Herding Cats at Home - March 2004

• It's VERY important that all your cats know that there is plenty of everything (food, water, space, attention) available for everyone -- and even that there are extras. Cats love a sense of abundance. Knowing this will make them feel much more secure. So, provide extra litter boxes, several small bowls of dry food (in different locations throughout the house) at all times, especially while new kitty is getting settled in.
• At mealtimes, make sure each cat has his own food bowl and water bowl. Separate them by several feet (for example, on opposite ends of the kitchen). Monitor feeding times and make sure your old kitty is getting enough.
• Temporarily, you may have to feed your older kitty in a separate room with a closed door. Place his food and water in there and leave him for about a half hour (or as long as he usually takes to eat). Check on him (or sit in there with him) to make sure he's eating. He may need some reassurance that new kitty won't suddenly appear and grab his meal!

I suspect this problem will resolve with time and a little extra "management effort" from you, until new kitty starts to realize there will always be enough food for him from now on. And congratulations on adopting a shelter cat -- shelter kitties are the Best!

A: What you're seeing sounds like predatory/play aggression. Feeding him won't help, as it's not food that he really wants right then. He craves stimulation and hunting activity. I think your cat might not be getting enough exercise, physical stimulation and "mock-hunting." You didn't say if your cat is an indoors-only animal, but many indoor cats get bored and aggressive in this way because they don't get enough "hunt, pounce and mock-kill" activity. Start a daily program of vigorous interactive play.

Another possibility is that he was played with too roughly when he was a kitten. Many owners think a kitten wrapped around their ankles is cute -- but this teaches the kitten that ankles are "fair game." They grow up doing that same "kittenish" activity -- but now it hurts the owner -- and the cat is not sure what he's doing wrong! After all, it was OK before.

One of the best ways to dissuade him from the behavior is to simply leave the room and ignore him for at least 15 minutes whenever he tries it or does it. ANY reaction by you, negative or positive, just reinforces the behavior.

Most of all though, you need to nurture his "inner wildcat" with regular interactive play sessions to channel the hunting urge in a healthy, fun and safe direction. Leaping, pouncing and swatting -- and ankle-grabbing -- are instinctual prey-pursuit activities.

Get a selection of interactive toys. There are a variety of "kitty fishing-pole" type toys with dangling "prey" and "flying" toys with feathery bird lures. Simulate realistic prey movements: jumping, crawling, flying, running. A flashlight or laser pointer also makes a terrific interactive toy. (Be sure your cat doesn’t look directly at the laser.)

Let your cat "capture" the prey occasionally, but not every time. In the wild, most hunts are not successful. Quit when he starts losing interest, preferably before he's had quite enough. Stop immediately if your cat shows signs of exhaustion, fatigue or shortness of breath. And… have fun!