Circe often gets the raw end of play. What do we do (long term and at the moment) about too much dominance against this cat? Here's the situation.
Three females:
* Sokie and Circe (Maine Coone mixes age 4)
* Ratty (tabby, age 1)
We give gentle Circe, a devoted Mom's girl, her normal share of petting, talking, and sleeping with us. She seems healthy and well, and checkups are good.
Now the "bottom cat", Circe was top cat before Ratty came (9 months ago). In the garden (fenced, supervised, 2x day), the girls interact normally, sometimes playing chase. Indoors, Circe stays away from the Sokie & Ratty most of the time. Ratty seeks out Circe's food dish and litter box.
At playtime indoors, I make multicat games. For example, "snake", a long rope with small toys tied at intervals, pulled under throw rugs, newspapers, etc. The girls attack the snake at different places, so this often works.
Problems:
1) Circe wants to join the others in play, but seems afraid and jealous with them. She stays alone in a room often.
2) In play, Ratty is greedy and always first. Sokie is large and slow and enjoys her share of play. Circe was playful, but now she seldom gets her share. Tonight she came to play, and big Sokie attacked so aggressively that Circe howled. I pushed Sokie away and took Circe alone into the other room, where she dozed off, not wanting to play any more.
Do we treat her differently from the others? Put her litter box in a separate room? Our small house has cat interest and window seats in every room. Get another cat? Give Ratty to someone else?
Thanks for help!
Linda
Three females:
* Sokie and Circe (Maine Coone mixes age 4)
* Ratty (tabby, age 1)
We give gentle Circe, a devoted Mom's girl, her normal share of petting, talking, and sleeping with us. She seems healthy and well, and checkups are good.
Now the "bottom cat", Circe was top cat before Ratty came (9 months ago). In the garden (fenced, supervised, 2x day), the girls interact normally, sometimes playing chase. Indoors, Circe stays away from the Sokie & Ratty most of the time. Ratty seeks out Circe's food dish and litter box.
At playtime indoors, I make multicat games. For example, "snake", a long rope with small toys tied at intervals, pulled under throw rugs, newspapers, etc. The girls attack the snake at different places, so this often works.
Problems:
1) Circe wants to join the others in play, but seems afraid and jealous with them. She stays alone in a room often.
2) In play, Ratty is greedy and always first. Sokie is large and slow and enjoys her share of play. Circe was playful, but now she seldom gets her share. Tonight she came to play, and big Sokie attacked so aggressively that Circe howled. I pushed Sokie away and took Circe alone into the other room, where she dozed off, not wanting to play any more.
Do we treat her differently from the others? Put her litter box in a separate room? Our small house has cat interest and window seats in every room. Get another cat? Give Ratty to someone else?
Thanks for help!
Linda