Problem behaviors in cats, such as aggression and fighting, can occur suddenly or gradually. When fights happen, it can be stressful for you and your cat.
Any sudden change in your cat's behavior could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Conditions such as hyperthyroidism, osteoarthritis, dental disease, and central nervous system problems can cause aggression. Contact your veterinarian to make sure your cat is healthy.
If your veterinarian has ruled out medical problems, you will need to determine the cause of the aggression in order to develop a behavior modification plan.
Types and causes of cat aggression
If your cat has no medical reason for aggressive behavior, one of the following may be occurring:
Aggression of fear
Fear aggression can occur in situations where your cat feels threatened or trapped. If your cat is afraid, she may act aggressively to protect herself.
Maternal aggression
Maternal aggression can occur when an animal or person approaches a mother cat and her kittens. A mother cat may growl or hiss, smack, chase, or even try to bite another cat that gets too close, even if they usually get along.
Maternal aggression usually subsides after kittens are weaned. If a cat is showing too much maternal aggression, then it may be worth not allowing her any more time until the kittens are born.
Aggression game
All cat play consists of feigned aggression, so rough play is not unusual. Cats may chase, stalk, sneak, sneak, pounce, kick, ambush, and even scratch or bite each other while playing.
However, play can lead to overstimulation, which can develop into aggression. This usually occurs between cats with significant age differences.
Territorial aggression
All animals can be territorial, and cats are no exception. When cats see their territory being invaded, they may hiss, clap, growl, and even chase and/or chase the "intruder" - be it another cat or a human.
The process of preparing for the arrival of a new pet
It is especially difficult to reconcile two adult cats, and it often happens that despite all the efforts of the owners, same-sex cats cannot be made friends. In such cases, you need to find a new home for the pet or dare to castrate one of them. Also, the dating process is delayed for animals of different ages that their owners are trying to bring together.
Pet owners will have a much better chance of reconciling two cats quickly and stress-free by providing each with separate areas of living space. This way, the mustaches will quickly understand that no one claims their territorial integrity and will more calmly make contact with the newly acquired resident. Before getting a second cat, you need to prepare such things as:
- utensils for eating and drinking;
- separate toilet;
- sleeping corner.
The sleeping area is the main territory of the animal
An attempt to place two pets in one bed may end in a conflict between the animals.
It will not be possible to reconcile cats with each other if the owners, due to inexperience, try to place a new tenant in the same bed with an already settled animal. Not only will the cats not get along, but the stress they have experienced will turn the cats against each other, and the conflict that arises is guaranteed to end in a fight. At first, the animals must live in two houses. This does not mean that the owners are obliged to provide the new tenant with separate housing; it is quite enough to place the cats in different rooms, and if the apartment is one-room, divide the living space into two conventional parts: the old resident lives on one side of the room, and the second cat lives on the other. When pets manage to get used to each other and the rehabilitation period is behind them, there will be no need to keep their distance. The owners will witness an idyll: cats are friends, lick each other's fur, play, lie and sleep together, not caring about violations of boundaries.
Feeding utensils and meal procedure
Not every cat will let another cat near its tasty morsel. If you bring a pet into your home and it covets the food of an old-timer, problems are sure to arise. Cats do not like to have their peace disturbed during a meal; even people passing by a feeding cat may receive a soft blow from their paw or a malicious hiss. What to talk about if an outsider feline covets the bowl and its contents. Until the new arrival and the cat live on friendly terms and get used to each other, it is better to place food plates in opposite corners of the room. When the pets manage to make friends and get along with each other, the dishes can be moved. But this does not mean that the cat and cat should eat from the same container. Otherwise, only one picture arises: the once affectionate pet hisses angrily, arches its back in an arc, rushes at the food invader, and a real fight breaks out between the cats. Such situations are very dangerous and can end badly for the following reasons:
To prevent unnecessary stress, it is recommended to purchase separate bowls for cats and feed them in different corners.
- It is difficult to reconcile cats with each other.
- Animals may get hurt.
- Other residents of the apartment suffer.
- Stress can make pets sick.
The situation is different when a cat brings a small street kitten into the house. The animal's maternal instinct is triggered, the cat takes care of the baby, hides it in its sleeping place and allows it to eat from a plate. If an adult cat lives in the home, the female will protect the small cat, because it is almost impossible to make friends between a cat and a kitten, since the male representative will feel from the whisker a threat of destruction of the relationship that connected the adult cat with the cat. Cats often hit babies, and this is very dangerous. It is impossible to separate a voluntary mother from a kitten, otherwise in the future the kitty may refuse the born offspring.
Toilet space: separate area
If you decide to take another pet into your home, you should not forget about an individual tray. Two cats will not use the same toilet together; otherwise, if the animals have to go to the same place to relieve themselves, conflict cannot be avoided, and in the future the cats may categorically refuse to be friends. There are also cases when a new cat visits the potty of an old-timer without any problems, who, in turn, impartially observes the manipulations of the new resident. The secret of the previous owner's peace of mind is simple: he gave up his litter box without a fight, and he regularly dirty the corners of the apartment, not wanting to go to the seized toilet. A simple but very effective trick helps to teach a new cat to use a separate litter box: pour fresh litter into the new litter box, and do not change the potty of the first cat. Each animal can easily identify its toilet area based on its specific smell.
How to make friends with pets?
You shouldn’t push them together or, on the contrary, lock the animals in different rooms; they will make contact on their own.
The main thing is to properly introduce animals and teach them how to communicate, to know what can and cannot be done. A hasty clash will start a cold war between two cats, because among animals, as between people, the first opinion is the key to the success of further relationships. You can avoid “dark” days if you don’t make the following mistakes:
- Push. The animals will decide together when to make contact.
- Lock the old-timer and the new cat in the same room. Unfamiliar cats will immediately start fighting and you will not be able to get a friendly cat family.
- Lock in different rooms. This will cause a feeling of anxiety in the animals; cats smell the appearance of a competitor. There is no need to isolate, you need to introduce.
Understanding cat body language
Your cat's eyes, ears, body and tail are trying to communicate their feelings to you and other cats and animals. Some postures and cues to pay attention to include:
- If your cat's ears are turned back, to the sides, or lying flat ("airplane ears"), they are likely irritated, angry, or fearful.
- If her pupils are dilated, she may be nervous, submissive, or aggressively defensive.
- If her tail is down or tucked between her legs, she may become restless. If she's pacing back and forth, she's probably agitated.
- If her back is arched and her fur stands on end, she is scared or angry.
Cat sounds also convey their feelings:
- Growling and/or hissing indicates that your cat is irritated, angry, fearful, or aggressive.
- Howling or growling means your cat is in distress. They may be in pain, trapped, or afraid.
Is it worth getting several cats?
If one cat in the house is not enough for the owners, then they can get a second one. This solution has both pros (cats are great stress relievers) and cons (increased maintenance costs). Therefore, you need to think about whether you have enough free time to care for both animals and whether you can support them financially.
Many people get a second pet, thinking that the first one is boring being at home alone while the owner is away. This is not reasonable. It should be understood that representatives of the feline breed are not pack animals, so they do not require company
The owner’s attention is another matter; it must be given to any pet: both dogs and cats.
You should only get a second cat for company if you are away from home all day and cannot devote enough time to your pets.
However, it is important to understand that some pets are not able to find a common language and will constantly conflict, even if the owner does everything to reconcile them
How to help cats live together
Treatment for aggression or fighting between cats varies depending on the type of aggressive behavior, but may include desensitization, counterconditioning, or drug therapy.
Methods for managing cat aggression include:
Castrate cats and sterilize cats.
Fighting often occurs between intact (non-spayed) male cats, and intact female cats are likely to have litters, leading to aggression on the part of the mother.
Provide additional perches and hiding places such as boxes and cat trees
This allows your cat(s) to run away and/or hide when they feel threatened or afraid.
Have more cat supplies
Having several food and water bowls, toiletries, perches and toys can prevent competition for resources.
Emphasize incompatible behavior—any behavior that cannot occur at the same time as the problem behavior. Praise them and give them cat treats to reward your cats.
Try using pheromones
There are products that mimic a cat's natural odor that can be effective in reducing aggression.
Keep cats separated, especially when eating
The separation may only last a few days, but if the aggression is persistent and severe, it may take several weeks before you can gradually bring the cats back.
How to behave as an owner during cat fights
If cats, peacefully coexisting in the same house, begin to fight, then this cannot be ignored. Sharp claws and teeth can cause irreparable harm to the health of pets:
- Initially, the animals must be separated. But you shouldn’t get into a fight with your bare hands. This is fraught with injury to the person himself. The most effective way is to spray with cold water. You can make a loud sound, pop, etc. In other words, the animals need to be switched to another stimulus.
There is no need to separate fighting animals with your hands; for a person this will end in deep scratches at best
- After a fight has been stopped, the cats should be taken to separate rooms so as not to provoke a new conflict. In a calm environment, animals should be examined for injury. If pets are wounded, they must be treated.
- If the owner wants to avoid further clashes, then the matter will not end there. It is necessary to establish what caused the conflict and, if possible, eliminate this factor.
How to find the cause of the conflict
The cause of conflict between animals is not always easy to find. The problem of aggressive behavior can be caused not only by the psychological characteristics of animals, but also by health problems. If one of the cats is sick, then the second one tends to attack him in order to defeat the weak one. Animal nature does not know compassion.
The cause of a conflict between two animals may be the bad mood of one of the pets. One cat became a victim of another only because it turned out to be weaker and turned up under the “hot paw” at the wrong time. A visit to the veterinarian or a bath can trigger a fight. If one of the animals was subjected to one or another procedure, then its smell has changed somewhat, and the second cat ceases to perceive the first as a member of its family.
The listed reasons are not a complete list of possible factors that could serve as a reason for a fight. For example, cats can start a fight because of jealousy, changes in the body at the hormonal level, because of the bad character of one of the pets, etc. The owner should analyze everything that happened in the house in the last hours before the fight. The cause of the fight must be established with maximum accuracy so that it can be eliminated and prevent future fights between pets.
What not to do when cats are fighting
When you're trying to help your cats get along, it's important to pay attention to whether they're playing or actually fighting. If the fight is real, you want to stop it and then react accordingly.
Don't let them fight!
If there is a real, bloody fight, try to separate the cats, but not with your hands, otherwise you may get seriously hurt. Try to distract them with a loud noise or sudden movement to break their concentration on the fight.
Don't punish your cat
Never punish your cat for acting aggressively towards another cat. Punishment can make fearful or aggressive behavior worse.
How to make two cats friends in the same apartment?
Because cats are territorial, they instinctively feel that they need to defend their territory. For your cats, this will be your home, apartment and various places within it, such as where they eat, drink, sleep, play and go to the toilet. This also applies to areas they use to get from one place to another, such as stairs and hallways. If you have two or more cats in the same apartment, then each should, in theory, feel like they aren't directly competing for all those important things.
- You can help by ensuring that all of their "resources" are provided in the right places and in sufficient quantities so that your cats don't feel like they have to fight for what's missing.
- You may want to give each cat her own bowl, her own litter box, and her own scratching post.
- You won't necessarily have to rehome any of your cats, but you will have to make some changes to help them.
There are many options you can try to resolve the problem.
Sometimes, however, it may be a case where rehoming one of the cats is the only option. Some cats simply don't like living with other cats, and so separating them may be the best solution for them, no matter what loving owners are willing to do to solve the problem.
If your cats keep fighting
If your cat's aggression is severe or becomes uncontrollable, seek the advice of a certified animal behaviorist or board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
These professionals can provide more detailed information and recommendations for behavior modification for your cats.
Unfortunately, some cats simply cannot live peacefully together. If you've exhausted your resources, time and energy in hopes of dealing with aggression or fighting between cats, it may be time to consider finding a new home for one of them or keeping them separated forever.
Bonding methods: introducing cats without stress
There is no need to force friendship between animals; cats take a long time to get used to company. Rules for successful rapprochement:
- Let the old cat know that she is not forgotten and is just as loved as she was before the new cat arrived.
- Do not interfere with the newly adopted animal getting to know the surroundings, animals and other residents of the house.
- Pause until the pets desire to become acquainted with themselves.
- Do not interfere in relationships between animals, except for a dangerous fight.
Why do cats fight?
The reasons should be sought in the very nature of these small predators, in their instincts that allowed them to survive during evolution. Without strong teeth and sharp claws, it would be impossible to take such a strong place in the sun.
Of course, this primarily concerns males. Cats fight among themselves for territory, especially for animals living in the wild. It is difficult to find large owners in this regard. After all, for a cat, “his” land is not only a territory for hunting (the larger the area, the fuller the belly), but also a place where every cat will belong to him.
Type in the search bar the query “cats fighting photos” or “cats fighting video” - the likelihood that you will see a picture of a fight between two mature, non-neutered cats is close to 100%. The hunting, territorial and sexual instincts that drive these “hot guys” often lead to tragic consequences when two cats fight, especially if they sense a cat walking nearby.
Therefore, to the question of what to do if cats are fighting?”, there is only one answer - to intervene. True, this must be done competently so as not to fall under the hot hand - this is also fraught. Many people recommend scaring fighters with something loudly rattling or rustling, but perhaps the most effective time-tested method is to pour or spray the “macho” with water. This is a priority measure.
In general, if domestic cats are constantly fighting, then the owners have only one solution - castration. There is an opinion that brothers from the same litter can live under one roof, but it is controversial and does not guarantee peace in the house.
Beating and humiliating a cat is useless and dangerous
Beating and humiliating a cat for educational purposes is the worst thing the owner of a guilty animal can think of. Humiliation and physical violence will not achieve obedience from your pet. He will not be able to grasp the cause-and-effect relationship between his behavior and moral and physical pressure; he will not be able to somehow connect these events.
Beating and humiliating a kitten or an adult cat is also prohibited for another reason. Felines have an extremely vulnerable psyche. Anything can throw them out of emotional balance. Many cats have a hard time traveling in a car, a change of scenery, the appearance of a child or a new four-legged inhabitant in the house, even moving to another room can have a negative impact on their psyche.
Screaming and physical impact on them can lead to severe mental disorders that will require long-term and expensive treatment. However, there is no guarantee that it will be successful.
Tailed bully is not recommended:
- Poking your nose into urine and feces. Poking in its own excrement will result in severe stress for the animal. It will begin to fear its owner, and its behavior will become even more unpredictable, if not inadequate.
- Beat. In the mind of the pet, physical punishment will be fixed not in connection with the action committed, but with the offender or the object with which he was punished, for example, with a slipper. As a result, he will begin to avoid shoes and the person who offended him, but will not stop doing what he was beaten for.
- You can’t stop doing something using the “no” command. These animals do not understand the meaning of this word, and perceive prohibitions as a violation of their personal boundaries.
Beatings and humiliation will not solve the problem. This will only push the pet away, but will not improve the situation. The only thing that can be done without harming the cat’s psyche is to lightly slap it on the back with your palm at the moment the “crime” is committed.
Are they fighting or grinding?
Don't confuse fighting with building a hierarchy. Accept that one of your cats will be alpha. The older member of the pack can growl at the younger one, hit him with his paw, demonstrate his superiority in every possible way, and this is not a conflict, but a form of communication.
Don't get involved in cat fights unless they are threatening. When a kitten appears in the house, the older cat accepts it almost immediately. You may not know this because the alpha will act very strict and distant. The kitten will pester the cat, bother her and eventually receive a well-deserved slap with her paw. In most cases, an older cat will not even use her claws because she needs a reason to use force.
If you see that there is going to be a fight, you can do the following:
- Stomp or clap loudly - fear changes priorities.
- Throwing a towel towards the cats is a sudden switch of attention.
- Throw a blanket over both cats - when a cat suddenly finds itself in the dark, it instinctively presses itself to the floor.
- Throwing water at cats is a distraction factor.
There is another method that owners do not use due to ignorance. Seeing that cats are going into conflict, freeze, stare at the aggressor and start hissing. Make sounds that are as close as possible to the hissing of your pets, usually a combination of “kh” and low “y” sounds, do not hesitate, growl and even scream like a cat.
What will you achieve? First, you will show who the main “cat” is in this house, and this is important. Secondly, even if the demonstration of your feline importance seems unconvincing to your pets, they will definitely be surprised by the screams. Take advantage of the surprise and stupor to isolate the new cat. This method should not be used on hybrid breeds, since the cat may become confused and attack you.
How the relationship between two cats can develop
It is impossible to predict in advance whether pets will be able to get along if they find themselves in the same territory. In the first days, it is necessary to carefully monitor their behavior and regulate it. Further, when the animals’ intention to fight disappears, they will begin to be friends or ignore each other.
In the best case scenario, the cats will become friends, play and sleep together, and protect each other from strangers. But the script may not be so touching. For example, two cats will remain competitors for the rest of their lives, or will be indifferent to each other.
Consequences of cat conflicts
The main weapons of fighting cats are claws and sharp teeth. As a rule, the results of fights with relatives are clearly visible on the face. Injuries are most often diagnosed in the head area - lacerations of the ears, damage to the eyelids or other parts of the eye, deep scratches on the cheeks.
It is important to remember that failure to provide timely assistance can cause a cat to develop:
- otitis – most often when the auricle is damaged;
- abscesses on the body - due to the lack of antiseptic treatment, rapid healing of the wound and the development of an inflammatory process inside the capsule;
- loss of organs of vision due to injuries in the eye area that were not treated in a timely manner.
The forelimbs may be injured during a fight. It is very important to examine every centimeter of the animal's body. The fact is that puncture wounds received from fangs heal after 2 days, and pathogenic bacterial microflora, which enters with the saliva of another animal, actively develops, causing crushing of soft tissues. After a few days, the formed abscess is filled with purulent contents, causing an increase in body temperature, a depressed state of the animal and pain in the affected area.
It is impossible to do without a veterinarian, since it is necessary to dissect the capsule of the formed abscess, rinse the cavity and treat it.
