What to Do When Cats Do Not Like Each Other?

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What to Do When Cats Do Not Like Each Other?

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In their early surrounding, cats had adopted a solitary lifestyle because their first habitat, deserts of the Middle East, were sparsely inhabited areas and cats had rarely had a chance to meet each other. However, during the process of domestication, they have slightly adjusted themselves to a new lifestyle and held the same old patterns that we, humans, consider as unsocial behavior. It is not unusual that we often can hear other people talking about cats hating each other, not recognizing their bias. In reality, cats prefer their single lifestyle and do not mind other cats until its presence does not treat its resources or its territory. Social ranking among cats has a huge significance in cats’ lives. They simply like biological hierarchy, where they know which one is alpha, and which is beta cat. To allow our cats to live happily together, we have to bear this in mind. The following excerpt from the article “Aggression Between Cats in Your Household” offers suggestions on what to do when cats do not like each other.

What to Do When Cats Do Not Like Each Other?

Suggestions for Managing Your Cats

• Never let the cats “fight it out.” Cats don’t resolve their issues through fighting, and the fighting usually just gets worse. Interrupt aggression with a
loud clap of your hands, spray from a water gun or a burst of compressed air (no noise).

• Neuter the cats. Intact males are particularly prone to aggressive behavior.

• Separate their resources. Reduce competition between the cats by providing multiple, identical food bowls, beds and litter boxes in different areas of
your house.

• Provide additional perches. More hiding spots and perches will allow your cats to space themselves out as they prefer.

• Don’t try to calm or soothe your aggressive cat, just leave her alone and give her space. If you come close, she could turn and redirect her aggression
toward you.

• Reward desired behavior. Praise or toss treats to reward your cats when you see them interacting in a friendly manner.

• Try pheromones. FeliwayTM, a product that mimics a natural cat odor (which humans can’t smell), may reduce tensions. Use a diffuser while the aggression
issue is being resolved.

Instead of defining cats’ improper behavior as misbehaving, it would be better to find out why our cat or cats are stressed. Their strange urinating habits or incidental activities can turn on an alarm that something threatening happens in our cats’ lives. Usually, it can be the presence of a new cat or a dog in our neighborhood, changes in our home, the arrival of a new family member, etc. All of these can cause insecurity in cats and become the source of stress. Even though we do not see the overt aggression between the cats, their stress level can be very high and needs to be resolved. It is up to us to recognize and understand the signs of stress in our cats, and help them to feel secure. If we are challenged with aggressive behavior of the cats, it requires our greater involvement. But, it is completely another area, and we should explore it separately.

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