At what point do you intervene when kitties scuffle?

valanhb

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First, can I just say that I am seriously jealous of those of you who bring a new kitty home and life is just swell in a few days.

It's been almost a year since we brought Ginger home. Ophelia still can't stand her. She's begrudgingly acquiesced that Ginger has a right to exist, but she would still prefer if it wasn't in her house.
Mostly they just ignore each other, but if one accidentally comes into contact with the other LOOK OUT!

And then there's Mojo. Mojo is a major tomboy and doesn't know when to stop. So it's not terribly uncommon for her and Ginger to be playing and what was just wrestling has turned into Ginger getting really mad and screeching at Mojo to stop it (which doesn't work). Or Mojo starting out trying to be nice to Trent and licking his head, which leads to her putting her paw on his head because he's bigger and she can't reach, which leads to her thinking that wrestling would be a good idea.
Trent is really not into wrestling. Chasing, OK. Playing with balls, definitely. But not wrestling. So he protests.

I am of the opinion that unless it actually sounds serious, we just let them work it out. It has been almost a year with no actual injuries. Most of the time it's just sound and fury, but no physical confrontation. Earl, on the other hand, steps in as soon as he hears anything, especially when his Ophelia is concerned.

I don't know that one or the other is better, so I'm just wondering when y'all choose to intervene?
 

white cat lover

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I just let them fight it out. Unless it's Ophelia, in which case I watch closely as she does cause bloodshed.
 

gingersmom

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I am THE alpha kitty in my house, LOL, so if things seem to be getting out of hand (out of paw?) in my house, I'll give a sharp HISSSSSS, which stops all kitties in their tracks.


But I generally let them work it out amongst themselves - after all, they do need to find their own places in the kitty hierarchy.
 

kluchetta

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I usually just yell at them to stop - unless there's fur flying, which doesn't happen very often at all. However, when I feel Elsa's getting picked on too much, I'll warn the other cats to leave her alone before they get into it because she'll just disappear and not eat in order to get some peace.
 

lunasmom

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We intervene if there is hissing, growling, or screaming/crying. Whitey and Patches will bite, Luna will scratch and then chaos erupts in the household.
 

gemlady

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When the ears go back. Have had only one near catfight and Ari ended up chasing Topaz into mom's room. The rest of the time we have walk-by swats, but the ears are up.
 

katiemae1277

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Originally Posted by lookingglass

When Scratch screams like a little girl.


I very rarely intervene other than yelling a "stop it!", at least with the normal everyday spats, and its really only Hades and Gaia that get a little rough, but since Gaia outweighs Hades by double, it doesn't last long


However, when Hades and Posey were fighting there were damages so I regularly separated them and would put one, usually Posey
in the bathroom
 

alleygirl

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Originally Posted by lookingglass

When Scratch screams like a little girl.


Riley was so mean and brutal to the foster kitty that I had to re-foster-home her! She has another kitty her age now to play with so she's happier.

Not sure I will try to get a second cat, if he's going to be like that..
 

angelkitty

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Honestly Chessy and Angel fight every night.. But then they lick each other and clean each other.. They are such drama queens.. I only intervene when it sounds bad.. Angel and Chessy can get really rough,, and there rolling and falling off tables, and all kinds of stuff... Last night, they were fighting by my chair,, so I yelled at them and they both came up to look at me, with that "But Mommy,, we were just playing" look!!
 

taterbug

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Guess I'm lucky with my girls. I only have one that's tempermental....and she takes care of battles herself. The other two grow a wild hair every now and then. One wants to play when the other doesn't which then ends up with a hiss and a holler. Only then do I intervene. I just say aaaaaaaatt!! and they seperate,thank goodness.
 

babyharley

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I've always been lucky with my boys- they've always gotten along- but when they are playing around and get rough, I know when to interviene when I hear Bayley crying like he's hurt. Harley is SO much bigger than him, that it doesn't take much


All I have to say is "play nice!" and they stop
 

epona

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When Sonic does that Siamese/Oriental thing which starts out as a growl and and turns into a blood-curdling scream. It usually signals that he's about to try and eat Radar's head, Sonic is the bully of the pair. Or when they have their heads in each others mouths. Or should that be mouths around each others heads! A sharp 'OI, STOP!' and clapping my hands together usually distracts them.

They coexist, if not happily then in a atmosphere of weary tolerance, most of the time, but we do have a bit of scrapping, usually over rights to my lap or the computer chair.
 

ddcats

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I intervene when I think there is going to be bloodshed. Mittens is always the cat who starts. She gave Cassy a scratch on her eye--and Cassy was bleeding tears. She almost took out Cassy's eye!

Mittens did get punished after that. I put her in the cat carrier, and put her in a secluded area for a couple of hours and she had to put up with my dirty looks and my reminding her what she did for a week.
 

snosrap5

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Knock on wood but we haven't had any issues with blood shed or scratches.

Takoda and Magnum can get into some serious rough housing but it's never more the rough play.

Trouble screams at the top of her lungs if anyone walks within her bubble but for the most part they just ignore her yelling. If they do decide to take up her challenge it only causes her to scream louder. Which in turn gives everyone such a headache that they either leave her alone or we tell them to knock it off.
 

gemlady

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We had one cat who would discipline for us. Whenever 2 of the other cats would start fighting she would run into the middle and smack both!
 

jellybella

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

I am THE alpha kitty in my house, LOL, so if things seem to be getting out of hand (out of paw?) in my house, I'll give a sharp HISSSSSS, which stops all kitties in their tracks.


But I generally let them work it out amongst themselves - after all, they do need to find their own places in the kitty hierarchy.
I only intervene if I see blood (which I haven't to date) or a lot of fur flying. I think I can tell when it's just wrestling and when it's serious. To clarify, I think with Stan it's always wrestling, and with Bella it's sometimes serious.

I want them to work things out on their own for the most part because I think it's more harmonious when everyone knows their place (and they know I'm on TOP!!)

If I see something I want to stop, I'll walk over and give a good hiss. They'll scatter and go to their respective corners to groom.
 

tarasgirl06

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We have "issues" here with Baby Su, who was (I think) a feral kitten and who came into our family swinging. She's since been put on the defensive by Rani, Sishya, and Maryam, and has turned timid; she takes out her aggro on Samuda and Calo, the former of whom is incredulous and runs, the latter of whom can dish it out as well as he can take it, but is a gentle giant. I don't physically intervene, but I do raise my voice and "no NO!" them if the cries sound too insistent; and I've had to squirt them with water if I think it's getting too rough, but other than that, I let them work it out, because I know these things can and do happen when I'm not here, and there's no one to intervene. I'm a firm believer in letting each one establish his or her own limits. They can, and do -- and Baby Su is three now.
 

strange_wings

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Mine have never fought and neither of them is a clear cut dominate alpha cat. If I had more than two that would likely change.

Because I'll hiss, growl, meow, and imitate cat looks rather well, maybe they consider me alpha somewhat.


Play rarely involves claws and any biting is not serious. Occasionally Tomas will hound Sho a bit much or grab him a little roughly, making Sho cry. A quick, "boys, NO" and a snapping my fingers stops it and Tomas immediately backs away.
 
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