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Walking Away from Food Dish

post #1 of 3
2/3/12 at 10:42am
Thread Starter 

I'm not sure what to make of this.  I'm in the midst of introducing a 16 year old and a 5 month old.  When I'm around (in the same room), I let them together and the older one growls and hisses and has thwapped the baby a few times, but I'm right there to keep it from getting out of hand. 

 

This morning the baby got close to the older one while she was eating and after lots of hissing from the older one, the baby sat there and stared.  The older one grumbled and growled and after about 2 minutes got up and left the food dish.  I didn't let the baby have it because it's not the food she's been eating. 

 

What does it mean that the older one would leave the food?  Is she more bluster than anything else?

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post #2 of 3
2/3/12 at 11:17am

I wouldn't worry too much, it sounds to me like the older cat is setting the grounds, which they all do until establishing their rank in the home.

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post #3 of 3
2/3/12 at 11:17am

Cats don't like doing their business, whether it be eating or eliminating, in hostile territory. Your older cat didn't feel comfortable with the kitten around, so she chose to leave the area rather than continuing to eat "under threat." This problem is more common around the litterbox, where one cat will wait outside and the cat attempting to use the litterbox gets nervous (they're in a small, enclosed space being blocked by the other cat).

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