You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Cats
- Cats
- Territorial kitty
Cats/Territorial kitty
Advertisement
Question
I recently agreed to take care of one of my mom's cats since she was having such problems with the 2 cats in her apartment. One is female and the other is male and she's had them since they were kittens. They are now around 10 months old. The male cat started getting very territorial and bullying the smaller female. His worst habit included 'guarding' the litter box, which caused many accidents. But he also will stare the other cat down until she gets off the couch, etc. I have now have had the male kitty for around a week and will have him at the very least for another week. Is there anything I can do while he is with me to try to get him to be less territorial and dominant? When he goes back to my mom's should we use the new cat method and keep them separated? This would be hard since my mom has a one-bed room apartment. Would it be ok to have one cat in the bedroom with kitty comforts and the other in the rest of the apartment while using this intro method?
)
His other problem that I have noticed here is that after he uses his litter box he digs and scratches in it very excessively. He will do it until I go over to the box and tell him “Jake out” (a command that he follows well). While this works to get him out, it doesn’t seem to discourage him from this behavior at all. Is there anything I can do better to discourage this?
Margarete,
In reading your description of what's happening and the questions you have I found myself with a few questions. In order for me to give you the absolute best advice for your situations I've taken the liberty of asking these questions, please find them listed below.
- Are these cats related (siblings, etc)?
- What disciplinary techniques have you tried to help stop the male from bullying the female?
- Have the cats been spayed/neutered yet?
- How many litterboxes are there both at your home and at your mom's house for these guys?
- What appropriate outlets are provided for these guys to help alleviate boredom and release excess energy?
- Would you and your mom be open to considering using alternative treatments such as homeopathy to help settle the fur kids down and slowly move towards a much more peaceful household?
I look forward to hearing the answers to these questions soon, then I'll hopefully be able to give you and your mom some suggestions to help settle these cats down so that they can live together and be much more at peace with each other.
Related Articles
- Your True Tales - August 2004 - Page 1 - Haunted Apartments
- Paranormal Story Archive - August 2001 - Page 3 - My Sister's Ghost
- Dancing Little People - Your True Tales - September 2007 - Page 15
- Before You Get Your First Cat Lesson 2 - What Kind of Cat Should I Get
- February is Spay and Neuter Month - You can help too
Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.