Does anyone else have a grumbly cat?

[HollyJLancaster]

Just wanted a bit of advice or opinion on my cat's attitude towards our new kitten.

Boo is our older cat, she's a three year old and we brought Tiki our 20 week old kitten about a month and half ago, as with our previous cats we integrated them over about four weeks, keeping them separate at first, scent swapping and then slow introductions. For the last two weeks or so we've let them have total access to each other under supervision (they are still kept separate while we are out of the house). However Boo's behavior has been really hard to read.

She's shown no changes in her behavior towards us, she is just as affectionate although her interest in playing has suddenly gone up - she was always quite a sleepy cat but now wants to play with the kittens toys - she and the kitten constantly chase each other round the house, there is a lot of rolling around and paw batting, but no claws. The thing I find confusing is that Boo is constantly growling at the kitten, however if they are running around together and Tiki goes to another part of the house Boo will look confused and then go looking for her, she approaches Tiki with her tail up and curled towards her the same way she does when she comes to me for a cuddle or fuss. She never seems to be trying to run away from the kitten but will often stop, look back and wait for her to catch up a bit. They are happy sleeping on the same sofa or bed together as long as they're not touching and will quite often sit next to each other by the fire. They also eat off the same plate, Boo will let Tiki take her food and if Boo is eating Tiki will come and sniff and lick her face which Boo lets her do quite happily. Sometimes if I am playing with Tiki especially with string Boo will come and try to play too, however this scares the kitten so I have to play with them separately.

The only thing I don't understand is the constant grumbling. Has anyone else ever had a cat do this before? Boo has always been a very vocal cat, most nights she lulls us to sleep with her hour long speech about her day, which she usually gives us from the top of our bookshelf. Is she just a very vocal cat or is she unhappy? Physically the grumbling is the only really negative thing we have seen. She is happy to wash, preen and do her own thing around the kitten and will quite often roll on her back next to the fire to warm her tummy up. She will even let Tiki approach her while she is on her back to give her a little sniff, the grumble only starts when they are chasing. Her ears aren't forward or back, there is no change to her pupil dilation or her tail movements.

Anybody else had a similar experience?

[Lilith]

Aww I think that's lovely!

It's obvious that you've done a really good job of introducing these two and that Boo has accepted Tiki - well, owned, Tiki as 'her kitten', but at the same time it's as if she's saying, 'I'm the boss round here, youngster, and don't you forget it!' But then it's clear she forgets her 'dignity' and just wants to run round with that kitten and play. I don't think the growliness is so much 'grumbling' as just part of her obviously very vocal personality; one of my cats is very vocal and they do chunter on don't they?

It sounds as if Boo and Tiki are inseparable already

[HollyJLancaster]

We previously had a male cat who passed away last November, we brought home Boo home as a kitten when he was 10 years old and when he played with her he would growl and do big belly grumbles but he loved her to pieces and used to fight off other male cats who would chase her in our garden, so I am wondering if her vocal talents are something she learned from being around Soss our male? She has a lot of his habits so think he might have imprinted some of his personality on her. She let's Tiki steal her treats so I think a lot of it as that she does like having a playmate but she's far too dignified to admit it!

[Lilith]

I think you're very right - sounds like Soss brought Boo up and now she's bringing Tiki up in the same way. She must have missed Soss, bless him, but now she's got Tiki.

And some people say that cats are 'solitary' and 'aloof' eh?

Hope Boo and Tiki have many happy years ahead of them

[HollyJLancaster]

It is funny that whenever Boo gets the hump with Tiki, the kitten will go somewhere in the house and find something to hunt and kill, usually a sock or a tissue or something then she will drag it back through the house and dump it at Boo's feet as a 'gift'. Boo is highly unimpressed! She's very ungrateful haha.

[HollyJLancaster]

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(240.86 KiB) Not downloaded yet

Just too this pic of them chilling together

[Lilith]

Lol - she's really imprinted (is that the right term) on Boo as 'mother'. 'Look what I caught!'

It's so wondrous the way they relate. Decades ago I bred Siamese (only in a very small way, for the love of the breed and the pleasure of raising kittens) but my first Siamese, Jacinth, had to retire with hormonal problems. Two of her offspring, Joey and Majdhar, stayed with her, but I brought in another kitten, Annie, as prospective brood queen...soon Annie was running about with Joey and Majdhar; Jacinth reserved judgement but watched her intently. Eventually the penny dropped.

'That's a kitten, isn't it? I have kittens, don't I? Must be one of mine...'

What with the three of them washing her and probably other resident cats too, Annie had the cleanest neck of any kitten in Yorkshire!

Love the pic of Boo and Tiki together - they are beautiful

[HollyJLancaster]

Thankyou, they are my little fur babies lol. They have such strong personalities.

They've just both been sleeping on the sofa and Tiki decided she wanted to try and curl up nuzzling Boo so she softly crept up and tried snuggling into Boos side, Boo literally just opened one eye, reached out and socked her on the nose with her paw as if yo say 'no chance titch' lol. Tiki has retreated back to her own cushion ha ha

[greenkitty]

I have a grumbler in Noodle, especially when Tig is close by she'll grumble away to herself. She sometimes does it if Pip is around or when I get her in at night she'll have a grumble to me, basically she'll do it if she's not happy about something!

[Crewella]

I seem to have a houseful of grumblers!

Grumpy Nellie is the Greta Garbo of cats and grumbles if anybody gets too close, especially Daz, who thinks it's funny to chase poor Nellie. She also grumbles if you try to pick her up, and you often know where she is just by the quiet grumbling you can hear from whatever hidy-hole she's in as you walk past.

Merrick grumbles at the others if they get too close too, and if it's raining when he wants to go out, and if you try to move him off your lap ..... and generally at anything that displeases him. The grumbling frequently leads to a swipe.

Pugwash grumbles when you won't let him in the kitchen and at anything that gets between him and food, but rarely grumbles at the other cats.

And Daz is a 'social grumbler'. He likes the others and definitely seeks out their company, but grumbles very quietly at them to keep them in their place or when he's not in the mood for playing.

Basil doesn't grumble much, but does sometimes when there's a confrontation.

It may not sound like it, but the gang really do get on quite well, they often go out together and sleep near each other!

[Mrs Kane]

I admit, I'd never heard a cat grumble before I met Sofi. She grumbles in the mornings. ONLY in the mornings mind you. If she's snuggled up in the bed and I move away from her or get up a hear a little grumble. I like to think of it as "Hey now, where's my warm person gone?"

[Lilith]

Thankyou, they are my little fur babies lol. They have such strong personalities.

They've just both been sleeping on the sofa and Tiki decided she wanted to try and curl up nuzzling Boo so she softly crept up and tried snuggling into Boos side, Boo literally just opened one eye, reached out and socked her on the nose with her paw as if yo say 'no chance titch' lol. Tiki has retreated back to her own cushion ha ha

Aww - bless her, she wants her Mama - bet you anything Boo, despite all the big act, will be washing her any day now...or even as I type...