My older cat pins my younger cat. Is this normal cat play or bullying?

Question

Hi! I’m currently dealing with an issue regarding my 2 male cats. The bigger cat is 3.5 yrs old and the younger one is 1.5 yrs old. The older cat is constantly trying to ‘play’ with the other cat but he does it in a weird way. He immobilizes the younger cat and presses hard on his belly and remains still for a couple of seconds while the little cat is more submissive and doesn’t even try to get up, he just stays there with his belly upward and cries for help. Is this normal? Thank you! Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Male | neutered | 3 years and 8 months old | 12 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

It's hard to know if this is normal or not. Certainly the behavior of pinning the other cat and freezing for a few seconds is normal for the larger cat but it sounds like the smaller cat is being bullied and may not fully enjoy the game. Cats will bully other pets for many reasons including boredom and frustration. Things you can do which may address this include decreasing stress, providing distractions and environmental enrichment. Here are some helpful links: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-signs-your-cat-is-bored/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Using a Feliway diffuser, setting aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play for both cats or switching the food to Royal Canin Calm may help. Setting up separate food/water/litter box stations may also help eliminate perceived competition. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with stress. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

My older cat pins my younger cat. Is this normal cat play or bullying?

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