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Old April 30th 06, 05:11 PM posted to rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats.health+behav,rec.pets.cats.misc,alt.cats
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Default Fighting Cats - New behavior


"D. Kirkpatrick" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Linda Terrell wrote:




How many liter boxes are there. You should have 3-4 at least.



2. Sharing one has never been an issue for the sib sisters.



It's an issue now.
The siblings are in full fledged adulthood now and need their own separate
spaces. The standard for a happy multi cat home is one box per cat, plus
one. So my three cats have four litter boxes.
Lack of privacy, a box in a high traffic area, litter box guarding- these
are all major stresses in a cats life. You are wanting to eliminate all
stress, so something as simple as providing enough litter boxes is crucial.



Do you have enough UP space? Cat trees etc?



Small apartment. The "high ground" is the back ledge of the couch
where the mother cat has taken up shop and is only leaving there with
us coaxing her and being present. Its becoming a feeding issue now
because she is really spooked.



You really need vertical spaces.
Ever look inside a cattery that houses multiple cats in smallish areas? They
are chocked full of cat trees with multiple platforms of varying heights.
I can appreciate the space issue- but vertical platforms needn't have very
much of a footprint at all and are very necessary to a cats nature of the
higher the better.
Any stress is exacerbated by lack of territory and since you are out of
square footage vertical space is your only alternative. Fortunately for you
it is one that cats prefer.

Also an additional feeding station could be very beneficial to your
situation. Food availability is one of the determining factors when cats
assess how many can comfortably coexist within a small territory.

And because it can't be stated often enough- the very first step when you
run into behavioral issues is a complete medical checkup. Cats are very
affected by the scent of one another and a brewing medical issue can affect
a cats scent enough to alarm other cats. The ill cat smells odd and
unfamiliar, and unfamiliar cats are perceived as a threat and very often
attacked.

Toni