Herding Cats At Home - December 2004

Written by Wendy Christensen

Q: My husband and I owned a 2 year old neutered male (Kingston) and a 9 year old neutered male (V8). V8 grew up around lots of different animals and has always been very social with new cats. Kingston has never met anyone other than V8. We decided this past August to adopt another kitty that could keep up with Kingston. He's so young and active, we thought he could use a younger friend. We adopted a 20 month old spayed female (Rutgers) that has lived with many other kitties and has always gotten along well with them without any introduction troubles.

We tried to do the introductions slowly over 5 weeks. But there were two accidental meetings that were very traumatic to Rutgers and Kingston. The first time, she got out of the room and was running down the stairs. Kingston was on the stairs and it probably appeared as if she was going to attack him -- they both stopped in their tracks, freaked out because they weren't expecting each other and a cat fight almost began. The second time, Rutgers was out in the house and we had the boys in the bedroom sniffing her "territory." Kingston got out of the bedroom and knew he wasn't suppose to be out -- so he went running under a couch to hide from us. Unfortunately, Rutgers was under the couch at the time too! The minute they realized they both were there, a cat fight broke out. Hissing, spitting, hitting, biting, etc. These two accidents occurred the first week - after that we improved our door locking skills to avoid more accidental meetings.

Over the next 5 weeks we kept her in the bedroom and we did the whole blanket trick, and playing through the door, eating on opposite sides of the door, vanilla trick, and Feliway diffusers on every floor etc. After a few weeks, we started letting them eat in the same room together -- all was fine. Over two weeks we slowly let her hang with each of the boys and there were no problems -- V8 liked her and Kingston ignored her. So we then let her have free run of the house. Things went well at first, but now everything is going downhill.

Kingston scares her to pieces... everywhere she goes, he is there. He lays down in doorways to try to block her in rooms, he walks up to her and sticks his face really close to her face until she lays down or runs away. If she runs, he chases her until she is trapped somewhere. He never touches her.. he doesn't hit her or harm her in anyway, but he scares her to the point that she avoids him and runs and hides anytime he comes near her. She WILL hiss and hit him if he traps her for long enough although normally we intervene before it gets to that point.

We are keeping her locked in the bedroom when we aren’t home right now, but are still letting her run around when we are. She gets along well with V8, and Kingston and her ignore each other quite a bit... but there are always several times he stalks and stares her down. Is this something they will resolve themselves? Is this Kingston just showing her who's boss, or is this a behavior problem that will continue? I feel horrible that this little girl is being scared so often by him. Nothing we try seems to be helping. Do we need to separate them completely and start over? She cries when we lock her in the bedroom so I don’t want to have to do that unless it is absolutely necessary.

For the most part we keep them active and too busy to bother each other -- but we want them to learn how to coexist without us always having to keep them occupied on other things. We have already taken them all to the vet and everyone is fine health-wise.

A: You say, “She WILL hiss and hit him if he traps her for long enough although normally we intervene before it gets to that point.”

Believe it or not, I think that your intervening might well be a big part of your problem.

Every time a new cat joins an established group (even a group of two), the group dynamics and social structures shift and morph. With cats, this can take time. In your case, you added a female to an all-male group – and although all the cats are altered, gender resides in the brain every much as in the gonads. Your males, especially Kingston, have some learning and adjusting to do – after all, Kingston hasn’t had contact with females since he was a kitten.

Cats don’t form fixed hierarchies like dogs do; their social structures are much more fluid and dynamic. There’s no “always the boss, all the time” alpha cat. But there IS generally a “leader” who is usually the group’s senior female, or the female who has adopted that maternal role.

The more I live with groups of cats, the more convinced I am of the importance of letting cats work out their own social arrangements, on their own timetable. Sometimes, this can take awhile, and can involve a lot of hissing, chasing, posturing, and the like. The temptation to “meddle,” to “protect the victim” can be very powerful – I know that extremely well. You’ve stated that no one is getting hurt, so obviously the dust-ups are a lot of “sound and fury signifying …” well, not that much.

Those early accidental meetings were just that – accidents. I suspect the cats understood this quite well. In both cases, both cats were surprised, not actively hostile. Your assuming that these accidental meetings were “traumatic” and that they “freaked out” the cats is, I think, in error. That’s a very human, not feline reaction. Cats, being highly-tuned animals VERY close in temperament to their wild cousins, don’t stop to think when they’re startled – they just REACT. The result can be a noisy, even scary-looking and sounding dust-up – but it’s usually over in seconds – I call this, ”no harm, no foul.”

The meeting under the sofa was more prolonged only because both cats were in such a confined space. In all likelihood, they were both trying to find their way to the nearest exit (escape route) as soon as possible, but the surprise of the other cat’s appearance confused them, so they REACTED by going into a defensive-aggression mode.

I suspect that your reaction to the dust-ups affected the cats by placing undue importance upon them. They were probably more traumatic for you than the cats – and the cats picked up your reactions and strong emotions. As Myrna Milani, DVM (whose books and web site, www. MMilani.com, I HIGHLY recommend!) is fond of saying, “Calm owner, calm cat.” And remember, most of these little tiffs are just – to the cats – “no harm, no foul.”

So… try to resist the urge to meddle – unless, of course, somebody is actually getting hurt.

You’re doing a lot of things exactly right, especially:

1) “For the most part we keep them active and too busy to bother each other but we want them to learn how to coexist without us always having to keep them occupied on other things.”

2) “We have already taken them all to the vet and everyone is fine health-wise.”

Both extremely wise moves! Daily interactive play is VERY important. It helps burn off extra energy, reduces stress, and lets the cats enjoy a pleasant, fun experience in one another’s company. Follow up with a few tasty treats and LOTS of praise for everybody’s leaping and running abilities. Make it fun and special – a much-anticipated event. Cats LOVE routine and ritual. Consistency gives them assurance that all is safe and well in their world. Use the same location, same cue phrases, same time of day.

My advice? First, adjust your own attitude to one more of joy and admiration in the company of your cats, than feelings of worry and stress. Cats are enormously sensitive to our emotions and moods. They readily pick up stress, fear and worry from us. Avoid the urge to meddle, and to “protect” Rutgers from Kingston. Let her hiss and whack him when she feels it appropriate. This will empower her and help her integrate into the group as a full member. She needs to “fight her own battles” to gain and secure her place in your cat group. Observe all interactions discreetly, but act as unconcerned as you can manage.

Try diversion. Cats are opportunistic animals. If a cat is doing something you’d rather he didn’t, offer him a better alternative. For example, when Kingston is “eyeing” Rutgers (you probably recognize that “pre-chase” look by now), perhaps toss him a toy, or a treat. Re-focus his attention. Walk into another room and say or do something that will catch his attention and make him follow you instead of remain focused on Rutgers.

If keeping Rutgers physically separated from Kingston while you’re not there makes you feel more comfortable, go ahead. But don’t do this long term, and try to minimize as much as possible the length of time they’re separated. They need to coalesce into a group, and physical separation will just delay this. In any case, since no one seems to be getting hurt, you might consider letting them interact freely while you make short trips away, just to get everybody (including you) used to the idea.

If the situation doesn’t gradually resolve, or if you feel the problems are getting worse, ask your veterinarian about possible pharmaceutical approaches. There are a number of well-proven, safe medications that can be given for a short period that will help cats get “over the hump” in touchy social situations. The medications calm them while they adjust. It also helps prevent the formation of bad habits and long-term bad feelings between cats. I’ve used some of these medications, very successfully, with my own cats.

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Q: How does one know when a cat is happy ? We are fostering a cat and her kittens from the refuge, and as far as we know she appears to be happy, but sometimes we wonder how does one tell if a cat is happy.

A: In general, a happy cat eats well but not compulsively; grooms herself regularly and thoroughly, but not obsessively; and eliminates regularly in the approved location (usually a litter box).

To assess a cat’s state of mind and emotion at a given moment, read her body language, and pay attention to her gait, posture and body position. Look at what her ears, eyes, and tail are doing. Here’s a little summary from my new book, “Outwitting Cats” (The Lyons Press):

Taking an "Instant Reading" of your Cat

Sometimes, you need to instantly assess your cat's mood, divine his current preoccupation and predict what he's about to do. His body language is your crystal ball.

Happy Cat, Greeting Human

A little "hop-step" dance
Tail held high over head
Stiff, quick flick of tail
Eyes wide
"Winding" and rubbing around your ankles
Head-bunting
High pitched, kittenish "squeak" or "mew"
Loud, expansive purr
Heading for the kitchen!

Happy Cat, Greeting a Cat Friend

Side-by-side, full-body slide-pass
Same movement, but cheek to cheek
Brief touching of noses, or sometimes, just whiskers: the "whisker kiss"
Brief lick at the top of the head; may be mutual
Sniff or brief lick just above tail
Tails are held upright, tails may sway gently.

Frightened Cat

Crouched low to the ground
Paws tucked in tightly to body
Pupils dilated
Tail tucked closely around or under body
Fur standing up, especially on tail
"Airplane ears" (wide and flat like wings), or slightly flared rearwards
Whiskers swept partially backwards against face
Hiss, or high-pitched whine

Aggressive Cat

Tail and rump elevated; head low to ground, head may sway from side to side; OR,
Crouched low to ground with forelimbs limbs poised for imminent attack
Claws extended, or alternately extending and retracting
Pupils dilated
Tail lashing from side to side
Fur standing on end in exaggerated spikes
Ears curved flat backwards against head
Whiskers swept closely back against face
Teeth exposed in snarl, lips curled back
Spitting
Low, rumbling growl, loud hiss, or growl-scream

Cat Under Threat but Standing His Ground

Standing stiffly, presenting his body sideways to the perceived threat (but poised to escape if possible)
Fur, especially tail, fluffed out to fullest extent (to maximize perceived size)
Pupils dilated
Ears partially flattened, or "airplane ears"
Hiss, or loud, penetrating sustained "Meow"

Anxious, Wary, Confused or Unsure Cat

Circling, frequent repetitive grooming, licking or paw-washing
"Airplane ears" and/or twitching ears
Flicking tail sharply, but not lashing it side-to-side -- a nervous twitch
Flicking tongue around lips
Querulous "squeaks"

I hope that helps clarify it for you!

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Q: We are fostering this stray mum cat and her five kittens for an animal refuge. 2 of the kittens sometimes use the litter ( which is always well maintained) but on other occasions appear to be lazy and go near a wall. We are a little puzzled by this as we do all he suggested interventions to prevent these mishaps. They are now 8 weeks old.

A: With Mom and five rapidly-growing kittens, you need to be especially careful to be a “good provider,” as well as a diligent observer. There are several possible reasons why your two kittens aren't using the litter box consistently:

1) At eight weeks, they SHOULD have the litter box routine down pat – but they might be slow learners. Keep an eye on them and see if they catch up soon.

2) Five kittens plus Mom is a big group. You need to provide multiple litter boxes – at least three. (More is always better.)

3) At your kittens’ age, they’re starting to more intensely develop their social skills and establish their group dynamics. It’s possible that one of the kittens has emerged as a dominant kitten (or even a bully-in-training). He might be chasing two of the kittens away from the litter, intimidating weaker kittens, or “guarding” the box (or boxes). If you suspect this might be the case, place litter boxes in at least two locations (such as in two different rooms). If there’s a bully, he can’t be in two places at once. Multiple litter “stations” are always a good idea in any case – this strategy can prevent a lot of problems.

4) It’s also possible that the two errant kittens might be suffering from a urinary tract infection or other bladder irritation that causes them to urinate spontaneously, or dribble, or just not be able to get to the box in time. If I were you, I’d take the whole family into the veterinarian for a check-up, just to make sure all is well, health-wise. A medical problem ignored MAY clear up on its own, but meanwhile, the affected kittens might well form bad habits that will linger for a long time.

Whatever the reason for their indiscretions, it’s absolutely vital that you immediately clean and thoroughly deodorize all areas where the kittens have urinated. Once they’ve used a spot, the urine scent calls them back, broadcasting to them (and to all cats) that “This is an OK place to go.” Even if YOU can’t see or smell a thing, cats’ much more sensitive senses can. Use an enzymatic cleaner or other product specifically formulated to eliminate cat urine odor. Use plenty of the product, and follow label directions carefully. (My new book, “Outwitting Cats,” includes a list of cat-urine cleaners I have used successfully, and information on where to obtain them.)

Finally… Good for you for fostering those kittens and their Mom! I hope your two little miscreants “clean up their act” soon. But don’t forget that veterinarian visit! Make the appointment now, and get them to the clinic ASAP.

Q: I have 10 cats (all spayed and neutered) that live in my house. They’ve all gotten along with no problem, but now I have (at least) 2 males that are spraying. They’ve never done that before.

I have a new male kitten about 5 months old, but he stays in the basement and they are spraying upstairs. (Our basement is like an extension of the rest of the house. It’s finished and we spend a lot of time there. So do the other cats.) The kitten does mingle with the other cats, but he’s not allowed upstairs because he is such a holy terror!! He’s also been going outside with some supervision. He’s not neutered yet. (My vet won't neuter until 6 months.) One of the offenders is the oldest male, so I did relate it to the kitten being male, but he’s never done anything like this before when a new male was introduced..

A: Cats have EXTREMELY sensitive senses of smell, and are particularly and intensely aware of pheromones and scents from other cats in their environment, or even just passing through. At 5 months or so, the new guy is starting to become an adult, and he’s likely already started sending off a different mix of pheromones than he did as a kitten. Even if every cat is fixed, they’re still highly sensitive to sexual scents from one another – and sometimes can respond powerfully to such scent messages. Altered cats can start to spray and fight in response to sexually-related odors from other cats.

I suspect your males are reacting to this new “upstart male” by reminding everybody of their territorial imperatives – that is, spraying to mark their domains. The fact that the newcomer is not altered motivates this even more strongly. You’d be wise to get him neutered just as soon as your veterinarian is willing..

Pay special attention to where the males are spraying, and take immediate steps to clean up and deodorize these spots, so you don't encourage re-marking or start up a long-term bad habit in your older cats. (My new book, “Outwitting Cats,” details LOTS of clean-up tips and resources.) It’s a wise idea to confine your sprayers to a limited, easily cleanable space (perhaps a bathroom, laundry room, etc.) while you clean up the sprayed spots in the rest of the upstairs, especially until Junior is neutered.

I suspect that your older cats will settle down after the young one is fixed. By the way, the new trend is towards "juvenile spay-neuter," where cats are fixed as kittens, as soon as they weight at least 2 pounds. This has been extensively studied, and there seems to be no problems resulting from it. Many shelters now make sure all cats are fixed before they go to adoptive homes. My 8 youngest cats were spayed and neutered as kittens (anywhere from 8 weeks - 20 weeks old) and I’ve observed no problems.

Stress -- especially territorial stress -- is a prime reason why cats start spraying. Even if your adult cats never reacted to a new cat that way before, this new kitten may just be more "provoking" to them than other newcomers were. Anything you can do to lessen their stress level is a good thing! Conduct daily interactive playtimes to help burn off the kitten's excess energy. Let the older cats participate, so they can experience having fun with the new kitten. In time, they’ll come to see him as a fun playmate rather than a hell-raising stress-producer.

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Q: I’ve had my cats for 3 years. They’re brothers, were neutered young, and have always gotten along well. But about a week ago they started fighting – and now they can't even be in the same room without growling and hissing filling the air.

There had been no changes in my family's lifestyle, or my cats', before they started fighting. We can’t figure out what is provoking them. It’s making things very difficult right now, because both usually sleep in my room, and share a litter box and food and water. But now they have litter boxes in different rooms, the food bowls are on different sides of the house, and neither gets as much attention as they used to because they are locked out half the time.

In spite of all our efforts, when we try to reintroduce them to each other, they fight again. A week of this is a week too long! Do you have any ideas as to what may be causing this, and how to get them to stop?

A: The situation you're seeing is one of the most puzzling for cat owners.

What most likely happened is something called "redirected aggression." Here's what could have happened: Say your cats were lounging by their favorite window when a big, bad, unaltered tomcat strolled by outside, making taunting cat-gestures at them through the window. Or, worse, sprayed the window or the front porch with his urine. You might never smell it -- but to their sensitive noses, it's a powerful affront and challenge. Or, it could have been a female cat in heat -- also a very arousing situation, even for neutered males. Even indoor cats often consider their territory to extend outdoors, into the space they can see and smell. And their noses are MUCH more sensitive than ours.

The scent, and even the sight, of a strange cat (especially if un-altered), would have been very arousing and frightening to your cats. They would be hyper-over-stimulated and want very badly to attack this "intruder," or chase him or her away.

But since they couldn't get at the other cat, and were so highly aroused that they simply HAD to attack someone, they attacked each other! As you might expect, this could cause lingering hostility and bad feelings for quite awhile. Sometimes, these incidents of "redirected aggression" blow over quickly, and the cats settle back down and all is well. But sometimes, the stimulus is so upsetting and their reaction so strong that they can become seriously upset with one another -- as in your case. A week is not very long when the cats have suffered such an upset in their relationship.

I would advise you to proceed for awhile as if your cats were strangers, and to introduce them as if they were both newcomers to your home and each other. Keep separating them. If possible, confine one to a room with everything he needs for a day, then switch (one cat in the room, one cat in the rest of the house.) so they can get reacquainted with each other's scents in a non-threatening way.

Although it might be difficult during this stressful time, do your best to provide a peaceful, calm environment. Your cats will pick up on your own moods and feelings. If you’re optimistic and cheerful, they'll be inclined to feel more positive, too. Consider closing drapes and curtains, to block your cats' view of the outdoors until they settle down, and keep their attention focused on pleasant, fun activities.

Then, start a VERY gradual program of re-introduction. My book, "The HSUS Complete Guide to Cat Care" has a step-by-step "recipe" for gradual cat introductions. Start with exchanging bedding (to mingle scents), and work up slowly from there. You can help the process along by wiping down both cats with a towel dampened with a neutral scent (such as vanilla) or with a scent they associate with you (such as a cologne or hand lotion you use).

Encourage "footsies under the door" play by waving a feather-wand or similar toy under the door to attract both cats' attention. Follow up with tasty treats. You want both cats to associate the presence of the other cat with fun, not fear.

"First contact" should be under as neutral and pleasant circumstances as possible -- such as a meal with particularly tasty food. Monitor the cats' reactions carefully at every step, and always let them set the pace.

Since your cats were good friends before, it’s almost certain they will be friends again, as soon as they are gradually re-introduced and have time to re-build their "family scent group" relationship. Be patient, let them set the pace, and keep a positive, cheerful, "can-do" attitude.

I'm sorry you and your cats experienced this upset. Good luck in mending fences and getting back to normal.