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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / February 2005Cat Politics
I'm new to this multi-cat household thing. Should I interfere in catly politics? Basically, IBKFergus moved in, and right away she decided she was boss. At the start, Shmogg just considered her an SEP[1] and went about his business of sleeping eating sleeping sleeping eating pooing peeing and sleeping. But IBKFergus is persistant and insistant. She doesn't want just want to be top cat because no-one else could be botbered, she wants to be boss and recognised as such. This she's beating up Shmogg, eating his food, and trying to oust him from the spot on my bed where he purrs me to sleep. Shmogg, bless him, has started to fight back when she attacks him, but you can see his heart really isn't in it. He's not fighting for domination or 'top cat', he's simply trying to turn the SEP *back* into an SEP so he can get back to doign what he does best. IBKFergus on the other hand, wants to wrestle him and fight with him to prove the point she's boss. I don't care much about the wrestling. Shmogg will win for quite some time yet, when he could be bothered. What I want to know is whether I should kick her out of Shmogg's spot next to my head and put Shmogg there, and whether or not I should remove her from Shmogg's food (she has her own) so that Shmogg can eat (Shmogg being an old gentleman cat and with the knowledge the food isn't escaping, takes his time these days, but she, being young and energetic, seems to get there first-, and once she's there, Shmogg doesn't bap her out the way. Mostly, though, I just want Shmogg to sleep next to my head like he's always done,s imply because I don't sleep well if he's not there. He knows how to sleep with me and is used to me thrashing around. He lets the bed mice sleep in peace. He smells right, he purrs right, and he's my grey furry bed buddy. But its obviously prime bed real estate, and IBKFergus thinks its her royal right to be in that spot. Should I interfere? Is there any point? Am I just siding with Shmogg because I feel sorry for him or he's been part of my heart for so much longer than IBKFergus? Or is this the politic sof cats, which my mere hoomin mind isn't fit to contemplate, let alone interefere in? I'm kinda sad that Shmogg is losing his Top Cat crown. Advice would be welcome. Yowie [1] SEP - Someone Else's Problem. The principle that people only really see what they want to see, and thus, won't actuallyr ecognise something for what it really is if they think its someone else's problem. This also expains why there is never any sugar in the container at work, why the photocopier never has any paper, and the trash never seems to get taken out. They're all SEP. > I'm new to this multi-cat household thing. > [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > there is never any sugar in the container at work, why the photocopier never > has any paper, and the trash never seems to get taken out. They're all SEP. I think part of Schmogg's tolerance is because IBKFergus is still a kitten, and like you do with kids vs. adults, cats put up with more from kittens than they would another grown cat - this will change as IBKFergus gets bigger (I watched this dynamic evolve with Bandit and Sammy, Bandit was pretty tolerant when Sammy was smaller - not so much now). I also think another part of this is because IBKFergus is female. Females tend to be more aggressive in their home territory with *both* sexes, males with just other males. Males tend to be cuddlier and more affectionate. As far as whether or not you should step in - probably not a lot. Give Schmogg lots and lots of attention and let him know he's not second in your heart, even if he becomes second in the cat pecking order. If you want Schmogg sleeping next to you then I would move IBKFergus, for the other matters (unless Schmogg isn't getting enough to eat) I'd let them work it out between themselves. Hugs, CatNipped ...> > Mostly, though, I just want Shmogg to sleep next to my head like he's > always [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > royal > right to be in that spot. ...> Yowie Personally, I think your desire to have Schmogg next to your head comes ahead of where the IBKFFergus want to sleep. This may or may not be the best advice, but I would move Fergus, if necessary, and make it clear that the spot near your head is Schmogg's. I've done this with Rosie because she and I really enjoy our private snuggle time in the evening. I like to take her upstairs with me and shut the door so we have some "just us" time. If we start the night like that, Rosie usually stays with me all night, although Cinder will usually join us later after Jim comes in. Otherwise, Cinder is on the bed with us, and Rosie stays downstairs. Annie I agree. For a while, Pearl kept trying to take Sugar's favorite spot on my right ankle at night by laying between my legs. I can see the look in her eye. She KNOWS that it will keep Sugar from her beloved ankle. So, I just kept moving her. Now she doesn't do it. With a kitten, I'm not sure you can get her to stay where you move her, but I would try. She will get the idea. The other stuff they will probably figure out (except, I would let Schmogg eat FIRST if necessary to get the point that if she wants to eat it should be at her dish.) > From: "Annie Wxill" <Annie_Wxill@hotmail.com> > Organization: Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > Otherwise, Cinder is on the bed with us, and Rosie stays downstairs. > Annie > I agree. For a while, Pearl kept trying to take Sugar's favorite > spot on my right ankle at night by laying between my legs. I can [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > eat FIRST if necessary to get the point that if she wants to eat > it should be at her dish.) Kinda wierd here, but the kittens don't really want to sleep in my room with me. Though lately they don't get the chance because I take Shamrock in and shut the door. Trying to create a better relationship with him and Bonnie, and its been better these last few days of separation. :)  SignatureCheryl Chatterley (RB) was the first cat in the house. My ex-wife decided that since we were getting married, so should she -- and brought home Clifford (RB). Within the first few minutes, he was turning into a Halloween kitten, and they never worked out their relationship during the next 13 years of her life. OTOH, when I brought home my three, one adult (Mr. Clark) and two kittens about a month apart (Ding and Rhonda), they were friends from the very first. Mr. Clark took over parental duty, looking martyred when they would nurse on him, and the two young once immediately were friends. There's a rare hiss and bat, but I've hardly ever seen fighting between the younger two. Rhonda does usually clobber Ding, half again her size, in a wrestling match, after which he looks like a lost soul trying to figure out the meaning of life. If you put a beret on Ding, and perhaps let him dangle a Gauloise from the corner of one lip, he might do well as a hanger-on at some French philosophical salon -- probably deconstructionist, or at least existentialist. I think, for example, he is less concerned that his tail might go away, than he is perturbed that it might disappear when he wasn't watching. <snip> > Should I interfere? Is there any point? Am I just siding with Shmogg because > I feel sorry for him or he's been part of my heart for so much longer than > IBKFergus? Or is this the politic sof cats, which my mere hoomin mind isn't > fit to contemplate, let alone interefere in? When I thought I was providing Mandy with some much-needed feline company, and Mandy thought I had introduced an Intruder Cat who had to be eliminated, I tried to referee the cat fights, and got nowhere. I asked a vet for advice, and she said let them work it out themselves, which they did. They'll never be the kind of affectionate cats some pairs are, grooming and sleeping with each other. But they nap on the same pieces of furniture at the same time, eat out of the same bowls, and hardly ever have wrestling matches or hunt each other any more. They've roughly shared the bed, although they sometimes switch certain positions. Mandy is usually the only one who sleeps near my head, and she doesn't do it very much because she's too big and I'm too restless. They take turns on the foot or side of the bed. But I think as long as they both have their safe refuges, let them settle their own pecking order. SignatureCheryl To be watching this sort of thing play out is one of the most interesting part of having pets. Jake and Molly are doing a dance very much like you have described. In part Jake doesn't defend himself just because 1. He's bigger 2. It isn't nice to hit girls 3. He's so secure he doesn't realize he is being challenged. 4. He can't be bothered. This is gradually changing with time. She has told him she raised four kittens and she can surely handle one boycat. She just won't quit and she just won't go away. Mostly nobody gets hurt and we don't interfere. They share a dry food bowl. We restrain Molly until Jake is securely at his treat bowl and she then gets her treat bowl some distance away. And we go get him and put him in his place between the pillows at bedtime if he doesn't come in on his own. Just about the only thing she will get swated for is trying to nose in on his treats and picking on him once he is settled in bed at night. They take turns chasing each other around the house. And every once in a while Jake will knock her over on her back and just stand there with one foot on her chest and growl at her. He lets her up when he gets darn good and ready. Its been three months now since we got Molly and a few days ago for the first time I watched her wash his face while he pretended to be asleep. Jo > I'm new to this multi-cat household thing. > [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] > has any paper, and the trash never seems to get taken out. They're all > SEP. > Should I interfere in catly politics? Nope. > Basically, IBKFergus moved in, and right away she decided she was boss. Of course she did. Fez has been absolute ruler even when was less than 10% of Luna's size. > Advice would be welcome. The only advice I can give is to let them figure it out. :) SignatureVictor M. Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com Well Yowie This is exactly why I dont have more than one cat at a time because I dont think I could handle it if one got jealous or picked on the the one who was in the house first, and yet I couldn't bear to have one think I loved the other more I'm a bit stupid that way, but I know you had no choice but to take this baby in, and faced withe the same decision, I would havedone the same, just protect shmogg as much as possible and Cary too {grinning}and keep him near your head, no not Cary Smogg of course, Henri often found his way to my pillow and its lovely isn't it,you'll work it out I know Tell that IBK.Fergie if she doesn't behave herself, you'll get Fluffy to teach her better manners, in the nicest possible way of course Jean. > > Should I interfere in catly politics? > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov > Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com I wouldn't interfere when the cats are trying to sort out their own hierarchy between themselves. HOWEVER. Since YOU are the Alpha Cat of this clowder, if you want to draw the line on what IBKFergus can/can't do while the cats are establishing who ranks where, go ahead. Such as removing her bodily if she tries to harass Shmogg away from sleeping near your head. I'm sure Shmogg will appreciate it, and Ms. Kitten will soon learn where the line is drawn, and what behaviors the Alpha Cat will/won't tolerate. When she realizes that she'll have to abide by limits you set, that should help you enforce the rules on other issues, as well. Donna, working on teaching the house rules to two new furballs Just my two penn'orth. Reinforce Shmogg is the boss. Remove IKBF from your pillow and put her in another room with a nice bed. Ignore the cries. Remove her bodily from Shmoggs food and return her to her own, and if she goes back to his food put her in another room with her own food. I've gone through all this with dogs. It's a dominance thing, and you can break it. It's not just a dominance thing over Shmogg, it's about you too. About "I can do anything I want here" and that's not true. Time for some gentle discipline for you, IKBFergie. Tweed > I'm new to this multi-cat household thing. > [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] > has any paper, and the trash never seems to get taken out. They're all > SEP. >I'm new to this multi-cat household thing. > [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] >there is never any sugar in the container at work, why the photocopier never >has any paper, and the trash never seems to get taken out. They're all SEP. Well, you can *try*, but there are no guarantees. Just don't *ever* try to get into the middle of a cat fight, and don't *ever* try to force two cats to get along. Unless you enjoy the feel of claws and teeth in your skin. Ginger-lyn We found that getting a few birds can (at least temporarily) resolve cat disputes very quickly :-) See http://www.cs.eku.edu/faculty/styer/Cats.html, third picture from the top. Eugene Styer >We found that getting a few birds can (at least temporarily) resolve cat >disputes very quickly :-) [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Eugene Styer That is a scream. ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com > We found that getting a few birds can (at least temporarily) resolve cat > disputes very quickly :-) > > See http://www.cs.eku.edu/faculty/styer/Cats.html, third picture from > the top. LOL! Shannon sleeping dangerously is hilarious. Also the bird-watching club. Hehehe. SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki |
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