Strange behavior...any ideas?

My cat Scooter did something really strange today. Tomas and Pokemon were play fighting and Tomas was loosing and was starting to tire of the game and started to grow a little but Pokemon wouldn't give up and so Tomas hissed and spit at him then out of nowhere Scooter came in like a bolt of lightening and waylayed them both. Once she broke up the fight she went to each one and gave them a swat on the head as if to say "Enough fighting children." She was especially stern with Pokemon who always backs down from her.

She never engages in play fights nor does she really play with toys. Pokemon and Tomas do this all the time and eventually come to their own conclusions without her help. She has never done this before. To me it looked as though she thought they were really fighting and came to break it up and then reprimanded them for it.

Has anyone else seen this before in their cats? Do you have any idea what could've been Scooters motive for intervening? I'm a little curious as to where this behavior came from.

Thanks for your help.

Kyttin

I have not seen a cat do this, but my collie stepped in front of one of my cats who was about to be attacked by two he had previously bullied. I think he sensed "someone" we love might get hurt. The other two were sneaking up on both sides as if stalking prey. Of course, collies don't like things to get out of control, unless they're in the middle of the fun! Maybe her motherly instinct told her someone could get hurt. They have their signals and language.

Last week a friend of mine told me how she had one cat who would meow obnoxiously until she would ask him to stop. Of course, he didn't always oblige, so her other cat (a female) would come along and bop him upside the head and verbally reprimand him. My friend said it was just maternal instinct.

Smart little boogers, aren't they?

Hey thanx for the ideas. I guess it could be maternal instinct. She is a female after all. But she has never had a litter of kittens. Do you think that she could still be motherly without ever having been a mother? It was just so odd to see her do this. Tomas doesn't growl very often. Actually I think that's only the second time I've ever heard him growl. Could it be possible that she didn't recognize the sound of his voice and thought he was an intruder and that triggered her fight reflex?


Well thanx again for the imput.


Kyttin

about her reaction to his growl: i can't say for sure, but my guess is that if he doesn't growl very often, she was alarmed that he did and that set her in motion to break it up.

LOL. I've never seen a group of cats do that exactly. But I have seen similarities with ones that I have had.

However I see that behavoir display very often with dogs. Specially at dog parks where they break up fights, or play sessions they think are getting too rough.

Fred will smack all the others around if they misbehave. He is alpha, and allows no real fighting. If he thinks they are playing too rough, he will grab the offender and hold them down like a mama cat with a naughty kitten. It was so funny to see little 8 lb. Fred, scolding 22lb. Leo. Fred would smack him on the head and Leo would lay down and put his paws over his eyes. He has finally gotten the girls to get along somewhat. He is 14 years old, but he is still definitely in charge.

I'm pretty sure that Scooter is the dominant female. She don't take no crap from none of them. She growls and raises her paw and thats all it takes for the others to get in line. She is the aloof one and is only friendly with me. She does not play with the other cats and won't even engage in interactive play with me. She loves for me to pet her and love on her but no one else.


Well that shed a little light on the whole thing. Thanks guys...this forum is the best!!

Kyttin