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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / September 2004Icarus Attacks
I was wondering if any of you had an idea how to get Icarus to stop attacking my other cats. He seems to always chase after Isis and there has been some agressive wrestling and biting. As a result she cries, growls and hisses, then she runs away from him. He then still chases after her. I figured his being neutered would have calmed him down and I also have done the vanilla extract trick. This works for a little bit. With the exception of eating and playing he seems drawn to try and assert his dominance over her. He is 8 months old so would his still being a kitten have something to do with this? > I was wondering if any of you had an idea how to get Icarus to stop > attacking my other cats. He seems to always chase after Isis and there has [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > her. He is 8 months old so would his still being a kitten have something to > do with this? YOU are the leader of your house. If he won't stop, it is your job to protect Isis and teach Icarus respect. When he doesn't stop when she asks - you ask. If he doesn't stop when you ask, he has consequences. Whatever consequences work best for both of you. I like timeouts and a mild scruffing[1] when required; they work for us. Other people find their cats don't like being squirted. Others are fine with just a clap. Anything he finds aversive enough to stop his behavior is fine. Doesn't have to be anything more than a clap of your hands and a loud NO if that stops him. He may need a timeout in addition to that, or even a mild scruffing[1]. When he learns that being overly assertive gets him worse than nothing, he'll seriously cut down and eventually stop. A Mama cat would protect her babies from aggressors, even if they are family members. Our house cats are often never really beyond that need - except it's us they need instead. How I handle Rowan, my assertive cat: 1: Warning. Usually a clap with a growly HEY. 2: Red Alert: Increase volume of clap and HEY and move to get up (just shift weight forward and stare at her). This usually results in a "who, me? you sure you meant me?" expression from the cat and she stops. 3: Bombs Away: Growl loudly, get up, get cat, hold firmly by scruff while fully supporting weight in arms, and escort to bedroom, where she is given a timeout for 10-20 minutes. Often accompied by a BAD KITTY verbal reprimand and possibly a bit of cussing *LOL*. She has always stopped (at least for several hours) after 3. I've never needed a 4. We almost never get to 3 anymore. I can't remember the last time I needed to go that far. (yay!) [1] I know you aren't the physical type, but for the record and the archives, I do not advocate EVER hitting, rough scruffing (where the weight isn't supported and the cat is shaken) or in any way hurting a cat. Fear != respect. Had to be said.  Signature-- ~kaeli~ Found God? If nobody claims Him in 30 days, He's yours to keep. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace I have come between them plenty of times. I have sent him to time-out as well as used the squirt bottle. I have also told him NO several times. He also has been told BAD KITTY. He has yet to get the message. He certainly lives up to his name. I have also told Isis that she is head cat and needs to fight back and chase him. I would never hit my cats as this is no way to discipline. "kaeli" <tiny_one@NOSPAM.comcast.net> wrote in message > YOU are the leader of your house. > If he won't stop, it is your job to protect Isis and teach Icarus respect. [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > supported and the cat is shaken) or in any way hurting a cat. Fear != > respect. Had to be said. > I have come between them plenty of times. I have sent him to time-out as > well as used the squirt bottle. I have also told him NO several times. He > also has been told BAD KITTY. He has yet to get the message. He certainly > lives up to his name. I have also told Isis that she is head cat and needs > to fight back and chase him. I would never hit my cats as this is no way to > discipline. Sometimes it can take up to a month for the hormones to dissipate. Not the best word, but I can't think of a better one right now. For now, be consistent and firm with Icarus. Sounds like you are on the right track. Don't be surprised if Icarus takes over Isis's place as head of the cat household. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net www.kelltek.com Check out www.snittens.com I have patience. He already went into timeout today for attacking Isis in her favorite spot. He was given another firm NO. As for him taking over the spot as top cat I have reassured her she will still be the #1. Icarus doesn't mess to much with Jade though. > Sometimes it can take up to a month for the hormones to dissipate. Not the > best word, but I can't think of a better one right now. > For now, be consistent and firm with Icarus. Sounds like you are on the > right track. Don't be surprised if Icarus takes over Isis's place as head of > the cat household. > I have patience. He already went into timeout today for attacking Isis in > her favorite spot. He was given another firm NO. Something worth trying is rewarding the cats for being together without flaying each other, e.g., give the cats a treat each when they are close together. Also can try distraction tactics such as playing with the cats when they are close to each other (assuming they are amenable to being played with then). Steve. That would be rewarding Icarus for bad behavior in my book. I already do play with the cats when they are all together. > Something worth trying is rewarding the cats for being together > without flaying each other, e.g., give the cats a treat each when they [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Steve. > That would be rewarding Icarus for bad behavior in my book. I already do > play with the cats when they are all together. I kept sealed bowls of favorite kibble around the place when Grant, Pearl and Sugar were first having problems. I could spot trouble before trouble began and *distracted* with the food at that point. You know, the look that comes before chasing etc. It really worked well. (...) > I kept sealed bowls of favorite kibble around the place when Grant, Pearl > and Sugar were first having problems. I could spot trouble before trouble > began and *distracted* with the food at that point. Yes, that's the idea (as I said in my post, rewarding 'em when they are in close proximity and NOT attacking each other). They get rewarded for being in each other's presence as long as they are not at each other's throats, plus the distraction factor, as you mention. Steve. > > When he doesn't stop when she asks - you ask. > If he doesn't stop when you ask, he has consequences. Whatever consequences [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > assertive gets him worse than nothing, he'll seriously cut down and > eventually stop. Hi Kaeli, The problem with this is that it can intimidate and scare the other cat too. This could cause the cat being attacked to become more fearful and flee when it sees the bully cat and,depending on why the bully cat is attacking, it might make him more aggressive. . If the aversion is coming from the owner , he might learn to stop attacking when they are present but it won't stop him doing it when they are not there. You want the cats to get on and not associate bad things with each other. Alison:) Well Isis does stop and pause while Icarus runs away. I am pretty much continuing with telling him NO, clapping my hands and of course using the squirt bottle. > Hi Kaeli, > The problem with this is that it can intimidate and scare the other [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > things with each other. > Alison:) > I was wondering if any of you had an idea how to get Icarus to stop > attacking my other cats. He seems to always chase after Isis and there has [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > her. He is 8 months old so would his still being a kitten have something to > do with this? I bet a lot to do with it. I would give time out the second you see him start to go past what ever line she has set for "too much". He has had to go to time-out twice today and was also given a firm NO. > I bet a lot to do with it. I would give time out the second you see him > start to go past what ever line she has set for "too much". > He has had to go to time-out twice today and was also given a firm NO. Hi Cat Protector , . At this age, neutered or not , Icarus would have tremendous drive and energy and he needs to work it off . Whether it's a "dominance" thing or not, it is probably much more rewarding for him to chase another live reactive creature than toys can are limited in their movement. Sorry, I can't remember all the details of your cats and Icarus's back ground but maybe this is his way of coping in an indoor mulit-pet household. Alison > I was wondering if any of you had an idea how to get Icarus to stop > attacking my other cats. He seems to always chase after Isis and there has [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > her. He is 8 months old so would his still being a kitten have something to > do with this? Here's some good advice from Pam Johnson- Bennet Cat to cat aggression http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ptthinkcat/?msg=14085.1 Introducing new cat http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ptthinkcat/?msg=13954.1 Interactive play time http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ptthinkcat/?msg=11667.1 HTH Alison It looks to be a dominance issue with Icarus and I am taking a step back to see how it ends. I have tried a lot of things suggested and it doesn't seem to work. "Alison" <alison@XYZallofus2.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message > > Here's some good advice from Pam Johnson- Bennet > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > HTH Alison |
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