"SEVERE" Cat Aggression towards one of my cats

by Kyle
(Johnson City NY)

First let me premise my question with some facts so as to prevent any vagueness.

#1. I have multiple indoor cats
#2. They are healthy with no underlying illness


Cats Involved:

8 year old female (NOT spayed) - Misty - aggressor
1.2 year old Male (NOT neutered)- BeBe - aggressor
2 year old Male (YES neutered)- Mikey - aggressor
11 month old Male (NOT Neutered)- Sammy - Victim


Misty (NOT Spayed) came in heat and began to become UNUASUALLY VERY aggressive. She attacked Sammy with such vitriol that he hid and literally trembled in fear. He was scratched across the nose.

BeBe (NOT Neutered) Also attacked Sammy harshly.

Mikey (IS neutered) also hisses and will attack Sammy.

Sammy (NOT neutered) is the youngest, sweetest, nicest cat you could imagine is "literally" "stalked" like prey by Misty and is viciously attacked. What is so surprising is this is the "Female" and his own Mother.

Sammy is attacked in typical older Male vs. Younger Male by BeBe. Very understandable and Bebe is getting neutered this Thursday. This situation does not surprise me and He is getting fixed this week so no explanation for this one.

Mikey "IS" Neutered and mildly attacks Sammy. I can live with this. But still don’t understand his issue.

So my question is why are these group dynamics taking place towards Sammy?

Why would Misty be the most aggressive towards Sammy?

Why would Mikey who is fixed also attack him albeit less severe?

As for BeBe as I said this is obvious and he is getting fixed.

Thank You,

Kyle


Reply
Hi Kyle
This is a simple case of territory rights.

I have to explain a few things about cat behavior to explain this issue.

Firstly cats are not pack animals like dogs and usually preferred to be on their own with their own territory. Some cats if they grow up together will be able to get along but there will still be issues from time to time.

Secondly the most important things to cats are food, territory and if not spayed / neutered mating.

Thirdly cats do not have the same emotions / stroke reactions towards brothers, sisters, mothers, kittens. Once they are weaned and growing into adults they simply become another cat who is on the territory.

As you have four cats who are all kept inside all the time and some are not spayed / neutered then this is a recipe for disaster. tensions in the group will be about territory.

The behavior you describe is completely normal for your situation. as to what can be done. well, all your cats would need to be neutered / spayed to help reduce tensions and aggression. Also the home would have to be made extremely stimulating to keep your cats happy and contented so that they don't take out their frustrations out on each other. So the home would have to provide things so that the cats can still carry out all their normal instincts such as , climbing, hunting/ chasing things etc.

I have a page about this here which you may find of further interest
https://www.our-happy-cat.com/indoor-cats.html

The reason your youngest cat is getting most of the aggression is because he is the new kid on the block and is now maturing into a full blown un neutered tom cat. he will be giving off scents to this affect which can cause this reaction in other cats.

I hope i have been able to explain this situation ok, it can be quite complex as we have to remember that what is important to us humans is not to our cats who have their own set of needs and instincts.

best wishes kate

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