Cats Fighting alot

Hi,

I have 2 Bengals, 1 Female who is 19 months old and 1 male that is 14 months old. I had the Female for about 5 months before I got the Male and she wasn't too impressed with the new edition when she first saw him, tho after about 2 weeks and a lot of chasing and a very cold winter they grew to like each other and would sleep together. Now though they seem to hate each other and there play fighting often ends with Prissy hissing and growling at Rizzla who seems to want to keep fighting. Prissy also gets very jealous when I pet Rizzla and Rizzla seem nervous when being petted and Prissy is around. Now Rizzla is sleeping in the lounge most nights rather than his basket in my room. And I feel that he is becoming more aloof.
Prissy was the biggest of her litter and is used to bullying other cats around, she is very headstrong and doesn't seem to get phased by much, where as Rizzla is much more skittish - sometimes he wont let you near him. How can I get them to get along and Rizzla to relax?!

I'm assuming that both are spayed and neutered. If not, that's your main problem.

But it might be a "thing in the air" with spring coming. Seems that Charlie and Ling have gotten into more arguments then they did a few months ago

Has either of them had any problems with health lately? Do they go outside? Sometimes strange smells or a strange cat coming around the house can trigger fighting with inside cats.

They were both spayed and neutered when I got them, they both spend a good deal of time outside and neither of them are bothered by any of the neighbouring cats, they are both pretty big - about 12 pounds. Also it is coming into winter down here in the southern hemisphere! They both seem in good health

First of all, I can't believe you'd let two bengals outside are they in an enclosure at all? Letting cats like that outside here, especially in town or city would tempt someone to steal them.

The fighting with each other is likely linked to the fact that you do let them outside, if allowed to run free they've surely encountered other cats, maybe even having to fight them off. They may be fine with the neighbors cats but roaming males looking for females will be a problem. Even neutered males will get picked on by unaltered males, this could make your Rizzla uncomfortable and unsure of himself.
One option is making them house cats, the other is an enclosure if you don't use one already.

Well I don't totally agree with strange_wings comments about letting your cats out. Yes in some countries people steal cats, but probably not in Wellington.

Maybe its just a dominance thing and the friskier one is establishing the higher ranking - I am experiencing that with a new cat we have had for about 2mths or so.

Its not nice to see them battling especially when they have been such good friends, but I'm sure they will settle down to a new routine and a way of being with each other

keep us posted !

Just to clarify - I believe the Wellington she's talking about is in New Zealand.

Originally Posted by mooficat

Well I don't totally agree with strange_wings comments about letting your cats out. Yes in some countries people steal cats, but probably not in Wellington.

Click to expand...

I don't really trust people. If it's very obvious that it's a pure bred cat or dog some people will try, heck even if it isn't. As a child I had a persian mix, she had a short but normal nose -looked persian otherwise, that a mother and her kids tried to steal out of our yard and this was in a small town.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I don't really trust people. If it's very obvious that it's a pure bred cat or dog some people will try, heck even if it isn't. As a child I had a persian mix, she had a short but normal nose -looked persian otherwise, that a mother and her kids tried to steal out of our yard and this was in a small town.

Click to expand...

that is such a shame - I cant comment about Wellington, so maybe when the OP pops back in they can enlighten us.
My friend here has a Bengal and he's out all the time - but the Spanish dump cats & dogs all the time , so theres no need to go pinching one !

Originally Posted by strange_wings

First of all, I can't believe you'd let two bengals outside

are they in an enclosure at all? Letting cats like that outside here, especially in town or city would tempt someone to steal them.

The fighting with each other is likely linked to the fact that you do let them outside, if allowed to run free they've surely encountered other cats, maybe even having to fight them off. They may be fine with the neighbors cats but roaming males looking for females will be a problem. Even neutered males will get picked on by unaltered males, this could make your Rizzla uncomfortable and unsure of himself.
One option is making them house cats, the other is an enclosure if you don't use one already.

Click to expand...

I for one am sick to death of every time someone asks a question and mentions that their cats go out, they get a lecture about keeping cats in.
If those of us outside the US can take the trouble to learn about the US and it's predators and dangers and understand why you keep you cats in, why can't you do us the same courtesy and learn a bit about our countries.
All it takes is to Google Predators in the UK or where ever.

I understand that England and Oz do let cats out, but most are in enclosures - not totally free roaming. I don't agree with it - but its your cats and only takes one time for a tragedy to happen.

If they are in an outside run and protected from other animals, I don't have a problem with it - its if you let them free roam all the time.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I understand that England and Oz do let cats out, but most are in enclosures - not totally free roaming. I don't agree with it - but its your cats and only takes one time for a tragedy to happen.

If they are in an outside run and protected from other animals, I don't have a problem with it - its if you let them free roam all the time.

Click to expand...

I am sorry but you are WRONG - enclosures in the UK are rare, I would even go as far as to say only for breeders. Yes there are Brits that keep their cats in, because they live in busy cities or apartment buildings, etc but where it is safe people let them out.

Both Dino & Pepsi 'roamed' when we lived in the UK and still do here in Spain - they are both over 13

Originally Posted by Anakat

I for one am sick to death of every time someone asks a question and mentions that their cats go out, they get a lecture about keeping cats in.

Click to expand...

I agree. We get too distracted by this and aren't helping to solve the problem of the cats getting along.

It sounds like the fighting could be a territorial/dominance issue. Have you tried a Feliway diffuser? I don't know about the availability of them where you live, though. I understand they're hard to get (or expensive?) in Canada.

If I'm reading your post right Rizzla gets nervous when you pet him because he's afraid that Prissy will smack him for invading her territory: you! You'll have to establish ground rules for petting. If you're petting Rizzla, Prissy has to wait until you are done to get attention from you. Don't allow her to interrupt. If it were me I might even go so far as to ignore her for a bit after I petted him to draw a clear line of distinction. Naturally, the rule goes the other way too. Your time with her is just as special so when you pet her give her your full attention and make him wait his turn.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I understand that England and Oz do let cats out, but most are in enclosures - not totally free roaming. I don't agree with it - but its your cats and only takes one time for a tragedy to happen.

If they are in an outside run and protected from other animals, I don't have a problem with it - its if you let them free roam all the time.

Click to expand...

What other animals do you think they need protecting from?
Have you taken the trouble to look up Predators in the UK ?
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY

Originally Posted by mooficat

I am sorry but you are WRONG - enclosures in the UK are rare, I would even go as far as to say only for breeders. Yes there are Brits that keep their cats in, because they live in busy cities or apartment buildings, etc but where it is safe people let them out.

Both Dino & Pepsi 'roamed' when we lived in the UK and still do here in Spain - they are both over 13

Click to expand...

I have only ever known Breeders have enclosures here, and as Ann said most people here let there cats enjoy a more natural life style.

Originally Posted by Anakat

All it takes is to Google Predators in the UK or where ever.

Click to expand...

Other cats, dogs, people and cars. The same world wide unless you live in shack on the side of some mountain.

I grew up with indoor/outdoor cats, we did lose a lot of them to roads, dogs, and one even had it's neck broke by a large tom.
I was not even suggesting any predator, dogs, or cars as a problem. Other cats, specifically an aggressive tom around will fight with them. These cats do not care that another cat is spay or neutered. If a smell around the house of another cat can upset the balance between the two cats, as one person suggested, what would an aggressive cat they were coming in contact with regularly do?

Do you think they could be fighting because they are going through kitty adolescence? People that get two cats together as kittens that have previously got on really well can have problems at this time.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

The same world wide unless you live in shack on the side of some mountain.

Click to expand...

Lol! Well, you never know! I bet there's a least one person on these forums who lives in a shack somewhere remote!

It is nice to think of a place where your kitties could be out and roam safe and free isn't it? I know my Kit would be much happier that way. Sad for her we live in the middle of the city.

I have the same proble with Finn and Darci lately. I think it may be they smell my new boyfriend - he smells good to me but Darci won't come out.

As far as letting them out. I grew up with cats who grew to be 22 both were indoor/outdoor. Darci and Finn (perhaps because I don't have kids) are over protected kittens. I am even worried the maid might swat them if they get in her way - no way are they going out. They even run when I open the door - I think they associate outside with the vet.

Originally Posted by howtoholdacat

Lol! Well, you never know! I bet there's a least one person on these forums who lives in a shack somewhere remote!

It is nice to think of a place where your kitties could be out and roam safe and free isn't it? I know my Kit would be much happier that way. Sad for her we live in the middle of the city.

Click to expand...

If so I'd like to know how they get internet! satellite maybe?

I wish I could live in a peaceful place with no worries of letting them out. When Sho was younger, around a year old, I did let him out some during the days. After he was viciously attacked by another cat I was too frightened to let him out ever again. He's a completely submissive cat, will not defend himself.
I do currently have one outdoor only cat, a stray that I took in a few years ago. I wish it could be otherwise but Max would try to rip Sho to shreds... again.

Those that let their cats out and have never had their cat come back home scratched, bitten, or even banged up a little are very lucky. Even Max has had to have a vet visit after a tom from a neighboring farm roamed over here.

Jeez this forum logs you out pretty fast, just wrote long message only to wipe it because i had been signed out.

Thanks for all the replies, I think that it may be a combination of Rizzla wanting to be the dominant one, and some Kitty adolescence, I have noticed Rizzla sleeping in a couple of Prissys spots when she isn't around, and I just weighed them and althoug he still looks smaller, he is now nearly .5kg heavier than her. I dont think that he will ever become the dominant one tho as Prissy is just to headstrong and holds the tough mental advantage.

As for where we live, it is New Zealand, and on a quiet street. It's a kittys paradise. Prissy follows me 300 metres up the road and comes and visits my friends and there Ragdoll. I couldn't imagine trying to keep them inside - they'd go insane and probably rip the place to shreds, and I wouldn't get lovely suprises of rats mice wetas and any other small creatures that dare to live around our house!

You sound like you have lucky kitties! I bet they keep the mice away too.