I have two cats, a 17 year old girl (Maggie) and an 8 month old boy (Dirby).
I got Dirby when he was 6 weeks old, got him neutered at 5 months old. As soon as he figured out he could, he started trying to mount Maggie, stuffed animals, you name it. My vet wouldn't neuter until he was 5 months old, so I waited it out. He started showing signs that he was trying to be the dominant cat. Mounting Maggie when she ate, chasing her from the litter box etc...
Maggie is 17 very laid back cat, but has past owner issues and is very particular. I can pet her all day long, but not pick her up and she will not lay on my lap, but will lay right next to me. She has never hissed at me, growled scratched or bit. However, if the litter box isn't spotless, she will find somewhere else to go, if that happens I see it as my fault. They both sleep on the bed with me with no problems. He is a lover, loves to cuddle, sleep on my lap, be held and is a real sweet boy. Even when he plays with me, it is very gentile.
I got two sets of litter boxes, feeding bowls and put them at different areas of the house. But Dirby still thinks they are both his. If Maggie is relaxing and he gets a wild hair, he will run and jump all over her... she lets out an awful hiss and growl and will bat at him. She has cut his nose a little but that is all. Neutering him has not changed his behaviour at all.
I don't know how much of this is him trying to be the dominant cat, and how much is because he is a kitten. I can tell he's not hurting Maggie when he tries to play with her, she is just annoyed and telling him to back off. Then he gets feisty and starts mounting her and biting the back of her neck. Then they start fighting. When the start to get into it I squirt him with a water bottle (she could care less) but he will run away.
I feel bad that Maggie in her old years is being annoyed, but I also don't know that Dirby is doing something wrong (in the cat world). So, I only squirt him with water when he chases her, stocks her while she uses litter, or tries to mount her. I don't want to confuse him... or her...
If anyone has any insight on what I should be doing or how I can "turn off" this dominant behaviour of his, please let me know.
Thanks!
I got Dirby when he was 6 weeks old, got him neutered at 5 months old. As soon as he figured out he could, he started trying to mount Maggie, stuffed animals, you name it. My vet wouldn't neuter until he was 5 months old, so I waited it out. He started showing signs that he was trying to be the dominant cat. Mounting Maggie when she ate, chasing her from the litter box etc...
Maggie is 17 very laid back cat, but has past owner issues and is very particular. I can pet her all day long, but not pick her up and she will not lay on my lap, but will lay right next to me. She has never hissed at me, growled scratched or bit. However, if the litter box isn't spotless, she will find somewhere else to go, if that happens I see it as my fault. They both sleep on the bed with me with no problems. He is a lover, loves to cuddle, sleep on my lap, be held and is a real sweet boy. Even when he plays with me, it is very gentile.
I got two sets of litter boxes, feeding bowls and put them at different areas of the house. But Dirby still thinks they are both his. If Maggie is relaxing and he gets a wild hair, he will run and jump all over her... she lets out an awful hiss and growl and will bat at him. She has cut his nose a little but that is all. Neutering him has not changed his behaviour at all.
I don't know how much of this is him trying to be the dominant cat, and how much is because he is a kitten. I can tell he's not hurting Maggie when he tries to play with her, she is just annoyed and telling him to back off. Then he gets feisty and starts mounting her and biting the back of her neck. Then they start fighting. When the start to get into it I squirt him with a water bottle (she could care less) but he will run away.
I feel bad that Maggie in her old years is being annoyed, but I also don't know that Dirby is doing something wrong (in the cat world). So, I only squirt him with water when he chases her, stocks her while she uses litter, or tries to mount her. I don't want to confuse him... or her...
If anyone has any insight on what I should be doing or how I can "turn off" this dominant behaviour of his, please let me know.
Thanks!
