[andrewN]

Hello all, thanks for the help with the other question, it's a friendly and helpful group of you out there.

I have another question about my 2 cats, I hope you can advise. They aren't litter mates, but will they ever love with each other like litter mates do? - groom each other, cuddle up, play together?

The young boy follows the adult girl around the house all day. He wants to play with her all the time, she's not so keen but seems to tolerate him - although sometimes she seems annoyed with him. He chases her around and gingerly swats her and nibbles her, and she slaps him in the face. There's no hissing or growling, but sometimes she meows at him to leave her alone. When they nap it's usually in the same room, about 1-2m apart. They touch noses nearly every time they meet.

How long does it usually take before they love each other? Do you think it will ever happen?

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[♥Brooke♥]

How old is the adult girl? Do you have a space where she can be away from the younger cat when she wishes?

[andrewN]

She's 2.5 years, and she does have a refuge from him --- in the wardrobe... he actually respects her space when she's in there :-)

He's maybe 10 mths - 1 yr

[Merri]

I have three cats here and two of them are littermates, but none of them snuggle. Even lying on the same piece of furniture is cause for excitement around here! They all get along OK and the boys (littermates) play together, but there has never been any cuddling at all. I think it's an individual thing more than a situation thing.

[Patricia L]

It will all depend on the cats.
My last two would lie next to each other and occassionally cuddle - but most of the time were seperate.
The current combination of 2 months - one episode of lying close enough to touch, the rest of the time, close by but no cuddling so far.
I have a friend who has 3 senior cats, and two of them at age 16 and 17 still don't like each other despite being introduced as kittens.
They will need to work it out themselves in their own time, but there is no guarantee that they will cuddle, it will depend on their individual personalities.

[vengeancethecat]

I got 3 kittens (Paddy-Lim, Fat Ginge and Nicholas) in one go and brought them home to my 2 cats who were adult brothers (Vengeance and Steve).

Fat Ginge and Paddy-Lim are brothers but Nicholas isn't biologically, but the 3 of them grew up in a litter together. Fat Ginge, Paddy-Lim and Vengeance have always been like the 3 amigos and sleep together, cuddle and groom each other, but Nicholas was always excluded. Paddy-Lim always cuddled him and Nicholas and Fat Ginge play together and Vengeance always hated Nicholas. Nicholas would always sleep about a metre away from them if they were all on the bed together.

Nicholas turned 1 yesterday and we've had him since he was 5 weeks old, and it's only been in the last month that Vengeance has started grooming and cuddling him. So it's taken 11 months for Vengeance (who's nearly 4 to accept him).

I have since got another kitten Bucky who is in a similar boat, she gets cuddles from Fat Ginge and Paddy-Lim but not Nicholas or Vengeance. But she plays with Nicholas a lot.

As for Steve, well he just hangs out on his own and doesn't really sleep or play with anyone.

I think it can take a long time, but it might not happen at all. I don't know if Vengeance will ever like Bucky.

[Niccles]

I don't have more than one cat. But my boyfriends sisters have two cats. They got them when they were born, had them for the past 7 years. Dutchess grooms Casper, but Casper never does anything back. Chris was saying that a few years ago, they used to cuddle a lot. But now they seem to spend a lot of time off in some room in the house/outside asleep.

Oh, Casper seems to attack poor Dutch when she's just wandering around.

[suzie2224]

My two have been together now for 2.5 years. Rosie who I have had since a kitten was 6 at the time, and Toby a 9 month old when I got him as a rescue.

They aren't snuggle buddies but they do get along. Well most of the time. Toby can be a bit rough at times.

It takes time, just take it slow.

This post has been edited by suzie2224: 04 October 2009 - 05:33 PM

[KyleW]

My guys spend half their time like this:




And the other half like this...

[dmcwlvssr]

I am still waiting for mine to cuddle. I guess tolerance is all I will ever have as it has been 5 and 6 years so far.

[RebeccaJasmin]

The kitties we've had have all eventually cuddled but it can take some time!

Our 8yr old has only just started to cuddle with the kitten we got earlier this year. She started out hissing and swiping so we had to keep them speparate, then this gradually turned to tolerance, then she realised that they could play together and they've had a ton of fun chasing each other round the house and FINALLY (after nine months) we are starting to see (very brief!) cuddles

Best of luck to your furballs! ... maybe try engaging both of them in games (throwing little mousies etc ) and they will bond through play ...

[blomhed]

my mum had katie since she was a few weeks old, and when she was about 7 we got a new kitten, tigger. katie was put down when she was 19 years old, but over the 12 years together the two cats never cuddled. they lived happily together however didnt ever get close enough to cuddle or snuggle each other

[queenslander]

Hi again, and thanks for all your replies. I have an update on the progress with my two cats..

Things have progressed a little. I've tried playing with them at the same time, chasing a string - he will play until she joins in, then he just moves away and sulks. lol

He still chases her around the house, and she has a refuge area in each room so she can hide from him... but strangely she seems to keep going back for more torment from him. She never chases him, it's always him chasing her.

She now seems to seek him out, and she head butts him and rubs her cheek against his cheek whenever they meet. He never reciprocates, but does tolerate it.

And they've been sleeping closer and closer together - finally they started licking each other's face two days ago It's soooo sweet to see it. The only trouble is, they lick lick lick, then he decides to clamp his teeth into her throat and not let go! This always result in her kicking at him to let her go, and a fight ensues. Happens every time.

Why would he be affectionate one moment, then suddenly be aggressive the next moment? Is this normal?

[queenslander]

Just to clarify, AndrewN is my OH. We've both been posting here.. but he lost his login password