New Alpha in the House!

We knew that when we brought Molly in that there was a chance that we'd have fights for the Alpha position. What we never figured on was that our sweet, submissive and timid little boy would take over the position easily and readily!

Whisper is now our alpha, and he is *bossy* about it. He bosses me around (he doesn't want me to go upstairs, ever). He bosses Reagan around (who ever would have imagined that was possible?) and he keeps telling Molly her place.

So for the update... Molly and Reagan get along well. Molly will "chirp" from her spot under the end table, where she likes to sit, and Reagan will meow from her spot on the stairs. And back and forth and on and on for about five minutes at a time.

Whisper and Reagan still don't like Dozer. Whisper doesn't because Dozer, when they were still a little puppy and a little kitten, liked to drag Whisper around by his head. I can understand Whisper's point of view! Reagan doesn't like Dozer because she wasn't socialized with dogs early on.

I can see Molly and Dozer sleeping together in the not too distant future, which is nice, because Dozer could do with an animal friend.

Watching them always amazes me. Feline behavior is fascinating, especially when one considers how *intelligent* these animals are!

I think that Whisper and Reagan are both happy as long as they know what the "pack order" is. Reagan seems slightly confused, but not unhappy for the most part. She's just coming to me more for cuddles instead of going to Whisper, and things are beginning to slip into a routine that is very similar to the one that they had before.

And Reagan is the smaller, but the more well-muscled of the two. I really don't think that size has a lot to do with it. I'm inclined to think it's more to do with temperament.

My cat Myron, who was the reincarnation of Ghandi, would get dragged around by his head by the Malamute mix puppy, Roscoe. At first we would scold Roscoe, and then we realized Myron was asking for it, and we relented.

To the end of their lives, they would play "Lion Tamer."

I think cat relationships are extremely interesting to watch. Much and Petunia didn't have an alpha-beta relationship. They were like two roommates who really didn't like each other but somehow worked out how to tolerate the other. They had a truce system that was extremely complex whenever they crossed paths.

When we got Lucy after Petunia died, Lucy became the irritating little sister to Much who usually ignores her though they do end up wrestling before dinner. Carly tries to be friends with both. Lucy is hissy to Carly most of the time and Much ignores her. Both Carly and Lucy will go up and lick Much. So I think Much is alpha, but she didn't have to work at it.

Originally Posted by ghosthunterbeck

I think that Whisper and Reagan are both happy as long as they know what the "pack order" is. Reagan seems slightly confused, but not unhappy for the most part. She's just coming to me more for cuddles instead of going to Whisper, and things are beginning to slip into a routine that is very similar to the one that they had before.

And Reagan is the smaller, but the more well-muscled of the two. I really don't think that size has a lot to do with it. I'm inclined to think it's more to do with temperament.

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well, that doesn't bode well for me. Cable took over alpha after Mouse died, when she was still a kitten. not a big deal, since Pixel had never been alpha, anyway. then Java came, a very laid-back, sweet cat [no tortitude there!] - still not a problem. Chip is not interested in being alpha, but Cable reminds him at least once a day that he doesn't have that choice. he ignores her.

is anyone interested in a sweet little torbie?

Laureen, you also have a lot more cats than we do I think that could make a significant difference, because having five cats needing to adjust to their new alpha is far different from having two of them.

The general behavior between Whisper and Reagan hasn't particularly changed. Whisper just every so often asserts his authority with a firm, clawless "swat," and Reagan goes on about her business or comes to find me for reassurances. Whisper still washes her and plays with her like normal -- they just have a different order of dominance.