Cats aren't pack animals, and there is no "alpha" cat. Owners can manage pain-induced aggression by refraining from touching painful parts of a cat’s body and by working with a veterinarian to establish an effective therapeutic plan for pain control. Basically, the dominant cat is saying, “This is my toilet. Cats higher up the hierarchy are rubbed against a lot, while lower ranking cats do most of the rubbing. Cats that block doors with their bodies or swat at other cats as they pass may be demonstrating this type of behavior. I have 2 cats, One is almost a year and a half and the other is 9 months old. Whether a cat (or human) is biologically male or female is dictated by which sex chromosome (X or Y) they got from their father's sperm. Cat claws are sharp, so howls of pain are commonplace as well. Cats can sense and smell changes in other cats, often before the owner even … ... Scientists have discovered that many pet cats show a marked preference for the right or left front paw when it … Male Cats Like Hunting and Feeding. Cats show their dominance in a variety of ways. The communication modalities used by domestic cats have been affected by domestication. Feed the cats so that they associate the positive experience of being fed with the presence of the other cat. Territorial behavior in cats can present itself in a number of ways, for a number of reasons. If you have more than one cat, the more dominant one may be preventing the other cats from using the same litter box. Sometimes, aggression may be redirected toward a human after an aggressive interaction between indoor cats. They don't recognize another species as being in charge. Territorial aggression may also play a role, as described above. Cats with osteoarthritis, for example, may resent having their joints touched or manipulated, and may hiss, bite, or scratch in response. These behaviors can occur as sexual challenges over a female, or to achieve a relatively high position in the cats’ loosely organized social dominance hierarchy. In some cases, your veterinarian may have to prescribe medication to one or both cats to prevent adverse interactions, but it is important to note that medication must be used in conjunction with the gradual desensitization process outlined above. Never physically punish, or even touch a cat, during these times, as this may cause a cat to become fearful of people or may be interpreted as play, which may inadvertently reward the aggressive behavior. She will walk up to him and bow her head down in invitation for him to groom her. The best way to address status-induced aggression is to ignore an offending cat completely. Cats demonstrating fear aggression may flatten their ears against their heads, hiss, bare their teeth, or crouch low to the ground with their tail tucked under their body, and their fur may stand on end. This aggression commonly takes the form of swatting, chasing, and attacking the encroaching individual. Quentin Coleman has written for various publications, including All Pet News and Safe to Work Australia. We read that a young, female cat would be the most readily accepted by an older male cat. The act of kneading is where cats push forward with their front paws, alternating between left and right. Felines employ various tactics to maintain dominance over other cats, and may turn to violence as a last resort. And while this sounds painful, Naser says to not worry, cats do it gently to the owners they love. These cues can be separated into two categories: those observed in the face and head and those expressed by body posture. Rarely, some cats may continue to act aggressively even after once-painful parts of their body have healed, presumably to avoid the pain they experienced previously. They're not like dogs, obeying you. The Dominant Cat. The better choice between males and females for you depends on a few things. You just have to accept this. The following are general categories of feline aggression and how they can each be addressed. Remember, in the pack, the leaders do not approach the followers. She will sometimes return the grooming, … When an intact female cat sprays, their urine indicates where they are in their cycle. Remember, more assertive cat assumes all other cats should be, or want to be, assertive, too. Cats may occasionally show signs of aggression toward people or other pets when they want to establish social dominance. This step should be done repeatedly over several days, with a smaller distance between the cats each time. My two male cats just started fighting recently and although they are good friends afterwards I was wondering why do they do these weird fast breathing sounds! This type of aggression involves much ritualized body posturing, stalking, staring, yowling and howling. For reasons that remain unknown, some cats may suddenly become aggressive when being petted. To manage a cat with petting-induced aggression, owners should avoid uninvited handling or petting, any type of physical punishment or restraint, and attempts to pick up or interact with the cat while he is eating.   She may sidle and rub her hindquarters against furniture, stuffed toys, other cats, and maybe even you. Fear Aggression If so, preempt the aggression by distracting the cat with play or denying access to places that encourage the behavior, such as under the bed if the cat hides there before pouncing. When a cat meets an enemy which is either too big to fight, or which has already established its dominance, the threatened cat will indicate submission by using a complex display of body language in order to tell the opponent that he is not prepared to accept its challenge. Any type of physical punishment can increase a cat’s fear or anxiety and worsen aggression. When two cats struggle for dominance, each will mark areas that the other one has already marked. Cats may occasionally show signs of aggression toward people or other pets when they want to establish social dominance. Once mating is complete, the male wanders off and has nothing else to do with the female. A cat crouch can be preparation for an attack. But it’s not an “obey me or die” move, because this same cat will defer to the meeker cat at dinnertime, later that same day. An on-the-back roll can be a sign of a relaxed, happy cat, or even of a cat planning a counter attack. Owners should provide a quiet, low-stress environment, keep visitors to a minimum, and avoid contact with the queen and kittens if they observe aggression. In most cases, there is an equal chance for either type of sperm to make it to the egg, which always has an X chromosome. 2 “Male cats are often more friendly than female cats,” says Susan Saffron, author of several books on pets and founder of the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals. It is very important not to console an aggressive cat, as this may be perceived as approval of aggression. Aggression, defined as hostile or violent behavior intended to dominate or intimidate another individual, is a fairly common behavioral problem in cats. Recognizing aggression and startling an aggressive cat without physical contact is usually effective. Both male and female cats can also release an potent, foul-smelling scent from their groins, a process called "spraying," which can be mistaken for urination. New or returning cats should be confined to their own room with separate litter box, water, and food. Pain-Induced Aggression When a cat displays aggressive behavior, or if his "victim" feels threatened, the two may engage in violent combat. They may show aggression toward newly introduced cats, and occasionally other animals or people, that encroach upon their established domain. The goal is not to scare the cat, but to distract him and refocus his attention. There is a loose agreement between the sexes that Females Are In Charge, and like sexes will tend to engage in a semi-dominance struggle, but that's entirely within their own species. This type of aggression may be seen when a cat encounters unfamiliar stimuli, such as a new person, animal, or noise, or when a cat is exposed to an experience that he associates with unpleasant events, such as a trip to the veterinarian. These cats are less tolerant of others and liable to hog resources, such as food bowls and litter trays. Cats that are about to engage in play aggression will often thrash their tails back and forth, have their ears pinned to the tip of their head, and have dilated pupils. Play aggression: seen in cats that have not been properly socialized, Fear aggression: caused by unfamiliar stimuli, Petting-induced aggression: may be due to overstimulation, Redirected aggression: caused by an exciting stimulus that a cat cannot directly respond to, Pain-induced aggression: seen in cats experiencing pain/discomfort, Status-induced aggression: directed toward individuals to assert social dominance, Territorial aggression: directed toward individuals to assert territorial dominance, Maternal aggression: protective behavior seen in queens that have recently whelped. They may also urinate in areas that the other cats frequent, push other cats out of the food bowl until they are done eating, and make the other cats feel threatened. Status-Induced Aggression Cats learn that they are biting or scratching too hard when their littermates stop playing or retaliate. The consequences of aggressive behavior in cats can be significant, ranging from injuries to other cats and people to the surrender of aggressive cats to shelters. The scent produced by these glands smells the same to humans no matter which cat produced it, but your pets can tell who made a particular marking. Play Aggression This is more common among unneutered cats. Maternal aggression will usually subside as the kittens get older and more independent. Determining the cause of a cat’s aggressive behavior is important, as different types of aggression may be managed differently. They may stalk their target, whether animal or human, and will often pounce from a hiding place as the target passes by. How Do Cats Assert Dominance? Young cats and kittens that were not raised with littermates, or that lack opportunities to play most commonly show play aggression. In a dominance struggle, each cat attempts to position herself above the other and may nip at the neck or belly of her captive. Learning appropriate play is an important part of a cat’s socialization, and this normally occurs during time spent with littermates. How do female cats show dominance? Feral cats spend around 25 percent of their day hunting for food, with an average daily kill being four mice. Cat fights are often very loud, as both cats scream, hiss and growl throughout the altercation. This preference was stable over the 10 week study and was not influenced by the presence of food residue on the cats' non-preferred paw.