' He doesn't mind if Chester instigates, that's fine, just doesn't happen so much now.
This video definitely reassured me! I got two new kittens that aren't from the same litter just like in the video. I've been slowly introducing them as best I could. We did have a few accidental meet ups. I was so worried they wouldn't get along. But we finally got to the stage of being in the same room. They've been playing and I was worried they were getting mean and aggressive. But they kept coming back to each other and wagging tails. And there was no hiding or claws out. We were confused. Now that we've seen them together a bit more we realized they're just kittens and learning each other's language. They back off when ones had enough and give each other space with less hissing or growling the more they play. We're still supervising them to be careful for the next week or so. But they seem to really love playing together! They couldn't be happier. ❤️
Thank you Jackson I just adopted a gorgeous black kitty yesterday. Its terrible how many people refuse black cats or even black with white. They are usually the sweetest cats
Perfect timing. We have had cats before but only ever one. We have just added two kittens to our family (Bear and Bandit, 10 weeks old) and I spoke to my husband today about asking this exact question. 👍 This was really helpful 😊
i picked up two sister kittens today from my local shelter...theyre 3 months old and too dang cute. watching all this mans videos to give these little pretties the best life I can
I adopted a kitten who grew up with his siblings, playing. The cat I had did not have that experience. I suspect she grew up on the street alone quite a bit. She played with her claws out. But this new kitten (Pierre), taught her how to play (period. But also, play without her claws. It was amazing.
My babies, Nuggett and T'Challa, play like that all the time. My family would try to stop them "from fighting" and I would always say, if they are fighting and are really mad, do u think they would jump right back and start again? I LOVE LOVE LOVE this video. I'm sharing it with my family. And I really want them to hear the ending of bringing home 2 kittens, not one.
Thank you Jackson!!! My kittens are 10ish weeks too and going through the exact same thing. They are SO vocal and it freaks me out! But hearing you go through the specifics eased my mind.
Great information! I have a 3 yr old kitty and a 7 month old kitten. I tried to do the Jackson slow intro through the door. My kitty would growl at the baby even while feeding. After about a month the baby started dashing out the door anytime I opened it so I sat back and watched her carefully. Baby initiated play and it seemed like my adult kitty just couldn't resist. She was a grumpy old lady at first, but warmed up quickly and now they play all the time. I know I got really lucky that baby just ignored the grumpy and insisted on playing.
@@s.l.wymansrockinwriting6633 for us her name is Zelda but if she were going to be a D&D Race she would be a goblin so more often than not we call her goblin. Lol I love how you made it a legitimately beautiful name. That spelling is wonderful.
@@cassiforest9191 Thank you. It suits her. We play DND as well and she has the tiny terror attitude. She is small for her age and chases around full grown cats twice her size with zero fear
I'm very happy to hear this. My adult cats do this quite a lot and it's usually the bigger, older cat hunting the smaller, younger cat. I was worried about it, but there's no blood, claws or fear. They love sleeping next to each other and grooming each other and the big one gets distressed if he doesn't know where the little one is. I'm glad to know their loud "fights" are pure play.
I had 2 adult cats that would cleaned each other, wrestled, and even played each other. These 2 cats both got along really quickly in first meeting. They were adopted a little bit over 2 years from each other from being strays to a house cats. The became friends for a long time a little bit over 12 years.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!! As one who volunteers at a local cat cafe, I often struggle with knowing whether cats are playing or fighting. This video really helped.
We got our first pet, Titan an orphaned kitten,3 weeks ago. Today we got another kitten Colossus. Titan looks weeks older and I looked for a video because of their interaction. They are playing, definitely, as Jackson stated, testing their boundaries. Titan was pooped out after chasing and being chased, swatting and being swatted at..sleeping on the couch. Colossus has finally fallen asleep also.
I adopted my two sweethearts at the same time, two years ago. One is a good month or two older than the other but they took to each other so fast and easy. I’m thankful everyday that I got two. They cuddle daily, bathe each other, check on each other when one gets all scared and puffed up or sick, and they play so much. It’s been a wonderful experience having two.
Videos like this definitely helped me with my two cats. Cause they seem to really like chasing and wrestling with each other, and i was getting worried cause my one cat seemed much more aggressive towards the new cat, but after some time i've noticed that non of the fights have been too far, which this video really gave me the signs to look out for. They'll wrestle and then flop on the ground next to each other for a bit before going for another few rounds lol
We are first-time cat owners and we ended up getting another kitten a few months after our first. They are about 4 months apart in age and while they now will eat from the same plate at the same time their play had us worried at times. This video has done a lot to put our minds at ease.
We had 2 strays find us at separate times this summer. At first I was like, noooo, we already have 3 adult cats but these 2 kittens play with each other instead of harrassing the older ones and it's worked out beautifully so far.
It's definitely good to know. I had two that actually fought, and after trying everything (from reintroduction to meds over the course of 4 years) I had to rehome one with my father...the one I rehomed is now a nice chunky 19lb baby and the other one I sadly had to put to sleep due to cancer and pleurisy. Have two new kittens that are bonded and play rough, which for a while worried me, but after watching this, I feel so much better. They will be a year old in October and do get along with my old 19 yr old blind cat as well.
You always get two kittens so they can beat each other up instead of beating up the humans. My two young cats go crazy playing and sometimes arguing. My older one who is 2, she will hiss at the 1 year old to let her know to knock it off or she is getting too wild.
I had 2 boy litter mates and it was great fun. They lived 13 years. I could tell when it got too rough when they screamed out on pain, usually from a bite, and they’d be really mad. I’d then step in and break it up.
I agree. I have had a littermate pair before, and they had the MOST fun running around and chasing and playing with each other. So cute. Plus, they always had each other to snuggle.
I have just gotten 2 little ragdoll boys from the same litter and seeing them play fighting together, I could never have imagined only having one of them. They just give each other these social interactions I would never be able to.
I have 2 older cats (8 & 17) and the younger cat sometimes gets too rough and I break them up. The younger cat always vies for dominance. The older cat has always been a sweetie and doesn't have a competitive or mean bone in her body. They also have good times. They groom each other and bump heads and all of that. They will sleep together. But If I think the younger cat is being much too rough, I break them up by telling them "aanh, aanh" and step closer to them if I need to. They break it and peace is restored.
My Girls are 2 years old, and they still play like this. My older girl usually instigates these play sessions, and my younger girl makes all the noise. No fear. No blood. No fur. Been this way since we brought the younger one home. We didn't let them tussle until the younger one got a little bigger (3 month VS a 9 month, so yeah...) but once she was a little bigger, they've been play fighting.
My three cats, Rosaire, Jeanne and Juliette, are so important to me. I watch all of Jackson’s videos and it makes me a better companion for them. Thank you!
Because of your videos and guidance, my new under socialized kitten has become quite friendly and my resident cat has gotten used to her very quickly :) It took a few weeks in separate rooms , slowly introducing with scent and site swapping. We gradually removed the sheet covering the glass door between the two girls and eventually let the kitten explore the rest of the apartment. The resident cat had some growls and hisses to let the kitten know “this is my chair/food/ water dish” but there have been no brawls other than a few harmless bops on the head to the new kitten! (Pretty funny to watch) Both girls like to run around and chase eachother and I can’t wait to see how they get along going forward. Thank you so much for creating the content that you do, it has helped a lot! - Koel
We were lucky enough to have a stray Siamese show up on our doorstep and adopt us in February 2020. Soon enough we found out she was pregnant, and our queen gave us 5 kitties. Watching all of them play/fight/grow together was a treat during Covid lockdown. Happily we were able to adopt 4 of them out to family members. My husband insisted we keep one. Mother and son are great together, not too much fighting but lots of chasing each other around. And yes, now they are both "fixed" and chipped. No more litters for these indoor/outdoor felines. Love your channel, thanks.
This video helped me calm down a little: I am first time cat guardian and the two young kitty sisters of mine (one is named Yuki too haha) love wrestling with each other which is fine but when they started making noises, I always get concerned so thank you for this video! I always love seeing how they switch between fighting and licking each other 😂 edit: I have been doing the redirecting play thing intuitively to channel their energies onto prey and right now they calmly share a basket, bathe in the sun and lick each other❤
Woah, thank J! I was kind of worried about my two rascals. But it is all cool, kittens being kittens. You are a blessing for cats, and people. I brought 2 kittens because I red + heard that it is better for them in so many levels. So far so true, they learn from each other and comfort one another. So cute really.
With our cats, the female is very vocal when play-fighting. We like to joke that she’s resorting to her alley cat language. I don’t take it too seriously though because she’s keeps pouncing and jumping back into the play fight and sometimes the male even lets her win. You can tell their friends though because there’s usually a mutual grooming session right after play. They’re not litter mates, but they are only two months apart in age.
My sibling cats are 4 years old. One cat is dominate, Alpha if you will. The two will play, but after a while the Alpha will take it too far and the other will yelp. I break it up at that point. The Alpha tends to be a bully -- just her personality. Her sister by contrast is an absolute sweetheart. Thanks for all the help with these videos Jackson!
I recommend that you take a look at how alley cats fight over mates/territory, and you'll quickly figure out what the differences between playfighting and real fights are. Notably: ● real fights are MUCH louder. Lots of wauling before it even starts. Lots of staring with the ears all flat. ● real fights are SHORT & INTENSE. Fur goes flying, fast. And, again: it's _loud._
You seem to have a video for every question I have! I’ve never had cats before, so my pair of kittens is a big change to me, but watching your videos has helped me learn more and be the best cat parent I can be. So far, they seem very happy!
Your videos are so helpful! They cheer me up in these crazy times! I laugh so much when I watch them and love your support for shelter animals and strays! God bless!
it was nice to hear jackson say that cats pretend they're not interested in the middle of hunting. that explains why my cat will start grooming herself while we're playing. like every single time.
Bruh I friend know right ill be like '👁👄👁?'
Yeah, my female cat sometimes laying down looking at me. I thought she done playing. But when i stop and rest, she looks confuse and beg me to play again. If i swing the wand again, she play little bit more, then just sitting there again looking at me like im a clown that amuse her.
I have been so confused with her behaviour.
The male cat is different. Mostly he is lazy to play. But when he wants to play, he will play hard. And he is big. When he is chasing my wand, i run for real. Feels like chased by a boar 🙄
@@DottieDott lol sounds cute though!
@@veilenedream5825 haha yeah. Honestly, i play with her half heartedly. Maybe that stare is judging stare so i swing the wand better and run faster. I really run when playing with the male, because he run for real, i feel like being chased instead playing 😅 (when he caught the wand, his force impact is so strong, the wand got thrown away. I have small stature and almost no stamina, playing hard with 7kg cat is fun, but bit too much). The fun part is, he play like those movie actor. Including sliding, rolling, salto jump, and snatching the wand mid air 😆 (mostly he just sleep tho)
Ikr?
I am so happy I saw this! My babies are on youtube!!! Thank you so much Jackson!
your babies are adorable!!! their names really fit their looks. thanks for sharing their cuteness with jackson, so he could share with the rest of us! hope you and your kittens have a great new year!
@@hitsujiyume You too! Happy New year!
Flat wide cardboard scratchers, best thing ever invented
I used to have those blue rocking chairs! I had them since the 90’s until 2019. I loved them! Cute babies ❤️
Your babies are so cute!! I have two boys who are litter mates. They’re 7 years old now, and they still play like your kitties do! 💙
Whos watching this while their kittens are fighting?
me 😭😭
same lmao
Yup 😅 was very worried
Me
Exactly why I'm watching. Can't tell if they're fighting.
Jackson: cats are little sadists
Me(looking at my cats): that’s why I love you
😂😂😂 now it makes sense why I love cats lol
I’m a first time cat mom and adopted 2 kittens at the same time one month apart in age. When they became friends with each other there were times when they would play fight that I felt was getting a little out of hand. One time I broke it up and the younger of the 2 immediately grabbed my hand with his paws and played like he was biting me. He didn’t hurt me at all. Then he just stared at me like he was telling me See? That’s all we’re doing. We’re not hurting each other. It was crazy that he did that. Ever since I have just let them be when they “fight”.
They do know how to make it look real, though! They're so dramatic, but the bites are nothing and no claws are used. 😄
soso cute
Awwwwwwww
Huh. Interesting.
Omg, mine do that if I break them up. One does a gentle play on my hand and looks like "see mum, we're being gentle!"
So glad I'm not alone.
I’d love to see more about kitten vs older cat play!
I agree. I was hoping this would address older cats. My 3 year old cat is rough with my kitten and my 6 year old.
Same is this the same for an older cat and kitten. The older cat being the noise maker
Yeah, good point, my 2 year old kinda hates the 4 month old and the 8 week old
Yes!!
Me too, I have a very active/aggressive 6-month male kitten who plays very rough with my 8-yo girl. She is very vocal and makes a lot of noise. She sometimes chases him and wrestles him around, but most of the time he is chasing her and jumping on her.
Love that mom isn't laughing it off but rather truly doing best to raise the little guys in a safe and happy home. What a great live they have to grow into!
I agree with Jackson's statement--if you adopt a kitten, bring home 2. Cats are able to give each other feedback and social skills that people cannot necessarily give to cats. If a cat uses too much claws and teeth in their play, another cat will give them direct feedback about it.
This could be avoided if ppl just adopted kittens after 3 ½ months, so they spend the most time with her mom and brothers to learn this all.
@@lianadupuich9069 True, but it's not a miracle cure
@@lianadupuich9069 I think that there are so many wonderful adult cats that need homes too. People don't necessarily need to go for a kitten per se
Are you saying to keep them with just their siblings/mom for fourteen weeks?
I agree. I adopted a 2 year old cat and noticed he used his claws too much when I or sitters would play with him. So a year later. when my friend took in a pregnant street cat that had 7 kittens, I adopted one. Now there's much less claws used when we play and I have the snuggliest little addition to our family
This was definitely helpful! My two adults play like this constantly. One doesn't make any noise, but the other- a vocal girl- will meow, squeak, you name it. It's the classic sibling thing of 'I barely touched you'. And now our group of three kittens are starting to play, and one of the girls is also vocal. I love it.
I have two males, 6 and 4 years old, both pushing 20 pounds that play fight like this on a daily basis. just when I think they are actually fighting, they stop and start grooming each other.
@@matts1166 Similar I have two both over 10 that we got a year apart when one was a kitten. We always worry when they start to vocalize during play/fighting because one has the other in a wrestling hold (but with biting their neck). But they groom each other and share beds all the time.
This was *incredibly* helpful. My wife and I adopted two kittens a few months ago, and they fight like siblings do. This puts me a bit more at ease.
Listen to the yowl. In that video he showed, there's a purr in it. They're having a blast. When they're fighting, there will be an angry edge like a belligerent pissed off guy
I recommend that you take a look at how alley cats fight over mates/territory, and you'll quickly figure out what the differences between playfighting and real fights are. Notably:
● real fights are MUCH louder. Lots of wauling before it even starts. Lots of staring with the ears all flat.
● real fights are SHORT & INTENSE. Fur goes flying, fast. And, again: it's _loud._
Same here so glad I found this video. Oh we get so worried about our babies 😅😻
@@TechnoEstate you didn’t even say the difference you said they were both real fights lol
I adopted two little brothers and everyday since I’ve been so grateful I brought them both home
Me too! Love their bond!
Me too but little sisters :’)
Me too! 😻
Same here. I'm a first time cat mama since January. I adopted my boys, Onyx and Zeus when they were just under a year old. Best decision I ever made and i'm grateful everyday that they let me take care of them.
💗
This is exactly what I needed. One of my kittens is doing the same noises and they’re both doing the tail wag. I always worry that one is hurting the other. This video helped a lot. Thank you, Jackson!
Getting a kitten and a teen cat for my older cat was probably the best decision I ever made. He's become a young cat again ♡ he plays, chases, makes cute little noises calling for them, eats, and cuddles more... I was so worried he'd want to be a solo cat, but I'm thankful I went for it.
I have a litter of four. Watching them grow up together is amazing.
I’m so glad you said to bring more than one cat home, especially during kitten season. They really need each other.
I need more cat play-fight videos like how Jackson edited the video. That was wonderful!
I always look for bonded pairs when adopting, because I only adopt adult cats, love having two at a time!
@N R good on you for adopting an older cat.
Thank you for taking those adults home, when I worked at a rescue the adult cats were always the hardest to rehome, especially the bonded pairs! xoxo
@@goldenretrievermom7945 and they're the cutest! I also adopted an elder cat, she was the single one before the shelter closed 6 years ago and she's the most loving, grateful, playful cat I've ever adopted! She was my first adopted adult but defo not the last one 😊🥰🐈
@Kaylen Ricker
Any advice on how to choose a companion cat for my petite 7 yr old female?
We’re currently in a multipet household, and have been since I adopted her when she was a year old. She gets along great with the other members of the household (and sometimes picks on them), but she’s also highly territorial of HER space, especially the bed. Eventually I want to move out, but with trying to balance her anticipated Loneliness with territorial behavior, I’m not sure what age would seem the most Unthreatening/easiest to boss around (without actual fights) for her.
We used to have a large 20 lb senior cat. She’d cuddle with him sometimes, but mostly to try and steal his beds, and sometimes he’d corner her. (The other cat would often intervene and tell them both off, but mostly side with the smaller cat.)
She’s also shown interest in kitten videos, but I don’t want to risk a kitten outgrowing her and turning into a bully-we had one kitten when I was a kid who’d beat up the preexisting and now much smaller cat, and it forced us to rehome the kitten. I don’t want to put either cat through that in a Worst Case
@@anonymousfellow8879 Honestly it sounds like she doesn't want a companion cat.
Growing up I had a cat who would climb a tree in the horse pasture and wait for one of my horses to pass underneath. She would then drop onto the horses back and take a nap on their rump as they grazed... the horses got use to her fairly quickly, though the first time they would jump!
omg this is adorable 😻
Jackson my cat is NINE years old. He was the only cat until a few months ago. A 3 year old homeless cat cat moved himself in and now they both wrestle just like that!! It's crazy and fun to watch! I never knew a Senior cat could be so playful and energetic!!
I have a 12 year old cat and I just brought a 2 month old kitten into my home in September. And it's amazing to see how my senior cat will play with her. They are almost 12 years apart in age & he will tussle with her very gently and she loves it. Sometimes she will climb right on top of his back while he is sleeping and it does not even bother him. She sleeps right next to him all of the time. There is a bond between those 2. It is so awesome. :)
I have had cat be playful past 15. The male I have now is 5 and acts like a kitten.
We have a 10 year old and a 12 year old. We brought home a 4 year old cat we thought was an older kitten. The 10 year old doesn’t want anything to do with her, but the 12 year old has been more playful than ever! Although sometimes he will let her know he’s all pooped out.
A nine year old cat is far from a senior....
I got a 5 year old and 17 year old kitties that act like kittens
7:04 calling my kitties my kids is how I always want my kitties to be referred to.
I understand, they’re not human but my 4 angels are MY children.
Thank you Jackson for always educating us and being an amazing cat daddy advocate. 😺
It's weird
So helpful! We just adopted an 8 month old kitten and have had a solo cat that’s now about 1.5 years so we have been nervous about it being play or fighting. Perfect timing! Thank you and everyone in the comments!
Thank you so much for this video, Jackson! Sometimes I get so worried about my cats (Peter Parker and Elvira) that I run to split them apart... but I've just realised I'm overreacting... I love them so much and it's hard to be "a first-time mom". They are my first cats and I learn a lot from your videos. Thank you so much for helping us all ;)
jackson ! i'm getting a kitten in a few days and i've been binge watching your videos to help ease my nerves and to make me feel prepared :] with your help i'll be able to give her a good life so thank you so much for that. i love you !
Hannah Shaw... The kitten lady. She’s the one to go to about kittens. Jackson is awesome and he has sung her praises many a time.
And yeah, if you possibly can, get two. 🙂
How exciting!
also make sure to adopt dont shop !!
I did the same thing when we decided to adopt! I’ll second the recommendation to also check out Hannah Shaw, here on TH-cam, and on Instagram. Both Jackson and Hannah prepared me for being a first time kitten parent! We now have two female kittens, 7 months & 3 months old (we adopted each at 2.5 months of age). Everyone said to get them close in age, so we didn’t waste time, and they are doing great. We still introduced them slowly, and no regrets!
I've had a cat that was a solo kitten and he has biting issues. Now I have two cats that grew up together as kittens, and I've never had one of them try to bite me or anyone else. I'm convinced it's because they learned the limits through playing with each other.
Happy New Year in advance to Cat daddy and all cat daddies and mommies around the world!
Bless y'all🙏🏻
Happy New Year from me and my kitties 🧡🖤
Ditto 🐾👣
cat parent but thanks
@@gwuncantheship5963 I was about to type that! Happy holidays, fellow cat parent.
💗
Two 3 month old sisters rescued me 2 weeks ago and it's been pure joy watching them play. My whole outlook on life has been shined up since they came to me! Definitely 2 is the best way!
I have a kitty and a 2yo cat, they usually play fight and my rule generally is "if they REALLY wanted to hurt themselves, they would, and if it gets too far, they know how to run away" getting in the middle would only hurt me too, so I just let them have fun and when I pet them I make sure there's nothing that needs cleaning or a vet
i was so worried my 2 year old cat was being too forward with my new kitten. this video really helped me understand how they play and not be so nervous and hover-y! i wish i would have learned sooner about the lone kitten thing. but my older cat really does seem to be enjoying having a playmate, as he really
does still act like a kitten. anyway, thanks for the video!!
same, my cats are 2yrs and 9 months old right now & i got the little one just a few weeks ago. was worried if it might be aggressive behaviour (like maybe they're still getting used to each other and my 2yo is defending her territory or whatever) but it seems like things are perfectly alright haha
Yeah, I got a playful young adult from a shelter and one year later, I got him a kitten friend. They were thick as thieves within 2 days and love playing together and grooming each other.
Perfect timing! Introduced our new kitten to our adult cat a couple of weeks ago. There were initial conflicts and hissing and growls, but they are best of friends now 🐈❤️
My family did the same thing and within a week they were inlove.
Form what I hear you were, .... got to go, one of the cat went into play mode ...
Hi, I wonder how long did it take for your cats to finally get along? Thanks
This is a reassuring video.
I’ve introduced my cats Gomez (4 months) Kasper (11 months) and they chase each other and Gomez made this exact sounds when Kasper was getting the better of him. Kasper growls at him still as he’s pretty new. I’m hoping they manage to become more accustom. There’s way less hissing and stuff now.
@@saralouise7199how are they doing now?
I have adopted two kittens from our local shelter because of Jackson’s recommendation that two are better than one…It’s so much fun watching them interact. Thank you!💕
As always, perfect timing! 😂👍🏻
Fr same
I wish he’d given an example of a fight went too far. My kitten tries to play with my adult cat and he yowls very loudly and I don’t know whether he is upset or not
My first kitten died this year, she was only a year old. Then my mom rescued 3 cats that lived in a park nearby, two of them were pregnant, one gave birth a week ago. Now we have 5 cats and more to come. It’s lovely 😊
I'm glad you guys are saving lives, but also please get them spayed/neutered asap.
You'll not only help your cats enjoy their lives and keep the overpopulation of kittens down, but you'll help them have lower risks of some cancers down the line too.
A request for Jackson's fans: if you leave a comment, it helps him with the TH-cam algorithm that gives him a higher placement in the stream.
Let's face the truth. We love the Jackson Galaxy channel, and so do our fur children! 😸😸😻😻
I needed this video today! My 5 month old kittens have been playing more aggressively than I’m comfortable with. One has a super strong prey instinct and the other one is getting the brunt of it. Thanks to your videos, we thought maybe Tony needed more engagement and play even though we play with him often. It does seem to help. I feel like seeing this video made me proud that we were doing the right thing. You really reassured me.
I adopted 2 a month apart, and I lost one to cancer in September of 2019. The remaining one now has kidney disease, and I swear the kitty that passed has been watching over him and was even giving me clues on what to pay attention to and what to do before he was even diagnosed. I pray every day that my kitty overcomes his kidney disease and thank his brother for being his angel, and mine. Miss you, Elmo. Please keep telling me what I should be trying to heal your brother. I wish I'd have had more time to try to heal you. 💕
My two kittens do exactly the same and I was worried they might be fighting so thank you Jackson. I have your book but not always time to read, so these quick videos are a great help!
I have an almost 3 year old and 1 year old cats. Due to COVID we had to wait to get the 1 yo neutered, and they were having food aggression with one another as a part of it. Their interactions changed dramatically when they were fighting. Usually they’ll go after one another and then snuggle. They were inseparable. But when they were actually fighting the older one tried to avoid the younger one and would make noises at him when they weren’t playing, noises I’d never heard before.
Getting the 1yo neutered and changing their feeding pattern helped a bunch and they’re back to normal, loving each other a bunch.
Fun fact: research has shown cats from a litter bite less. The thinking is that kitten play teaches them how to not go too far. Also cats are so sensitive in their biting that they can sense bone from soft tissue. When they’ve studied the prey of cats they find they almost never crush the spine. That means they are able to bite between the tiny vertebrae of small animals. So your cat knows how to bite soft or hard. This is why it’s important when raising a kitten without a litter to give negative feedback when a kitten plays too rough. I say, imagine if a full grown cat did what the kitten is doing. How much damage would it do? If it would really hurt, do not encourage it in the kitten.
So true. I cringe when I see videos of people like, "lol, look at my kitten climb me like a tree." and then I get mad thinking how later they might blame/punish the cat for the bad behaviors they, as poor owners, taught them as a kitten 😡
Also, some people think it’s fun to annoy kittens to the point of them scratching and biting, that’s cute when their teeth and claws are not sharp, but when they grow up, then what?!
Important to teach them early biting and scratching is not acceptable.
@@Poorstargazer23 That’s completely different lol, cats naturally climb things. I’m not gonna teach my cat to associate climbing with a negative reaction. How else will it be a good hunter like I want it to be?? You know not everyone in the world has pets for a fluffy cute friend, some pets have an actual purpose lol.
@@SabbathPriest33 they need to climb humans to hunt?
My kitten was adopted at 8 weeks he's 11 weeks . He's starting to play but he won't play either toys he plays with my hand. He bites too hard when playing and it breaks skin. I say ouch or pull my hand away but he doesn't seem to understand he's play biting too hard. What do I do?
How can you tell if your cat really NEEDS another cat around vs them being totally fine as a solo cat?
I have one that was taken away from her family at a too young stage.
She's been a single cat in the home for the last four years but I think she would like another cat around.
I also worry because what if she doesn't want any other cat around? :(
I want an answer to this question. I wish I saw Jackson's advice on getting two kittens instead of one but, as a first cat owner, I was afraid I couldn't handle two. Also, I was afraid of my father-in-law's reaction wouldn't be good if we got two. So we brought one home. She's been a single cat for almost a year and a half (we got her as a kitten). I felt she was lonely. Not very active or interested so we got a second cat last year during the summer. He was also a kitten and is now a year old while my first cat is two now. They just don't seem to get along anymore. 😕 my second cat he likes to play ALOT while my first cat just likes to chill and bathe herself lol sometimes she will play(I noticed she mostly likes to play by herself). Now I'm thinking maybe it was a mistake on my part for getting a second cat. She was perfectly fine as a single cat. Now our home is a living hell while I'm calling the vet trying to get the situation under control. We simply cannot let go of either of them... we have to compromise somewhere and we are still in the process of helping my two cats be calmer. So far, no one has taken an eyeball out. But it's been quite stressful when cats don't get along or don't communicate very well.
@@yazzybananas3106 Ask Jackson for help
I think it's a matter of the cat's age and attitude/behavior. The older and more territorial the cat is, the harder it is. Most cats will at least tolerate each other eventually with a careful introduction. See if a local shelter will let you foster to adopt. Another strategy is to get 2 kittens so they focus on each other and (mostly) leave the elder cat alone.
@@yazzybananas3106 I have found that getting cats of different sexes can be more trouble than a same sex pair, even when both are desexed. Although I have had more issues, in general, with female cats of different ages getting along than male cats in a similar situation.
Giving me a huge sigh of relief! We brought home a kitten and this helped me understand how our resident cat is feeling about the play. Thank you
We had an male kitty who loved our older female. She wasn't amused. One day while petting his head, I felt a bump... After investigating I found a claw embedded in the top of his head where she had rejected his advances.... No telling how long it was stuck in there... Needless to say, she was not playing!
Not only am I so happy you made this video, I actually teared up because I realised my boys are friends 🥹 they’re 1 and 2 years old and I brought home the younger one a month ago. They aren’t quite kittens but had both lived with other cats previously. I was worried it wasn’t going as well as I’d hoped because of the screaming during play but you’re absolutely right, they don’t hide from each other or go to a corner. They also alternate in initiating the fights.
I’m just so happy my two rescues are happy and fulfilled ❤
This video came right on time, i've got 5 foster kittens and boy do they SCREAM when they play
I did NOT think I was a cat person but I really wanted a pet to love and I couldn’t get a puppy because both my husband and I work long hours. We got a couple kittens.
KITTENS ARE FABULOUS! I love them so much. I am not only a cat person now but I totally understand why getting two is better than one. In fact, if I lived alone, I’d get one more! I now know how someone becomes a CAT LADY.
So glad I found this channel. I just adopted the sweetest boy two days ago approx age is 1.5years old who was returned for unknown reasons after a previous adoption.
Thank you for Promoting adopting kittens together. Even pair bonded adult cats.I always try and tell people at the shelter where I volunteer that adopting two kittens isn’t really more work and even easier in many ways because they will tire each other out, and when you’re not home you’ll feel better knowing they have each other for company. I’m always sad when someone only takes one little kitten - especially when it has a sibling that is not being adopted.
Thank you so much. We have 2 20 week old boys and I always worry they are hurting each other. You have so helped put my mind at ease about their play!
You are so welcome! That's why we do it!
We brought a young dog and a cat together. It took time, but they did learn how to play Together very successfully. The dog would play endlessly, but there are times the cat would have enough. She found polite ways to tell the dog to stop without attacking or hurting it. She is a great little cat.
We adopted an adult cat, Cherri, then we adopted a single kitten, Turbo, because he was all alone. And Cherri acts like a mom to turbo and it is so sweet. They also love to wrestle.
We foster kittens and watching them be SO FEROCIOUS!!!(tm) with each other is one of my favorite things. They will wildly bat, kick, and growl...then pass out cuddled up together.
Super long question here: Moved in with my boyfriend who has two cats that are brother and sister, and I have my cat who never really liked other cats. He gets along really well now with the boy cat, and tolerates the girl cat. My cat never really socialized with other cats (when he was young I tried and the other cats attacked him). Now, my cat is learning to play with the boy cat, and it's been so interesting to watch them interact. From Jackson's show I learned that both cats were displaying confident behavior and I didn't hear the really "angry" growls when they were rolling around together. Their claws weren't out either, so I classified that as play. HOWEVER.....lately my cat seemed to learn that he could easily win the play session by biting the other boy REALLY hard. The other boy cries when he does that, and he runs away. My cat then gets the message and backs off, but then comes back to assert his power minutes later. This keeps happening throughout the day, but then at night they'll sleep together and cuddle. Is there a way I can teach my cat not to bite so hard, but still encourage him to play nicely? Or is this something he'll just have to figure out on his own?
Some more info: my cat is 6 and is ridiculously energetic and the other two are 2 years old and more relaxed
Step in
Step in after the bite and don't allow him to come back , I recommend using a wand toy something to distract and block if he is really intense then a water spray bottle , I would also recommend playing with him a little extra it's sounds like he's letting himself get to amped up so giving him more exercise helps to chill them out, ending play sessions with treats also helps them feel like playtime as ended because play is just mimicking the hunt and the hunt should end with catching prey (treats) (: hope that helps!
Don't use water bottles. It breaks your cars trust in you apparently. Jackson has some video on it if you want to research for yourself.
They never work in the long run anyways, it's just a way of intervention that you could manage just as easily by stepping in yourself.
My guess would be to step in and do the bad thing good thing type play. JG also has videos on that but about cat clawing things I think. Basically break up his bad play and then offer an alternative good play.
I have a very bite happy player and I got him a stuffed cat half his size we named Tater Tot. When he gets to bitey I say, "No ows," and that's his que to release and pull back, I then give his "Tater tot" plush over and he bites into that thing like Dracula after a walk in the Sahara.
Now, even when there is no toy around saying, "No ows," makes him release teeth and claws from whatever he's working on...cause he also loves attacking/hording laundry and makes putting clothes away a whole big deal 😂😅
Now if the cat is showing dominant behavior in areas other than play, that might need a bit research and intervention.
I'm having this problem also, but my older kitty is 10, younger new addition to the fam is 1.5, and she won't let younger kitty cuddle at all even though you can tell she really wants to. Idk what to do anymore. We separate and intervene but after a year there isn't a difference :( I feel like I ruined older kitty's golden years and made her life a living hell :'(
Thankful for this! I was pretty sure my babies were just playing but I wanted to be sure. I sometimes have to remind them not to be too aggressive but they do a good job of holding back too.
Thanks for the video!
I just got two male kittens, I already had one and than I went back for his brother a week later at first they did not like each other at all! But now they have been playing and eating threw a door together, your videos have helped me get to this point of rebounding them in only 3 days they are going to have a great quality relationship and life now 🥰
Having two kittens shows how much having only one deprives it of the interactions they need. We got two brothers when our 22 year old passed away about a month ago. They do everything together and always sleep within a few inches of each other or touching. They spend nearly all their active life interacting with each other, even when playing with us humans. When I got my last cat that I had before meeting my wife I initially had 2 though rescued from different places as kittens. Unfortunately Mono had a heart defect and passed at only 13 years old and Cookie went on to live another 7 years. When getting kittens please be prepared for the fact that 20+ is now a norm and not a rarity, make provision for what happens to your cat(s) when you’re gone.
Wow the editing is on point in this one
We agree. In May 2020, we adopted 2 6 wk old tuxedo sisters who had feral parents. They were so much fun to watch growing up. Then we had opportunity in July 2021 to adopt a 4 mo old male stray. He loves having the sisters to play with or " torment". All good fun. We love having 3 cats...& a dog who will run check on the cats when she hears a fuss.
The editing of these videos has been pure gold recently 🤣😂🤣
The fluid, ethical fun and smart way you pitched in your advertisement made me subscribe.
Thank you for this one. My Norwegian Forest cat Woolley helped my kitten learn to fight/play/hunt. And all was good until my ginge reached 9/10 months. Woolley doesn't instigate that rough play anymore as if to say, 'nope, I've taught you well grasshopper, you'll be fine without me.' He doesn't mind if Chester instigates, that's fine, just doesn't happen so much now.
This video definitely reassured me! I got two new kittens that aren't from the same litter just like in the video. I've been slowly introducing them as best I could. We did have a few accidental meet ups. I was so worried they wouldn't get along. But we finally got to the stage of being in the same room. They've been playing and I was worried they were getting mean and aggressive. But they kept coming back to each other and wagging tails. And there was no hiding or claws out. We were confused. Now that we've seen them together a bit more we realized they're just kittens and learning each other's language. They back off when ones had enough and give each other space with less hissing or growling the more they play. We're still supervising them to be careful for the next week or so. But they seem to really love playing together! They couldn't be happier. ❤️
The kitten age of "what if..."😅
Thank you Jackson
I just adopted a gorgeous black kitty yesterday. Its terrible how many people refuse black cats or even black with white. They are usually the sweetest cats
Perfect timing. We have had cats before but only ever one. We have just added two kittens to our family (Bear and Bandit, 10 weeks old) and I spoke to my husband today about asking this exact question. 👍 This was really helpful 😊
i picked up two sister kittens today from my local shelter...theyre 3 months old and too dang cute. watching all this mans videos to give these little pretties the best life I can
Dying laughing with the slo mo cat fights w/sound effects!! That’s why I keep coming back!
I adopted a kitten who grew up with his siblings, playing. The cat I had did not have that experience. I suspect she grew up on the street alone quite a bit. She played with her claws out. But this new kitten (Pierre), taught her how to play (period. But also, play without her claws. It was amazing.
My babies, Nuggett and T'Challa, play like that all the time. My family would try to stop them "from fighting" and I would always say, if they are fighting and are really mad, do u think they would jump right back and start again? I LOVE LOVE LOVE this video. I'm sharing it with my family. And I really want them to hear the ending of bringing home 2 kittens, not one.
I named one of my babies T'Challa as well
Exactly! If one was upset it would run away.
Thank you Jackson!!! My kittens are 10ish weeks too and going through the exact same thing. They are SO vocal and it freaks me out! But hearing you go through the specifics eased my mind.
Great information! I have a 3 yr old kitty and a 7 month old kitten. I tried to do the Jackson slow intro through the door. My kitty would growl at the baby even while feeding. After about a month the baby started dashing out the door anytime I opened it so I sat back and watched her carefully. Baby initiated play and it seemed like my adult kitty just couldn't resist. She was a grumpy old lady at first, but warmed up quickly and now they play all the time. I know I got really lucky that baby just ignored the grumpy and insisted on playing.
After I adopted my first cat with 0 experience. I learned sooo much from you. Jackson, you are the god of all cats🤣 He just know them all.
So glad we rescued. :) Our little Goblynn is such a blessing
That’s our nickname for our kitten 😂
@@cassiforest9191 That's actually her name but how funny is that? Pretty cool.
@@s.l.wymansrockinwriting6633 for us her name is Zelda but if she were going to be a D&D Race she would be a goblin so more often than not we call her goblin. Lol
I love how you made it a legitimately beautiful name. That spelling is wonderful.
@@cassiforest9191 Thank you. It suits her. We play DND as well and she has the tiny terror attitude. She is small for her age and chases around full grown cats twice her size with zero fear
@@s.l.wymansrockinwriting6633 exactly!! And anything not actively being held she thinks is hers to play with.
I'm very happy to hear this. My adult cats do this quite a lot and it's usually the bigger, older cat hunting the smaller, younger cat. I was worried about it, but there's no blood, claws or fear. They love sleeping next to each other and grooming each other and the big one gets distressed if he doesn't know where the little one is. I'm glad to know their loud "fights" are pure play.
I had 2 adult cats that would cleaned each other, wrestled, and even played each other. These 2 cats both got along really quickly in first meeting. They were adopted a little bit over 2 years from each other from being strays to a house cats. The became friends for a long time a little bit over 12 years.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!! As one who volunteers at a local cat cafe, I often struggle with knowing whether cats are playing or fighting. This video really helped.
We got our first pet, Titan an orphaned kitten,3 weeks ago. Today we got another kitten Colossus. Titan looks weeks older and I looked for a video because of their interaction. They are playing, definitely, as Jackson stated, testing their boundaries. Titan was pooped out after chasing and being chased, swatting and being swatted at..sleeping on the couch. Colossus has finally fallen asleep also.
I adopted my two sweethearts at the same time, two years ago. One is a good month or two older than the other but they took to each other so fast and easy. I’m thankful everyday that I got two. They cuddle daily, bathe each other, check on each other when one gets all scared and puffed up or sick, and they play so much. It’s been a wonderful experience having two.
Videos like this definitely helped me with my two cats. Cause they seem to really like chasing and wrestling with each other, and i was getting worried cause my one cat seemed much more aggressive towards the new cat, but after some time i've noticed that non of the fights have been too far, which this video really gave me the signs to look out for. They'll wrestle and then flop on the ground next to each other for a bit before going for another few rounds lol
I wonder this abt my cats too! The first one used to hiss and growl at the new one but now she just chases him and walks away
We are first-time cat owners and we ended up getting another kitten a few months after our first. They are about 4 months apart in age and while they now will eat from the same plate at the same time their play had us worried at times. This video has done a lot to put our minds at ease.
We had 2 strays find us at separate times this summer. At first I was like, noooo, we already have 3 adult cats but these 2 kittens play with each other instead of harrassing the older ones and it's worked out beautifully so far.
It's definitely good to know. I had two that actually fought, and after trying everything (from reintroduction to meds over the course of 4 years) I had to rehome one with my father...the one I rehomed is now a nice chunky 19lb baby and the other one I sadly had to put to sleep due to cancer and pleurisy. Have two new kittens that are bonded and play rough, which for a while worried me, but after watching this, I feel so much better. They will be a year old in October and do get along with my old 19 yr old blind cat as well.
You always get two kittens so they can beat each other up instead of beating up the humans. My two young cats go crazy playing and sometimes arguing. My older one who is 2, she will hiss at the 1 year old to let her know to knock it off or she is getting too wild.
I had 2 boy litter mates and it was great fun. They lived 13 years. I could tell when it got too rough when they screamed out on pain, usually from a bite, and they’d be really mad. I’d then step in and break it up.
I agree. I have had a littermate pair before, and they had the MOST fun running around and chasing and playing with each other. So cute. Plus, they always had each other to snuggle.
I have just gotten 2 little ragdoll boys from the same litter and seeing them play fighting together, I could never have imagined only having one of them. They just give each other these social interactions I would never be able to.
I have 2 older cats (8 & 17) and the younger cat sometimes gets too rough and I break them up. The younger cat always vies for dominance. The older cat has always been a sweetie and doesn't have a competitive or mean bone in her body. They also have good times. They groom each other and bump heads and all of that. They will sleep together. But If I think the younger cat is being much too rough, I break them up by telling them "aanh, aanh" and step closer to them if I need to. They break it and peace is restored.
When you are at the shelter they often have bonded pairs and it’s great to open your doors and your hearts to them as a package deal 😻😻
My Girls are 2 years old, and they still play like this. My older girl usually instigates these play sessions, and my younger girl makes all the noise.
No fear. No blood. No fur.
Been this way since we brought the younger one home. We didn't let them tussle until the younger one got a little bigger (3 month VS a 9 month, so yeah...) but once she was a little bigger, they've been play fighting.
My three cats, Rosaire, Jeanne and Juliette, are so important to me. I watch all of Jackson’s videos and it makes me a better companion for them. Thank you!
This is also called "socialization" and helps in their development.
Because of your videos and guidance, my new under socialized kitten has become quite friendly and my resident cat has gotten used to her very quickly :) It took a few weeks in separate rooms , slowly introducing with scent and site swapping. We gradually removed the sheet covering the glass door between the two girls and eventually let the kitten explore the rest of the apartment. The resident cat had some growls and hisses to let the kitten know “this is my chair/food/ water dish” but there have been no brawls other than a few harmless bops on the head to the new kitten! (Pretty funny to watch) Both girls like to run around and chase eachother and I can’t wait to see how they get along going forward.
Thank you so much for creating the content that you do, it has helped a lot!
- Koel
Aki and Yuki are super cute.
We were lucky enough to have a stray Siamese show up on our doorstep and adopt us in February 2020. Soon enough we found out she was pregnant, and our queen gave us 5 kitties. Watching all of them play/fight/grow together was a treat during Covid lockdown.
Happily we were able to adopt 4 of them out to family members. My husband insisted we keep one. Mother and son are great together, not too much fighting but lots of chasing each other around. And yes, now they are both "fixed" and chipped. No more litters for these indoor/outdoor felines. Love your channel, thanks.
This video helped me calm down a little: I am first time cat guardian and the two young kitty sisters of mine (one is named Yuki too haha) love wrestling with each other which is fine but when they started making noises, I always get concerned so thank you for this video! I always love seeing how they switch between fighting and licking each other 😂 edit: I have been doing the redirecting play thing intuitively to channel their energies onto prey and right now they calmly share a basket, bathe in the sun and lick each other❤
Woah, thank J! I was kind of worried about my two rascals. But it is all cool, kittens being kittens.
You are a blessing for cats, and people.
I brought 2 kittens because I red + heard that it is better for them in so many levels. So far so true, they learn from each other and comfort one another. So cute really.
I do this with my cat. Hes always purring when i wrestle with him. Hes always gentle and gives me kisses after
Jackson! You make me snort laughing I love your humor man. Oh, and all your wonderful feline knowledge and advice.
With our cats, the female is very vocal when play-fighting. We like to joke that she’s resorting to her alley cat language. I don’t take it too seriously though because she’s keeps pouncing and jumping back into the play fight and sometimes the male even lets her win. You can tell their friends though because there’s usually a mutual grooming session right after play. They’re not litter mates, but they are only two months apart in age.
My sibling cats are 4 years old. One cat is dominate, Alpha if you will. The two will play, but after a while the Alpha will take it too far and the other will yelp. I break it up at that point. The Alpha tends to be a bully -- just her personality. Her sister by contrast is an absolute sweetheart. Thanks for all the help with these videos Jackson!
I recommend that you take a look at how alley cats fight over mates/territory, and you'll quickly figure out what the differences between playfighting and real fights are. Notably:
● real fights are MUCH louder. Lots of wauling before it even starts. Lots of staring with the ears all flat.
● real fights are SHORT & INTENSE. Fur goes flying, fast. And, again: it's _loud._
You seem to have a video for every question I have! I’ve never had cats before, so my pair of kittens is a big change to me, but watching your videos has helped me learn more and be the best cat parent I can be. So far, they seem very happy!
Agree having seen a real cat fight, I totally understand the phrase “the fur was flying”.
It really do be like that.
Your videos are so helpful! They cheer me up in these crazy times! I laugh so much when I watch them and love your support for shelter animals and strays! God bless!