Agressive Cat

blondie7

I have 3 male cats, two nuetered, and the kitten is getting done in the next month or so. Anyway over the last few weeks we have been finding scraps on the back of the kitten and one of the adult cats necks. we thought they were rowing with another cat from the area but last night the other adult cat (the one with no scraps) attacked our other two cats. My other half done some research and thinks it may be sexual agression! Does anyone if this happens to nutered cats or more importantly is there anything we can do to stop this behaviour?

Dixie Chick

Is it attacked or just play fighting? My two are always at this "play fighting" thing and they can be all scrapes after it but then sleep together so i think if they get on well enough in general that it may be this? They look like they are going for it hell for leather and i used to get a fright but now i know its playing.

blondie7

no this was serious, his tail bushed out and the usual when there fighting, even that horrific crying sound they make, they pulled lumps out of each other and there not talking to each other at all, seperate rooms last night and all

Blueprint

Sounds like there's a lot of tension there OK. I find that if my younger female is stressed out by anything, she lets it out by jumping on her brother and biting him on the neck! He's a very laid back guy and just yowls in protest. I found that the Feliway diffuser really helps them get on better and things are much more harmonious when I have one, so that might be something you could try.

morganafay

Neutered males that know each other should get alone but some cats are just aggressive, I'd think the reason could be he just doesn't like other cats.

Though if the cat was never aggressive before and now suddenly is, then there might be a medical reason, and you should get him checked out. I was talking to my vet and mentioned my old female cat is cranky and can be aggressive and she said if that was a new thing then maybe the cat was in pain or sick, but the cat has always been cranky, she hates other cats, but likes dogs and our family (if she's in a good mood!)

She alwas used to bully one of the other cats, who was alwas scared, but I couldn't rehome them because Sugar (the aggressive one) hates other people, and Tanora (the scared one) used to be feral and is really nervous and hates strangers too. So I just tried to keep them seperate as much as possible. I still have to keep them seperated but at least Sugar is old now so can't bully Tanora. And the boy cats finally stood up to Sugar and so has my kitten and they'll scratch her back if she scratches them! Cats living in groups seem to have a leader that bosses the others around, like with dogs, so I guess maybe that's why one might be aggressive too?

If one keeps attacking the others then none of them will be very happy. If it keeps happening, I'd think of rehoming one or two of them. I can't think of anything else to make it better, unless you can seperate them, like keep one of them inside while the others are out, or vice versa.

I find that if you do anything to try to train an aggressive cat, like giving out to it, tapping it on the nose, squirting it with water, it just makes them more angry. I tried tapping Sugar on the nose, or even just waving my finger at her, and she'd scratch me! And if I just yell at her, she'll growl back.

With my cat anyway, she just doesn't like other cats, and it's fairer on her to keep her away from them.

The Sweeper

blondie7 wrote: »

I have 3 male cats, two nuetered, and the kitten is getting done in the next month or so. Anyway over the last few weeks we have been finding scraps on the back of the kitten and one of the adult cats necks. we thought they were rowing with another cat from the area but last night the other adult cat (the one with no scraps) attacked our other two cats. My other half done some research and thinks it may be sexual agression! Does anyone if this happens to nutered cats or more importantly is there anything we can do to stop this behaviour?

'Kitten' would suggest you've introduced a new cat to the mix. That can create tension in a multicat household. That tension can then lead to fights and aggression.

Preventing aggression in a multicat household is all about the softly-softly approach. You need a calm household, quiet hidey-holes for each cat to retreat to; you also need to promote a calm environment by using behavioural modifiers like the already-mentioned Feliway Diffuser.

Sometimes with an aggressive cat, giving it more attention can help to calm the aggression. If you spoil it a bit, cuddle it, reassure it, its general anxiety can ease off and that means it becomes more tolerant and less likely to start a row. I know it feels counter-intuitive to 'spoil' an animal that's causing trouble, but cats are a lot more complicated than dogs in this way.

Make sure you have enough litter trays for your cats - one per cat plus one extra is the best recommendation. Try alternative ways of feeding them - if you've fed the three from one dish, try using three to take away meal time tensions; if you've been feeding them from separate dishes, try using a single dish so they have to share.

Buy a bag of cat treats - liver treats or somesuch - and whenever you see your cats become agitated with each other, try distracting them all with treats. You can also use toys and games to do this - distracting them from their tensions and replacing the tension with the feeling of a positive experience. Also try giving them something to take the anxiety out on - e.g. get a sturdy cardboard box and cut a couple of holes in it, then set it out on the floor. This can work a few ways - they establish a 'king of the castle' pecking order depending on who's occupying the inside or top of the box. They work out some frustrations by playing 'attack' through the holes in the box, but at the same time can't do too much damage to each other because the box is in they way. Hopefully it will also promote harmony as they play in the box and through the holes, plus it'll wear them out as they shred the hell out of it.

If you're using a Feliway diffuser, make sure to use it in a small space, like a bedroom the cats spend a lot of time in. They're less effective in large, open-plan spaces. There's another behavioural modifier you can look into, Bachs Flowers Rescue Remedy - a few drops in their water or rubbed into the backs of their ears (not dropped into the ear, just rubbed in the furry side so the skin can absorb it) can help to take the edge off tensions.

Other reasons for aggression in a cat household can be redirected aggression - if there's a new marauding cat in town, your cats can end up fighting among themselves because of the upset caused by the intruder. There can also be a medical reason if the cat has an over or underactive thyroid - something your vet can test for.

The most important part of it, however, is to identify the reason behind the aggression. When did the fights start, what changes can you identify around the time the fights started, what triggers the fights now, so on. Identify the cause and you can tailor a solution quite effectively.

blondie7

The Sweeper wrote: »

'Kitten' would suggest you've introduced a new cat to the mix. That can create tension in a multicat household. That tension can then lead to fights and aggression.

Preventing aggression in a multicat household is all about the softly-softly approach. You need a calm household, quiet hidey-holes for each cat to retreat to; you also need to promote a calm environment by using behavioural modifiers like the already-mentioned Feliway Diffuser.

Sometimes with an aggressive cat, giving it more attention can help to calm the aggression. If you spoil it a bit, cuddle it, reassure it, its general anxiety can ease off and that means it becomes more tolerant and less likely to start a row. I know it feels counter-intuitive to 'spoil' an animal that's causing trouble, but cats are a lot more complicated than dogs in this way.

Make sure you have enough litter trays for your cats - one per cat plus one extra is the best recommendation. Try alternative ways of feeding them - if you've fed the three from one dish, try using three to take away meal time tensions; if you've been feeding them from separate dishes, try using a single dish so they have to share.

Buy a bag of cat treats - liver treats or somesuch - and whenever you see your cats become agitated with each other, try distracting them all with treats. You can also use toys and games to do this - distracting them from their tensions and replacing the tension with the feeling of a positive experience. Also try giving them something to take the anxiety out on - e.g. get a sturdy cardboard box and cut a couple of holes in it, then set it out on the floor. This can work a few ways - they establish a 'king of the castle' pecking order depending on who's occupying the inside or top of the box. They work out some frustrations by playing 'attack' through the holes in the box, but at the same time can't do too much damage to each other because the box is in they way. Hopefully it will also promote harmony as they play in the box and through the holes, plus it'll wear them out as they shred the hell out of it.

If you're using a Feliway diffuser, make sure to use it in a small space, like a bedroom the cats spend a lot of time in. They're less effective in large, open-plan spaces. There's another behavioural modifier you can look into, Bachs Flowers Rescue Remedy - a few drops in their water or rubbed into the backs of their ears (not dropped into the ear, just rubbed in the furry side so the skin can absorb it) can help to take the edge off tensions.

Other reasons for aggression in a cat household can be redirected aggression - if there's a new marauding cat in town, your cats can end up fighting among themselves because of the upset caused by the intruder. There can also be a medical reason if the cat has an over or underactive thyroid - something your vet can test for.

The most important part of it, however, is to identify the reason behind the aggression. When did the fights start, what changes can you identify around the time the fights started, what triggers the fights now, so on. Identify the cause and you can tailor a solution quite effectively.

i say kitten but he is nearly a year old now, we have him about 8 months now he is a rescue! we moved house shortly after adopting him so they all got along fine cos it was new teritory to all three. They all got cat flu together when we moved and buster (the aggresive one) was such a grump he wouldnt even allow you pick him up for more than 5 seconds (we use to count) but he nearly died from the flu got dehydated and all, but thankfully he is all better and the most affectionate cat ever, even lap happy now We only started letting them out about a month ago so there the new kids on the block so to speak, there are about 6 other cats in the area and all male, buster and buddy both hate the tabby and they rip him to shreds when he comes around. its only in the last week has buster started to turn on the other two. i really really dont want to re-home any of them, buddy and buster are brothers and they strayed into us from our old apartment. i think ill monitor them for the next week or so and if it continues ill pay a visit to the Vets and see what they say. Thanks for all the advice guys!

morganafay

I understand you'd hate to rehome them. I didn't realise it was only for a week so far, so I'm sure a solution can be found

It could be the fault of the other tom cats in the area, or maybe the cat is feeling a bit under the weather and grumpy?

The Sweeper

blondie7 wrote: »

We only started letting them out about a month ago so there the new kids on the block so to speak, there are about 6 other cats in the area and all male, buster and buddy both hate the tabby and they rip him to shreds when he comes around. its only in the last week has buster started to turn on the other two.

Bingo - redirected aggression.

What happens is Buster hates the tabby and is highly agitated by its presence. He is anxious and stirred up almost all the time because he knows this cat is in what he considers to be 'his' territory (usually counts initially as what the cat can see from the house windows, and continues to be that space if they're indoor-outdoor neuters who don't roam too far). So Buster is in a constant bad mood now.

How this often manifests is that the indoor cat will see the marauder outside in the yard, but he's inside the house and cannot get out to the visiting cat, so he turns in a highly agitated state and he picks a fight with the nearest cat to him - so your other male and/or your kitten.

This is actually a really common problem, and it can escalate into something very costly with vets bills. I've seen one case where a girl has two indoor-only cats and a yard where another cat travels through. Her indoor male is so wound up by the sight of this other cat, he has repeatedly attacked her indoor female, attacked her, suffered a urinary tract blockage because he has struvite crystals (diet related, nothing to do with the outdoor cat) and then interstitial cystitis (stress related, everything to do with the outdoor cat) that combined to mean his urethra became blocked (big vets bill, and if left untreated will lead to renal failure and death of the cat). He has also taken to stress spraying - territory marking around the house with urine, especially over her conservatory doors (where the visiting cat sprays the outside) to the point where his urine has puddled and rotted the wood of the sills of the windows and she needs to get both doors replaced. On top of that, the fights became so bad she had to be prescribed antibiotics herself for bites received trying to break up her two indoor cats, and her indoor male is now on a valium prescription that she can't see him ever coming off (not a good thing).

You have *no idea* how much that lot has cost - astronomical even before you include the cost of replacing the household items due to cat wee damage.

So yes, it's a common problem, and also a big problem. So what can you do?

First, make a decision re the indoor/outdoor lifestyle of the cats. If your cats are fighting with local cats, they run the risk of catching a number of diseases the local cats might have, including feline AIDs and feline leukaemia. These are serious illnesses requiring long-term management and expensive veterinary care - and if your cats do catch them you have an obligation as a responsible pet owner to keep them permanently indoors so they don't spread them further.

If you decide to continue to allow your cats out, be aware of the disease risk and how far vaccinations can go to mitigate that risk. There will also be an extended settling-in period where they continue to fight the local cats. This period may never end. The tabby may refuse to relinquish its territory (the fact that it still comes around after a number of run-ins with your boys is already a bad sign - that's a persistent cat). The anxiety and aggression perpetuated by the continued run-ins with the tabby will keep spilling over into your house and your boys will keep fighting. At some point your boys may 'win' their territory and the fights will ease off, and this may lead to the problems in your house easing off, but if you think about it, "let them fight it out" really isn't an ideal solution for your pets.

The best way to treat redirected aggression is remove the stressor - e.g. remove the contact with the tabby, and restore calm to the household. The quickest and most direct way to do that will be to make a secure area for your cats in your yard, make that the only outdoor space they have access to, and prevent the tabby from accessing the same space. Since there's a high level of animosity created by them already having run-ins with the tabby, you'll need to stop them seeing him too - so if they encounter him in the front of the house, you'll need to stop them looking out those windows, for instance.

You could try asking the tabby owner to prevent their cat from roaming, but you know, I'd like the moon on a stick and a fortnight in Hawaii and I ain't getting either of those any time soon either.

Once you prevent your cats from seeing the tabby or having contact with him, the next thing is to restore calm - see previous posts about Feliway Diffusers and Rescue Remedy, hidey holes in the house, cuddling with treats and reassurance for the aggressive cat, etc.

A vets visit is a good idea to discuss vaccinations, diseases contractable through fighting, the prevalence of Feline AIDs and Leukaemia in your area, behavioural modifiers and possible blood tests for disease if they are present in the cat population where you live, or for thyroid problems or other imbalances. Your vet may also have other suggestions for solutions (and hopefully won't just say "Sure they're just cats, it's what they do".)

morganafay

Just to let you know, you can vaccinate the cats for feline leukemia (but not feline AIDS) which is a good idea if they fight with other cats, they can catch it from bites. I think the vaccination is about 80% effective but still worth it if they fight.

blondie7

thanks for all the advice guys. There Vacinated against everything possible, and they had blood tests done previously. We have tried to discipline buster over the weekend and show him were the bosses not him. We started it on Friday evening after a row with buddy and then again on Saturday after a row with momo (the kitten) We were row free yesterday thank god so hopefully its working Again thanks for all the advice, there due a trip to the vets in a few weeks so will get them all checked

Rancid

Excellent advice already, just one other thought:

Getting the kitten neutered should also help calm the situation. If he's almost a year old, your older males are likely reacting to him becoming a mature tom and that can only increase the tension in the house.
See how things settle a week or two after he's neutered and after he stops smelling like the vet and the anaesthetic!

MsFifers

blondie7 wrote: »

We have tried to discipline buster over the weekend and show him were the bosses not him.

Just out of interest - how do you discipline a cat?

IvySlayer

MsFifers wrote: »

Just out of interest - how do you discipline a cat?

Disapproval. My cat knew 'the stance'. Standing looking straight at them with arms crossed. Then I'd ignore her for the rest of the day. And raising your voice.

Also some cats respond to hissing

blondie7

MsFifers wrote: »

Just out of interest - how do you discipline a cat?

Cats will stare you down, thats there way of saying there the boss, you need to keep staring at them until they look away first. Our Vet told us that trick and then there is the inhuman way of scruffing them and holding them down until they relax there muscles. Im not keen on the latter!