Although cats do live in social groups, they choose the members within that group that they wish to associate with and actively avoid other cats. In our households, we make the social groups and may not have enough room or resources for the cats to spread themselves out so that conflict does not occur. […]
This type of Q&A format is not conducive to all kinds of problems especially one like this. It might help for you to have the cat evaluated to see if she is indeed aggressive. If you are afraid of her it is likely to affect how you will bond with her and perhaps a […]
When kittens play they will “practice” some of the behavioral routines they may use as adults and this usually includes aspects of the hunting sequence. Since indoor kittens have no prey, they will practice on each other. If the actions are not accompanied by crying, howling, fighting and chasing, they are likely play behavior. […]
Just like children in a family may vary in personality and temperament, so might kittens from the same litter and they also may have had different early experiences. In most cases it is important to give the kittens time to adjust to their new environment and not overwhelm them or force them into interactions. […]
In some cases a hand raised cat may not have learned proper social interactions since they did not have any practice with other cats (i.e. their littermates or mother). The first step is to learn to deal with this cat in a way that will avoid the triggers. This includes confining them when people […]
Cats that live together may not share space equally and tension may occur especially over resources. It is extremely important that there be adequate numbers of litter boxes (one per cat plus one) spread out throughout the house. The same is true with food and water bowls and resting areas. In some cases adding […]
In some situations our cats may become upset when we are petting and stroking them. They may initially find the petting and stroking pleasant, but then become agitated and want it to stop. When they become that agitated they might become aggressive as well. If a cat continually responds that way it would […]
Wow. Of course, I’m not there to see the situation and can only go by your description. I applaud you going to veterinarians for diagnosis and treatment, plus seeking help from a behaviorist. That said, there’s a lot going on here. With six cats I would be more surprised if you did NOT have problems.
I’m […]
Before anything else, get this kitty to the veterinarian! Certainly she may be depressed but what you describe makes me worry that her week or two of not eating well has caused a physical problem as well. Once she receives a clean bill of health, you can take steps to address the behavior. But honestly, […]
We can’t really know what our cats feel. Sometimes they do act as if they’re jealous, but I’m not convinced that felines truly feel this emotion or if humans simply use the terms to describe behaviors the only way we know how.
However, it’s common for cats to act out of sorts if they smell, see, […]