Understanding the reasons why cats fight
It is common to see families living in households surrounded by a lot of cats and, without a doubt, it is a scenario where cat fights occur very frequently. These cat fights may happen even if apparently they seem to be getting along pretty well.
Humans, at times, find it hard to understand the reason why these sympathetic creatures fight but, their motifs are not so different from the ones for which some people quarrel.
Humans, at times, find it hard to understand the reason why these sympathetic creatures fight but, their motifs are not so different from the ones for which some people quarrel.
While human beings have still the capacity to reach a settlement diplomatically, these kitties can only show their discomfort against another cat by picking a fight.
The main cause for a cat fight can be, for instance, having the need to mark the territory from another undesired or unaccepted cat even if they have been sharing the same shelter or house for a while or if simply one of them is a new acquisition in the home or community.It is common to see cats hiss and swat at one another whenever their territory is trespassed. Studies have already shown that felines are very territorial. Cats are much more territorial than dogs and the gender of the cat has very little to do with it given that female cats are sometimes as territorial as their male counterparts.
Male cats, whether neutered or not, may incur in frequent confrontations against each other to be at the top of their cat hierarchy or social ranking and it is a much more visible fact in those places that house multiple cats with more than one so called “alpha male”.
Other moments of aggression among cats arise at feeding moments when they feel that another cat may eat their food or at times when they see an outsider cat that may represent a threat for them even if well protected inside their home.
The main cause for a cat fight can be, for instance, having the need to mark the territory from another undesired or unaccepted cat even if they have been sharing the same shelter or house for a while or if simply one of them is a new acquisition in the home or community.It is common to see cats hiss and swat at one another whenever their territory is trespassed. Studies have already shown that felines are very territorial. Cats are much more territorial than dogs and the gender of the cat has very little to do with it given that female cats are sometimes as territorial as their male counterparts.
Male cats, whether neutered or not, may incur in frequent confrontations against each other to be at the top of their cat hierarchy or social ranking and it is a much more visible fact in those places that house multiple cats with more than one so called “alpha male”.
Other moments of aggression among cats arise at feeding moments when they feel that another cat may eat their food or at times when they see an outsider cat that may represent a threat for them even if well protected inside their home.
What to do then?
Knowing what to do is where cat care capacity of pet owners comes into play. Very often cat altercations are avoided if one of them walks away after being threatened and challenged and fortunately, even when there is nothing to do to avoid the brawl, the cats involved do not suffer heavy injuries that result from their biting and scratching.
As good observers of cat behaviour, cat owners may even have noticed that kittens play with one another this way from their early weeks and, that is why interfering to stop them is not always necessary because you will be able to tell whether or not your cats are fighting for “blood” or just playing around and it is thus, good to allow your cats to work it out themselves unless the brawl gets really nasty.
When the moment comes to stop a cat fight, it is of utmost importance to be very careful to avoid being attacked, bitten or scratched. Even the most loving cat can show you an aggressive stance by instinct.
One resource that may help in finishing a skirmish between cats would be to call their attention away from the fight by startling them with some loud noise, say for example by clapping your hands. Spraying some water on them can also help in stopping their aggressive behaviour.
As good observers of cat behaviour, cat owners may even have noticed that kittens play with one another this way from their early weeks and, that is why interfering to stop them is not always necessary because you will be able to tell whether or not your cats are fighting for “blood” or just playing around and it is thus, good to allow your cats to work it out themselves unless the brawl gets really nasty.
When the moment comes to stop a cat fight, it is of utmost importance to be very careful to avoid being attacked, bitten or scratched. Even the most loving cat can show you an aggressive stance by instinct.
One resource that may help in finishing a skirmish between cats would be to call their attention away from the fight by startling them with some loud noise, say for example by clapping your hands. Spraying some water on them can also help in stopping their aggressive behaviour.
Final Tips
As final tips it is good to consider not punishing your cats for the fight as these creatures do not understand punishment and as already remarked, they may fight by their natural instinct. So, interfere only when necessary.
If you find your beloved cat pets are fighting more frequently than they should, then it is advisable to call for a specialist's help to determine the reasons why they are behaving this way and the best practices in preventing any further cat fights.
Make sure that each cat in the house has his or her own food bowl, litter box, retreat corner for when they need some quiet moment and space. these are tips that will certainly help avoid or reduce cat fights in the house.
For more about the amazing world of cats as pets, we suggest our next notes on cats instincts and toys.
If you find your beloved cat pets are fighting more frequently than they should, then it is advisable to call for a specialist's help to determine the reasons why they are behaving this way and the best practices in preventing any further cat fights.
Make sure that each cat in the house has his or her own food bowl, litter box, retreat corner for when they need some quiet moment and space. these are tips that will certainly help avoid or reduce cat fights in the house.
For more about the amazing world of cats as pets, we suggest our next notes on cats instincts and toys.
For more in-depth learning see our number one recommendation on Ultimate Cat Secrets
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