Cat Prey

Hi everyone, my name is Karen and I am new to this site. I am not new to cats. Have had them all my life. I understand their behaviors as well as raised them from tiny kittens. You could say I have an above average understanding of them.

Anyway, I have a male cat (Pachabel)that has displaying extremely disturbing behavior since he was about a year old. He is now 5. I adopted him around 4months old. After about 2months I adopted another male kitten (Bob) slightly younger (about 3months). They growled and hissed at first but after 3 days they played hard with eachother. I'm talking fly through the air hard. Bob was the most aggressive and playful. He had alot of attitude. Pachabel played strong too but was not as "crazy" as Bob. When they both got close to a year old, I noticed Bob was starting to retreat more and more from his aggressive, "fun", crazy personality to this timid, unsure..almost introverted cat.

I noticed shortly after when he came into a room, he would look for Pachabel and then just croutch down as if he wanted to know if it was safe. Pachabel would be o.k. at first but then out of no where would run after him like he was obsessed, his big saucer eyeballs completely vexed on Bob and when he would catch him he would bite really hard on his neck while he strattled him with his body (almost like laying on him to keep him down). Bob would scream in terror. This was NOT play. Pachabel was not angry or mad either as there was no hissing or loud meowing from him. It was if he was a victim of himself in this obession to catch and hold down Bob. "As if" Bob was prey!

Well, this went on for several months until Bob was reduced to this scared of his own shadow cat. I gave him to my ex-husband to get him away from Pachabel where he has continued to live and lives there now happy and free of any other cats. Don't worry, he is a house cat and has a happy great life now.

Well, a few years passed and I decided to get another cat. This time I adopted a wee little guy, 8 weeks. Pachabel starte his behavior again in less than 24 hours.. now with a tiny kitten. Same thing, eyes got vexed, completely paralyzed with zeroing in on the kitten, running after, biting the neck and holding him down.

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CAT DOING! Its as if he sees the other cats as prey. It is not play and my other cats hate it. This too is a loving, fun, great spirited cat.

Now I have had cats before for many years. Boy cats and have NEVER seen them do this before. I have seen them not like other cats, hiss, growl and just "prefer" to be left alone. I have also seen them play like crazy..rough play...flying through the air, knocking over vases play. Screaming bloody murder play...it is NOT THAT.

My kitten is now 4months. I work from home so keep the Black one (Pachabel) off of him as much as I can. I just can't stand it when he does that. I have tried yelling at him, seperating him immediately to teach him that is wrong. The only thing to do is quaranteen him in another room. He does this when he is between his sleep/eat phase. Like he doesnt have anything else to do. And yes, he has toys, gets lots of attention and love - both do.

I just find it disturbing. Another thing it reminds me of is what a male cat does to a female..straddle and bite on the neck but these are boy cats. AND, the boy cats (both Bob and now Mogley (my new kitten) do NOT like it, and they let Pachabel know it by crying and hissing!

Anybody experience this and why is he like this??? He is a black, short domestic hair big Black cat. He loves me and my daughter. Is very attached to us. The one thing he does unique is when people come to our door he growls at them (like a dog). He is very much like a dog in regards to how he acts.

Only one person responded? If this is a territory issue, then why is my big bad boy not hissing, growling and immediately "territorial" when the other cat is around. Cats that are territorial are genuinely "mad" at the other cats. Pachabel shows no aggression like that. They sleep next to each other and share a eating bowl on all other occassions. Aside from his obvious dispassionate concern for the kitten (he never has been super friendly with him just "tolerates" him)...he doesnt act angry either.

But then he will fixate on the other cat and chase down and bite. The other weird thing is after wards, when I separate him and put him in other room or something for awhile..not even a 1/2 hour later the little one doesnt seem to remember it anymore as he goes over and touches noses etc.

I guess I am the only one experiencing this.

Also, my older cat does one other werid thing, he drinks water and gets a lot in his mouth, then holds his head up and "sucks" on the water..you hear him slurpping...he just holds his head up and does this for about 5 minutes with the same water in his mouth..he is not drinking...like he is holding the water in his mouth and swishing it around..sucking on it. Weird.

Jack, thank you for your response. It is nice to know someone knows what I am talking about. To the other responder, thank you too and yes, both my cats are neutered. Although I must say, I am not sure if it "took" well as from time to time I see whit(ish) goo on his behind..looks like seaman. He gets this all the time randomly. I also saw him spray once when I had him outside on my walk (I was with him and no he is not an outside cat). He sprayed a tree and it was soaked. Other times I see him try to spray and nothing comes out. I often wonder if the neuter really took. I know he is not a cat, but my brother in law had twins after he has a vasectomy. Apparently it grew back ...so it can happen.

I have no idea what feliway is? Never heard of it. Can you tell me what it is and how it is used. I would LOVE to do something. Thank you to all.

On the Feliway, do you think it will help me with the problem of my Black cat attacking the little one. Pachabel is not mad (no hissing, snarling or batting) so its not a fight nor is it play...its more like how a cat attacks a mouse, first he eyeball's my other cat and literally fixates on him wherever he goes. I can always tell when he is in that "mood" by his eyes. Then he chases him down and bites HARD on his neck and strattles him to hold him down. My other cat cries real loud and when he gets away runs for protection. The other cat has sheer terror in his eyes. But then, 10minutes later Pachabel is fine with him.

I keep the big one away from the little one most of the day as I work from home but I always get concerned when I go out or have to leave them alone. I have been putting Pachabel in another room when I go out. This is the most bazzare behavior. I have now come to the conclusion that Pachabel is just an Alpha Hunter. He is an inside cat and I think his instinct for hunting is so strong he uses the other cat as "bait". It is disturbing to watch. I read up on the Feliway, its mostly for spraying and such. It distinctly says NOT to spray on cats. So if it is just a diffuser to spray in the air...how will that keep him away form the other cat? And why does it prevent them from spraying and such? It gives a scent that says "no pee"? it doesnt make sense to me. I could understand if you sprayed a piece of furniture and it turned them off but the description of the product talks about it makes the cats feel comfortable and at ease. How does that make them not want to pee? Anyway, maybe they are referring to nervouse cats who spray and pee when nervous.

Again, I am most concerned about getting my Pachabel to knock it off with the other one and get along. Pachabel tolerates him all the other time..I can tell he has no love for the little one, not nurturing at all. The little one tries to play with him and backs off as there is an invisible barrier around Pachabel cause he gives the vibe.."get away". But he is not mean to the little one at all just tolerates him then snaps and the hunt begins!

Thanks Jack and Otto. I did order the Feliway..(6 pack) plus refill...not cheap. I hope it works.

I have no intention of getting rid of either of these guys. My Pachabel I have had since a kitten as well and he is our 1st baby even though he is a tyrant! lol The little one is so adoreable, a ragdoll, and everyone that sees him wants to take him home. I am afraid someone will steal him he is so beautiful. But I am home all day for the most part (thanks to working from home) so when the Black on attacks, I am there to the rescue. He only does it 1 or two times a day..and some days he doesnt do it at all. He knows its wrong as the other day he had the look in his eye and started to move forward and I said Pachabel real loud and he stopped looked at me, backed up and took off in other direction! He is learning but unfortunately he keeps trying when he can.

Hopefully the Feliway will help.

Thanks to all of you.

P.S. the white stuff is not worms. I regularly worm them myself and when I take it off with tissue it is smudgy like seaman! yuck!!!