Question: Can cats kill other cats?
MensaCat
siblings, 4 male and 1 female, I found abandoned on the side of a road.
All are spayed/neutered. The guys love to spray, and I've tried
everything under the sun (even FeliAway) and nothing works. So, as you
can imagine, I do a LOT of cleaning.
About a year ago, 4 more dumped kittens joined my home. 3 males, 1
female. I spayed/neutered them all. My cats are generally pretty laid
back and no real fighting ever occurs (there are the rare smacks and
hissing, few and far between). One of my "first" cats, Biggles, has
recently begun terrorizing the female of the "second" group, Figment.
Figgie is such a docile, sweet and affectionate cat, and usually so is
Biggles.
It's not a constant. It happens about 2 times a week....I'll be
sitting in the living room or wherever when I'll hear Figgie give out a
terrified scream. I'll run to investigate, only to see her running
from Biggles, who's hot on her tail. I've never actually SEEN any
contact, but I assume that's what's making Figgie yowl like that.
There are never any scratches or other wounds to Figgie, and Biggles
runs for his life when I raise my voice and grab the squirt gun.
My mother, who lives with me, is 100% sure that Biggles intends to kill
Figment and that one or the other must go ASAP. I'm not so sure.....I
know that cats live in heirarchies, and I'm thinking this is their way
of figuring out where they both belong in it. Then again, it doesn't
seem like Figs is challenging Biggles in any way (although she does
seem to like to stare at him, which I know can be a "dare" kind of
thing). I've searched and searched for a solution to all of this, then
I thought I'd ask you guys for your opinions or advice. I do NOT want
to give any of my furkids up (I'd liken it to chopping off an
extremity) but I will if Figgie is in mortal danger.
What do you think? Let them duke it out? We're planning on moving up
north in about 3 months, so I know everyone's lives will be upheaved
and it could all go away...or intensify.
ANY THOUGHTS?? Heeeeelp!!!
Pat
"MensaCat" <mens...@hotmail.com> wrote
I had a similar situation with two of mine for a while, and even though they
*would* actually get into rolling, tearing, screaming, wrestling matches,
there was never any serious physical harm done.
I would be more concerned if it was two males going at it, but in your case
it's a male going after a female (like it was here).
Moving house helped a lot, and Feliway helped a lot. You may need to use
Feliway for 3-4 months or longer before stopping it, and be ready to use it
again if need be.
Jo Firey
another. I might not want to leave them both in the same room if I left
them home alone, but baring any physical injury I wouldn't be too worried
either. Nine cats is a large clowder to have in one home, and it sounds
like everyone is getting along pretty well.
Our Jake, a 10 pound meezer used to wrestle with our ancient 4 pound poodle.
They used to take turns instigating it and sounded like they were killing
each other, but never drew blood. Jake kept his claws in and Taffee didn't
have enough teeth to do any damage. They both enjoyed these fights
tremendously.
Jo
"MensaCat" <mens...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1156473367.7...@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
Karen
Well, I have to tell you I had a cat when I was growing up, Wink. Wink
was a drama queen. We had another cat, male, named Sooty. Sooty
loooooved Wink. Now, mind you, he tried to snuggle up to her, but she
would SCEAM at him like she was being murdered. Sooty was a very mild
boy. A big baby in fact. But, you can't have another cat screaming at
you. He learned to keep his distance. One day, I heard Wink screaming
fit to wake the dead and a few never been born. I went in to see what
the matter was. Here was Sooty, some 10 feet away laying down and he
was LOOKING at her (just looking, no dare stare or anything). Just
looking! And she was wailing away as though he was terrorizing her. It
was so silly. But my point is, the amount of noise a cat makes does not
necessarily equate the amount of contact being used. If this has been
happening with some regularity and you see no contact OR evidence of
contact, the cats are not trying to kill each other.
Karen
I agree, Feliway really can help.
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
MensaCat wrote:
Especially since you find no bites or injuries, I'd let them
duke it out. Cats, like humans, can have disagreements,
even with those they seem closest to. They eventually work
it out among themselves, and in my experience, human
interference may only prolong the adjustment process.
It's remotely possible that an intact feral male might
manage to kill another in a dispute over a female (although
even that is highly unlikely) but yours are not ferals, and
have all been neutered. (However fiercely animals in the
wild may battle one another, SFAIK the only animals that
deliberately kill members of their own species are humans!)
>
Debbie Wilson
> What do you think? Let them duke it out? We're planning on moving up
> north in about 3 months, so I know everyone's lives will be upheaved
> and it could all go away...or intensify.
>
> ANY THOUGHTS?? Heeeeelp!!!
Like Karen's Wink, we have a drama queen called Cocoa, who will scream
fit to wake the dead at the slightest hint that contact might be made by
one of the other cats when they are being mischievous towards her. And
we are talking a real full-on cat fight scream that brings us running to
see who got killed - never happened yet!
I will add another vote for Feliway diffusers and sprays.
Deb.
--
http://www.scientific-art.com
"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield
Kreisleriana
yodeled:
Let me piggyback on here, and say, well, of course it's possible, but
highly unlikely. And cats make a lot of noise when they're
fighting, to startle or scare the other cat. That's why the one being
attacked screeches-- to scare the attacker off. They are probably not
yelling in pain, but it sure can panic the human residents.
Keep your eyes open and the squirt bottle ready. And yes, do try the
Feliway. You might want to isolate the aggressive guy.
PS, moving might not be a bad thing for this situation, since it will
certainly knock Biggles' cockiness down a peg or two, at least
temporarily.
Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
Make Levees, Not War
Enfilade
Debbie Wilson wrote:
> MensaCat <mens...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > What do you think? Let them duke it out? We're planning on moving up
> > north in about 3 months, so I know everyone's lives will be upheaved
> > and it could all go away...or intensify.
> >
If you aren't finding any sign of physical injuries, I wouldn't worry
about it.
Our dominant queen, Nocturne, rules the other two females with an iron
paw but none of her messages seem to get through to tom Smokey. (All
four are fixed) Smokey is in love with Nox and wants to be touching
her at all times, whereas she wants him at the other end of a ten foot
pole, and so there is often hissing, growling and yowling as she tries
to get it through his thick head that 1. she doesn't want him touching
her and 2. she also doesn't want to get up from her soft chair.
Periodically he chases her through the house and periodically she slaps
him across the face, but there's never any wounding or danger.
--Fil
Karen
"Debbie Wilson" <djma...@mac.com> wrote in message
news:1hkmbw5.1oyxmjb32ez72N%djma...@mac.com...
> MensaCat <mens...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > What do you think? Let them duke it out? We're planning on moving up
> > north in about 3 months, so I know everyone's lives will be upheaved
> > and it could all go away...or intensify.
> >
> > ANY THOUGHTS?? Heeeeelp!!!
>
> Like Karen's Wink, we have a drama queen called Cocoa, who will scream
> fit to wake the dead at the slightest hint that contact might be made by
> one of the other cats when they are being mischievous towards her. And
> we are talking a real full-on cat fight scream that brings us running to
> see who got killed - never happened yet!
>
> I will add another vote for Feliway diffusers and sprays.
>
> Deb.
>
Yup. I cannot believe how bad it can sound. Once I figured it out it used to
make me laugh to hear this gigantic noise out of this itty bitty and no one
even near her.
Debbie Wilson
> Yup. I cannot believe how bad it can sound. Once I figured it out it used to
> make me laugh to hear this gigantic noise out of this itty bitty and no one
> even near her.
It's incredible! What's really hilarious is not that Cocoa is such a
wuss when she thinks she is under attack, but if one of the other cats
gets into a situation - the two boys often have a play-fight - and makes
a noise, she will go galloping into the middle of the fray and start
beating them up left right and centre! 'How dare you make such a racket
- break it up and behave!!' And once when Merlin accidentally misjudged
a jump and fell off a table, she rushed over to him and gave him a
slap!! Talk about double standards :-)
Marina
>
> Like Karen's Wink, we have a drama queen called Cocoa, who will scream
> fit to wake the dead at the slightest hint that contact might be made by
> one of the other cats when they are being mischievous towards her. And
> we are talking a real full-on cat fight scream that brings us running to
> see who got killed - never happened yet!
Miranda is also a drama queen, as I discovered this summer on the
island. When Linus or Kasper was chasing her, she would make the most
horrible noises, sounding like they were killing her,though they are
nowhere near her. Then the big boys would get scolded and Miranda would
slink away looking very pleased with herself.
--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki
Lesley
Enfilade wrote:
Smokey is in love with Nox and wants to be touching
> her at all times,
Awww...poor Smokey-Poke...then again if you fall for the Queen of
Darkness I guess you have to expect it!
whereas she wants him at the other end of a ten foot
> pole,
Is that far enough for her divine-ness?
Lesley
Slave of the Fabulous Furballs
Julie Cook
Marina wrote:
> Miranda is also a drama queen, as I discovered this summer on the
> island. When Linus or Kasper was chasing her, she would make the most
> horrible noises, sounding like they were killing her,though they are
> nowhere near her. Then the big boys would get scolded and Miranda would
> slink away looking very pleased with herself.
Lacey is a drama queen as well except that she'll start it by going up
to one of the guys and bapping them. Then she'll run and when they chase
her she'll turn around and hiss and then growl and scream. DH gets mad
at the boys for picking on his little angel. I say, "Rusty, she started
it!" and he replies "She did not, she's being picked on, my precious
wittle girl." Puullleessee. <vbg>
Julie
Fat Freddy
> sitting in the living room or wherever when I'll hear Figgie give out a
> terrified scream. I'll run to investigate, only to see her running
> from Biggles, who's hot on her tail. I've never actually SEEN any
Fluffy and Kitty do that all the time.
Sometimes it's obviously a game of chase and they take turns as to who
does the chasing. Other times it sounds serious and one of them lets
out a bloodcurdling scream as if he or she was being torn apart. But,
they never actually engage in battle. The most they do is a little
sparring but their claws are never out.
Sometimes one of them will be peacefully sleeping and the other one
will charge over and someone will scream and run and the chase is on.
I'm not sure if the charger or chargee does the screaming. It seems
like they take equal turns being the aggitator.
One of their favorite games is for one of them to get in their "Kitty
Castle" and try to box each other through the doors and windows.
One of the most irritating aspects of their relationship is when we are
sleeping and one of them is on the window ledge behind the bed right
above our heads and the other one jumps up on the bed. That usually
sets off a chase and the one on the window ledge has little regard for
the humans sleeping right below and sometimes will jump right on us
with a scream which makes for quite a rude awakening. They don't always
do this. Sometime they both sleep peacefully on the bed with us.
I think this behavior is part play and part territorial domination. We
don't intervene as they never use claws or bite each other. However, we
have to watch out that we don't get run over during some of their more
intense chases.
Jo Firey
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <evg...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:ecm62...@news2.newsguy.com...
> It's remotely possible that an intact feral male might manage to kill
> another in a dispute over a female (although even that is highly unlikely)
> but yours are not ferals, and have all been neutered. (However fiercely
> animals in the wild may battle one another, SFAIK the only animals that
> deliberately kill members of their own species are humans!)
>
Male cats kill kittens all the time. If a new male lion takes over a pride,
the first thing he does is kill all the cubs. Nasty but true.
Other animals aren't any better.
Jo
Enfilade
> whereas she wants him at the other end of a ten foot
> > pole,
>
> Is that far enough for her divine-ness?
>
While Nox /acts/ like she wants Smokey somewhere farther away (ie a
Siberian gulag, the bottom of the ocean), I've seen her get agitated
and upset if Smokey is away at the vet. Apparently he is her property
and must not be taken from her territory without permission...
(He is also her kennel boyfriend. Take her out of her "kingdom" and
she meatloafs right next to him for companionship! Bizarre!)
--Fil
jXwXeXr...@sonic.net
> (He is also her kennel boyfriend. Take her out of her "kingdom" and
> she meatloafs right next to him for companionship! Bizarre!)
That makes me think that there's some territorial thing going on. When
in neutral (ie, not belonging to either of them) territory, perhaps she
doesn't feel she has anything to guard.
Or maybe she just feels very nervous in a strange environment, and at
least Smokey is familiar. Any port in a storm...
Joyce
Nik Simpson
Emily and if you just listened to them you'd think WW3 was breaking
out. In reality, the worst is that Emily sometimes retreats to a chair
under the table and swears like sailor at Mojo, no damage has ever been
done to either cat as far as I can tell.
--
Nik Simpson
Enfilade
>
> That makes me think that there's some territorial thing going on. When
> in neutral (ie, not belonging to either of them) territory, perhaps she
> doesn't feel she has anything to guard.
>
> Or maybe she just feels very nervous in a strange environment, and at
> least Smokey is familiar. Any port in a storm...
If she really hated him, she wouldn't be so upset when he was at the
vet. I've noticed she doesn't like when she's not in control of
things. She hates when Dylan is gone at the hospital over night too,
she hates when I visit friends overnight, she hates when we move around
furniture. And, she hates when she can't make Smokey do what she wants
him to. She's already got Kumani respectfully afraid of her and Tyche
utterly submissive to her, but Smokey wont' do "what he should" and it
makes her hiss.
But put her in a kennel and she clings to Smokey, someone familiar and
"hers."
--Fil
MensaCat
THANK YOU for your kindness and reassurance!! I sat my mother down and
read all of the replies, and I really think it put her mind at ease
(she would wail louder than Figgie when the pursuits began). I too
think it's all about dominance and what belongs to whom. While they
will still be carefully monitored (perhaps even the videocam set up in
places to catch the actual 'contact'), we both feel a lot better and
think this will eventually pass. We just have to both be vigilant and
keep eyes open while still giving them space to figure each other out!
Thanks again, fellow ailurophiles :-)
Kreisleriana
yodeled:
One final thought-- some extra playtime for Biggles probably wouldn't
hurt, to get rid of some of that excess energy. Good luck.
MatSav
news:1156473367.7...@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> sitting in the living room or wherever when I'll hear Figgie give out a
> terrified scream. I'll run to investigate, only to see her running
> from Biggles, who's hot on her tail. I've never actually SEEN any
> contact, but I assume that's what's making Figgie yowl like that.
> There are never any scratches or other wounds to Figgie, and Biggles
> runs for his life when I raise my voice and grab the squirt gun.
>
Female cats yell after sexual intercourse. The male member has barbs that
catch the female's vaginal lining on withdrawal, causing pain such that the
female will not want to mate with another male.
--
MatSav
jXwXeXr...@sonic.net
> Female cats yell after sexual intercourse. The male member has barbs that
> catch the female's vaginal lining on withdrawal, causing pain such that the
> female will not want to mate with another male.
Actually, what it does is stimulate ovulation. It does NOT prevent
her from mating with another male, and in fact, that might be exactly
what she does. Litters of kittens are famous for having half brothers
and sisters from different daddies.
Joyce
MatSav
news:44f230c0$0$34538$742e...@news.sonic.net...
Thanks Joyce - I sit corrected, with a furry friend lying on my lap :-)
--
MatSav
jXwXeXr...@sonic.net
> <jXwXeXr...@sonic.net> wrote in message
>> Actually, what it does is stimulate ovulation. It does NOT prevent
>> her from mating with another male, and in fact, that might be exactly
>> what she does. Litters of kittens are famous for having half brothers
>> and sisters from different daddies.
> Thanks Joyce - I sit corrected, with a furry friend lying on my lap :-)
One of the best ways to be corrected, I guess. :)
There's a photo series in one of those "Cats in the Sun" books that
shows a female being mounted by several males at once. Well, only one
at a time is actually successful at this, as the others are lined up
behind him and succeeding only in mounting each other. But in
subsequent photos, other boys are having their turn.
So, while the pain caused by the male *should* cause the female to
swear off mating for good, apparently the girls have a very short
memory. It's always funny to see the female turn and give the male
a good swat at the end, especially if it's tigers or some other big
cat.
Joyce
Evelyn Vogt Gamble (Divamanque)
Oh really? Have you ever seen a female cat in heat, whether
she's already mated or not?
>