Karen Dugan Holman,
B.S., B.S.E., M.S.
Tail thumping. The low, purring growl and whine. The flick of the tail,
stalking, arched back, puffed-up fur, and the staring. Oh, my, the staring! And the battle begins, much like a turf-war scene from West Side Story.
We had many cats when we were growing up, and they mostly played and got along great. But as a young girl, I quickly learned when our cats meant business, with lots of swatting, hissing, and fur flying through the air. Those battlefield events can be very frustrating and confusing. Cat fights can result in severe injuries and even death.
Aggression in cats is expressed through a range of go-away behaviors to create fear or threaten the other cat. A cat is attempting to increase the distance between itself and the perceived threat. Most aggression in cats is behavior used for self-defense. There is a level of fear and protecting of resources, territories, and offspring.
Learn To Identify Aggressive Behavior
Cat owners often don’t recognize that their cats aren’t getting along because the signs can be very subtle. There can be a pattern of intimidation such as guarding the path to the litter box or nosing around the other cat’s food bowl. If you notice those patterns, there might be more stress between your cats than you thought.
There are many types of feline aggression. We will look at intercat aggression in the home. It is a common occurrence, often based on conflict in cats’ complicated social relationships or hierarchies. This type of aggression is rarely caused by the cat’s gender.
Social maturity occurs between two and four years of age, and cats might begin to challenge each other. Often, one cat will not accept or cooperate with the lack of engagement of another cat. Cats considering themselves equals are less likely to participate in active aggression but will exhibit passive aggression such as staring or posturing. Intercat aggression is a complex and often subtle problem.
Cats have their own set of social rules. If a cat stares at another cat and it then leaves the area, it would be abnormal for the staring cat to stalk the cat that left. And certainly, if the staring cat becomes actively
aggressive, that would indicate a problem (hissing, swatting, marking, biting).
Because of the subtleness of cat behavior, we cannot compare cat fights with dog fights. In addition, most intercat aggression occurs between roommates and is more common among opposite sexes. That is not the same as interdog aggression. A cat will challenge the other cat by vocalizing, staring, or jumping right into aggression. Staring can escalate quickly to aggression. The longer owners wait to intervene, allowing the problem to fester, the more difficult the problems will be to modify.
Get to the Root of the Problem
To correct aggression between cats, you must get to the root of what is causing it. If the behavior is uncharacteristic or has a sudden onset, schedule a veterinary visit to rule out or identify a medical cause. That is a step you should not skip because pain can lead to a variety of behavior issues.
Some detective work is needed to assimilate exactly what is causing all the fuss. Observing your cats from an unbiased viewpoint can help you determine which cat is the problem cat and which one is behaving normally. Videotape is a great tool to help you observe. Redirected aggression can be a possible cause. An unfamiliar cat or other animal could be outside, and one cat might turn on his companion cat in response.
Cats have relationships with other cats. When a relationship becomes tense but has not reached a dangerous level, it is important to begin a treatment plan to help the cats feel more at ease with each other.
Treat Aggression Safely
Treatment of intercat aggression must always begin by creating a safe environment for all. Punishing the cats for reacting to each other will only make matters worse. Reinforcement (play, treats, praise, attention) should be given to the cat that is behaving the most appropriately. Changes in the environment and creating positive associations are key.
Here are some safety specifics regarding treatment of intercat aggression so that cats do not suffer physical and behavioral injuries:
Never physically punish the cats. That will only increase their distress and fear and might lead to aggression toward you. Cats can become reactive and perceive you as a threat. Humans screaming at their cats, particularly children, will worsen the situation.
Never reach between two fighting cats. You might be accidentally injured while trying to prevent injuries to your cats.
Watch your problem cats closely when they are together. Keep pillows, blankets, broom, cardboard, water bucket, or some other item handy to separate the cats safely. Your breakup tools need to be easy to find in the heat of a cat fight.
Remember that once separated, cats will generally calm down enough to allow you to remove the aggressor. The aggressor cat should be locked in a neutral area with water, food, and a litter box. It can take cats as long as 48 hours to become truly calm.
Also remember that frightened animals can bite. Avoid being bitten by using low-stress handling techniques (blankets, boxes, crates) to separate cats.
Create Separate Zones
A feline living environment should have safe zones and security. Give each cat its own food bowl, separated from other cats. Cats are not social eaters, and eating in close proximity can create unnecessary stress. Litter boxes should not necessarily be shared. The rule is one litter box per cat and one extra. Place the boxes in different rooms. Each cat has a preferred area.
Scratching is a normal cat behavior, and each cat should have its own scratching post in its own area. The same applies to a resting spot. Cats enjoy a vertical or high area to perch on. Cats are the ultimate predators and possess a need to be above their environment, which allows them to view their prey. It will also give them a sense of safety from aggressor cats. If the perch is positioned near a window, it also enriches the environment because the cat can watch birds or outdoor activities, nap in sunshine, play, and climb.
It is important to note that all cats are unique, and there is no cookie-cutter answer. When aggression has reached concerning levels and things are going horribly wrong, the following are basic treatments that are researched and effective with most cats that exhibit aggression among other household cats:
Keep all cats involved in aggressive acts separated at all times when you cannot
supervise. If you can identify the aggressor cat, it should be confined to the less desirable room. A spare bedroom, pen, or basement would work. Confinement should not be in your bedroom or kitchen because those are desirable locations that cats usually appreciate. The other cats should have free range.
Bell the cats with bells of different sounds. Breakaway collars work well with bells. The bell alerts you and the other cats when a cat is approaching. The bell also will alert the victim cat that the aggressor is approaching or the cats are close together. Bear bells are great for cats.
Reinforce the order of the cats based on which cat is behaving the most appropriately. Remember that reinforcement is not about rewarding the pushiest cat. It is about rewarding the cat that is behaving the most appropriately. That sends a message to all cats that obnoxious behaviors are not rewarded. Nonthreatening behaviors should be clearly appreciated and rewarded.
Feed the well-behaved cat first. Let him out, play with him, groom him first. That encourages the normal social deference exhibited by cats in a normal environment. By reinforcing the cat with the most appropriate behavior, you encourage the fluidity of the normal social system. Other passive encouragement for the aggressor is to understand that the victim cat has gained more status. You are not spoiling the cat but allowing access to preferred spots as a type of currency.
Using a harness with cats when they are together gives you a quick way to intervene as needed. If you see the aggressor staring, the harness will help you to gently turn its head away from the other cat to focus on you instead. Interrupt staring between cats. Reward them when they look away from each other.
Spaying and neutering might help by decreasing hormone levels and pheromones in the urine.
Antianxiety products and medications might help some cats. Medication is to be used in addition to behavior modification, not instead of it.
It is important to be patient when you help your cats change their association with each other. It will take time. The decline in their behavior did not happen overnight, and it won’t improve overnight.
