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Alpha Females?
- Thread starter firebolt7
- Start Date
I've seen one spayed female chase off any non-related female cats that come by, she give no warning like the males, she just charged right at them!
Of my two feral cats, the one who is more territorial with "outside" cats and other critters is the female. But she is submissive to my other feral who is male and her mate (prior to my TNR of them).
I don't know about them actually being the Alpha, but it seems that the females are far more defensive of territory than the males are. Just my observation.
Feral colonies with domestic cats are structured very similarly to lion prides. In the wild, prides are made up of mostly females, their offspring and 1-3 adult males (adult males form their own groups called coalitions). While the males protect the pride for breeding rights, the females will have a pecking order of their own. All females can breed (unlike wolf packs), but there are those that have higher rights for food, etc. A lot of it depends on what they do to serve their pride - the better hunters are usually higher ranked.
The term "alpha" is more understood with canines than felines, and better understood with feline males than females. A more appropriate term with feline females that show rank is "matriarch" - the leading mother of the pride.
Females can be more territorial because there is more at stake for them - the future of their offspring. Males can always move down the road and find another female. And even though we get our cats spayed/neutered, I've had one animal behaviorist tell me that this doesn't fully "desex" their behaviors.
The term "alpha" is more understood with canines than felines, and better understood with feline males than females. A more appropriate term with feline females that show rank is "matriarch" - the leading mother of the pride.
Females can be more territorial because there is more at stake for them - the future of their offspring. Males can always move down the road and find another female. And even though we get our cats spayed/neutered, I've had one animal behaviorist tell me that this doesn't fully "desex" their behaviors.
And even though we get our cats spayed/neutered, I've had one animal behaviorist tell me that this doesn't fully "desex" their behaviors.
That is true!
That is true!
I've nine cats, all of whom were rescued from the street and all of whom have been spayed/neutered. The males still fight and still try to spray, despited being deballed. I don't need an animal behaviorist to tell me that those boys still have very strong territorial and heirarchical instincts, and that's what it's all about. Even Ludwig, our "fraidycat", will occasionally try to spray even though he's anything but an "alpha" cat.
Personally, I think we have too many males in a too-small house....
