When Cats Attack: Biting each other - normal?

So our cats, Tiki and Lexington, generally get along. She's 8-9 months and he's 6 yrs. Both spayed. They'll play - run after each other, etc...

What happens is that there's some psycho behavior when the other will be sleeping.

Lexington gets overstimulated somehow and will attack the other cat, if he sees her sleeping, or if she's playing. They'll wrestle and bite at each other's faces. I usually let it go on for a minute or two. Neither will back down. When he attacks her, it's as though he's annoyed she's enjoying herself or sleeping.

She'll occasionally do the same to him - but with her, it's more like she's trying to screw with him or get him to play. It seems less angry.

We tried Feliway with no obvious effect, and I tried the vanilla thing with little effect, either.

The thing that bothers me is when he does it, he'll latch on her neck or back and won't let go.

Can we leave these two alone? I might be starting a new job and I'll be out of the house 12 hours per day. My girlfriend says I should just leave them alone to sort it out, but there's never a sign of them resolving it peacefully on their own.

I think that the behavior you are seeing is normal, and the only time you need to be concerned is if the cats are actually injuring each other and drawing blood. It also sounds like Lexington is the alpha cat. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong)

Our cat Snowball and his companion Midnight (now at the bridge) were together for 10 years and we sometimes saw similiar biting behavior. In all the years they were together, neither cat was even slightly injured by the other one.

Mmmmm...it's hard to say WHO is the alpha.

Lexington is less aggressive about his food, so Tiki will often eat his food while he watches. Lexington will attack Tiki if he sees her playing or sleeping. They'll play together - a little standoffish (they won't share a toy) - but they'll do 20 minutes of chasing each other some days.

Tiki likes to run around and explore, getting up into high perches. Lexington likes to find a private corner and sleep. He's a lap cat. She's Ms. Independent, but then wants to be snuggled like an infant once she's done playing.

She goes on the counters; he doesn't. She generally snuggles up to sleep with us at night; he'll park himself on the corner of the couch.

When they fight, she'll bite his face. He'll try to overwhelm her with his size (14 lbs v. 7 lbs.) and will bite her back or her stomach.

When Tiki is tired, she'll rub up against him and such (she's proportionately more affectionate with sleepiness). He's not very outwardly affectionate toward her, but tolerates her.

She likes to gorge herself in each food session. He likes to casually graze over a few hours.

He ignores our rabbit. Tiki is cautiously wary of it and follows it around.

It sure looks like Tiki is all KITTEN and Lexington is the tolerant adult. Your picture reminds me of our (OTB) alpha Max, who when the kittens were younger and did what Tiki is doing in your picture, would simply put his paw firmly on their bodies and hold them down. When the kittens got older, they looked a lot like your pictures.

I agree with Lorie - if they are not drawing blood and you aren't seeing fur clumps from their play, I wouldn't worry about it. Tiki will eventually grow out of kitten hood and they will find their own space.

OMG that pic is priceless!!!! I think that one should go to Caption This! forum!

"The thing that bothers me is when he does it, he'll latch on her neck or back and won't let go."

Isn't this the behavior of a tomcat trying to mate?
Joji's brother, DumDum (rip), although neutered, used to do this to Joji.
I don't know, but it seems to me your cats are just the type that play rough.

Originally posted by yayi
"The thing that bothers me is when he does it, he'll latch on her neck or back and won't let go."

Isn't this the behavior of a tomcat trying to mate?

Click to expand...

Yes, this is mating behavior. It is also dominance behavior...a way to try to convince the "victim" that he is in charge!

BTW...I love that picture! I agree that you have to send it to Caption This.

That is an awesome picture! Was she recently spayed? She will be still giving off the scent for sometime after her surgery until she levels out, that could be what is stimulating him. If I had two cats in this behavior (based on the language I see in the photo) I would toss a heavy dark blanket over them everytime they locked together-this is not play fighting, this could get intense. He is annoyed, and she is clearly pissed.