If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Fighting Cats - New behavior
Cross posted:
rec.pets.cats, rec.pets.cats.health+behav, rec.pets.cats.misc, alt.cats --------- We have 3 cats. A mother about 8 years-plus and 2 siblings aged 5 years-plus. All have been spayed. The mother was a street rescue (after the litter) and has outdoor privileges. The sibs are strictly indoor. For the most part the mother raised a nice litter. After 4 were weaned 2 were given away. A 3rd was supposed to go but didn't, so we kept 2. Life was generally beautiful these last 5-years plus. Mother cat would occasionally put the sibs in their place. Other than that its been a peaceful existance. It's a small city apartment but again, all has been well. In the last 2 years the mother has ceased going out as much as she used to. She's gotten used to the indoor life, or better stated, re-used. She had been owned by a neighbor that abandoned her so after the litter happened under the porch we took her in ourselves. She tends to stay in most of the winter now and only ventures outdoors when the weather is suitable - read warm and fair. As a part of that increased indoor life we had to get her a separate litter box but the feeding station which auto-fills has been shared with no hassles to date. This past week something changed. The recessive sibling that has always been submissive to the mother has taken to attacking her randomly. It starts with a hissing and the fur fuzzing out and then goes into a full chase with all kinds of howling and screaming. It's pretty dramatic. We have intervened each time so far. It seems to happen 1-2 times a day and has been a regular event since last Saturday. Its now Wednesday. We're puzzled as to what might have brought this on suddenly. Now the second sibling is picking up this behavior to some extent whereas before she was pretty indifferent and independent. We cannot separate the mother cat from the others all the time due to space limitations. I suspect that this is a dominance drama unfolding where the mother is getting older and the sibs are exerting their dominance but the fights that we are seeing have a look and feel of someone getting seriously hurt. The mother, which had previously been dominant and rather secure in that, is now cowering and as soon as one of the sibs sees her they attack. Right now the mother is locked up in the bedroom but we cannot give her food and a litter box in there (long story). We are concerned that she is now not eating right and limiting litter box (her own) usage. It seems the newly aggressive sibling only attacks when she sees the mother cat. If they don't see each other life is beautiful. Otherwise the sib goes right into that stalking low-profile hunting walk as if she were chasing a mouse or bird on the ground. I'm wondering if I should let nature run its course to allow the sibs to determine who will be dominant or if I will have to find a new home for the newly aggressive one so as to protect the aging mother. Its a choice we'd rather not have to make of course. The sister sibs don't fight at all. They still play-fight or chase each other on occasion but nothing like what we are seeing with the mother cat. Mother has a separate litter box and now a second feeding station of her own at a respectable distance from the auto-feeder. Suggestions welcome. What we know about cats is what we have learned these last 5-plus years of direct observation. Aside from this behavior change, all three seem normal, are affectionate, feed and poop regularly. No exibitions of any illness. Thanks in advance. D. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
It's Official | [email protected] | Cat health & behaviour | 7 | October 25th 05 04:20 AM |
Can You Tell Normal From INSANE Behavior? | rpl | Cat health & behaviour | 4 | September 3rd 05 02:04 AM |
How to block annoying posts | Hailey | Cat health & behaviour | 0 | August 13th 05 02:19 AM |
rec.pets.cats: Norwegian Forest Cat Breed-FAQ | Bjorn Steensrud | Cat Information | 0 | November 28th 04 05:16 AM |
Cat predation studies | Alison | Cat health & behaviour | 48 | February 5th 04 03:17 AM |