CATFIGHTS!!

[thelmalu99]

Sigh. Last week, Chuck asked me if Elvis and Danny had been fighting and I said no. I think I spoke too soon because they fought ALL WEEKEND!!
At first, I wasn't sure if they were playing or fighting because they were sort of chasing each other from room to room. All of the sudden, they started really hissing and swatting at each other! :eek: They did that all weekend! They fought during the day and night. They woke me up at 5 in the morning with their hissing!!
I have been told that this is normal and they are just trying to figure out a "pecking order" or whatever. Is this true? Should I be concerned? Do cats really hurt each other when they fight like this? Does this mean that they hate each other? Will it ever stop? :confused:

[thelmalu99]

Yeah, they're both neutered and I haven't noticed any spraying YET. (I guess I shouldn't speak too soon!)
When I was told that it was better to get two than just one, I guess I assumed that they would be buddies from the start. I expected to see them curled up together napping and running around playing, not hissing at each other.
They can both sleep with me and not fight. One on each side of me or one by my head and the other by my feet. Elvis likes the window sill for lounging, while Danny prefers the couch or my bed, but they do switch off sometimes. They will eat side by side and they don't seem to mind it when I give them both affection at the same time.
I don't know why but one will just get in the other's face and all hell will break loose. Friends have told me that once they establish a pecking order, they will calm down. I'm just afraid they will hurt each other. (And, of course, I would like a full night's sleep sometime soon. If possible. :rolleyes: )

[4 feline house]

They probably didn't start fighting immediately because the first order of business was to get used to their surroundings. With that out of the way, they can now decide who's "top dog". It's unlikely they'll actually do damage to each other, but not out of the question, either. The fighting will eventually decrease or even cease altogether. They may never be friends, however. But even if they aren't, I'm still of the opinion that they are still happier with another cat in the house than alone, if they are with working "parents" and have no humans or other animals in the house.

[thelmalu99]

Thanks. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they will get their differences sorted out soon and try getting along for a change.
I get so upset when they fight, you know?
>sigh<

[thelmalu99]

LOL!! The mental picture I'm getting is very funny! I may try it just for the laugh!

Who knows, it may work. ;)

[TheAntiPam]

Originally posted by SpencerTheLion:
<STRONG>...at least they are young. If they were both over five years old, then they could be a pair of old grumpy cats ...</STRONG>

I feel a movie title coming on: "Grumpy Old Cats". Perhaps we can get Walter Matthmeow to star?

[yorkster]

I think it is pretty normal for two cats to fight some. After all, they are a lot like people! My cats totally LOVE each other, but sometimes they really get into it, and then a few minutes later they are snuggling & grooming each other. They have been on each others nerves a bit more lately, but I think it's because of the weather- it's been pretty hot and humid (well, for Seattle anyway). They have not been eating as much either. I would not worry too much yet. I think kittens argue and fight more than adult cats too.

[catwoman]

Thelma.

I've been thinking about you and your boys this morning. I hope you had a (relatively) calm night and got a little sleep!

Dianne

[wolflady]

Thelma, how's everything going with your boys?? I sure hope they work this out soon. To make a loooooong story short, my husband's cat absolutely DID NOT want anything to do with my cat for the longest time when we first tried to introduce them ...but after 6 months of different tactics, he finally came to accept it. Now they are just like brothers. They do fight on occasion, but like human siblings...it happens :rolleyes: I think what happens with my boys is they start playing...but then it gets a little rough. A few hisses are thrown out (by my husband's cat) and that's about it. Most of the time they co-habitate pretty well. I do think they are just getting used to who is "top cat" around there since they have finally settled into the new place. Do let us know what happens though! It would be nice for you to get a sound night's sleep I'm sure!! *hugs*
Karen

[thelmalu99]

Hi everyone,
Last night, I heard the boys running around and it sounded like a marching band was parading through my living room, lol! I didn't hear any hissing, though, so I took that to be a good sign. This morning, however, there was some hissing and swatting going on after one cat cornered the other under the bed. :rolleyes:
Ah, well...I'm just hoping this is nothing more than a little sibling rivalry and they don't really hate each other. From what you all have told me it's not uncommon for cats to fight like this, so I'm trying to stay calm about it. I was kind of flipping out because I have always had only one cat, so I'm not used to all of this drama. :eek:
Thanks for all the help.


**Double the fun, double the love and double the POOP!!!**

[thelmalu99]

Still fighting.
I have noticed that Elvis is the instigator. Danny will just be there, minding his own business, and Elvis will just go up to him and start swatting at him or trying to bite him. I don't understand, because Elvis seems to be the one getting his "butt kicked". He's got a few small scratches on his nose. Nothing major, but I'm assuming that they're from the fights. I don't know why he keeps picking fights. :confused:

[thelmalu99]

Nope. No place in particular, just wherever and whenever the mood strikes him.
It doesn't happen when they're eating or if Danny decides to hang out on the window sill (Elvis' favorite spot) or even when I'm giving Danny attention. It almost seems like Elvis is just like, hmmm, nothing better to do, let me go and pick a fight! LOL.

Do you think it's possible that maybe they're just playing rough with each other and I'm completely mistaken in thinking that they're fighting? :confused:

[thelmalu99]

Leave it to me to adopt a clueless cat!
http://bbs2.fanforum.com/images/smilies/LOL.gif

[ August 23, 2001: Message edited by: thelmalu99 ]

[catwoman]

I don't know ... my cat Thelma always is the instigator, and Weezie usually wins too. Thelma just has so much energy, she can't resist starting the occasional scuffle! ;)

[4 feline house]

It could be that they're just playing. But the fact that the loser is the instigator reinforces my suspicion that he's trying to be top cat. If he were already on top he would have no need to challenge the status quo. But, they could be just playing, too!

[ramanth]

Do I know a thing about cat fights! I have 5 cats and they brawl one in awhile. Usually it's when the weather is hot and uncomfortable there are more fights. But since they have never mortally wounded each other we just leave them be, save for the "Hey, Stop That!" ;)

Good luck!

My Cats (http://www.geocities.com/ramanth/cats.html)

[yorkster]

Originally posted by thelmalu99:
<STRONG>Still fighting.
I have noticed that Elvis is the instigator. Danny will just be there, minding his own business, and Elvis will just go up to him and start swatting at him or trying to bite him. I don't understand, because Elvis seems to be the one getting his "butt kicked". He's got a few small scratches on his nose. Nothing major, but I'm assuming that they're from the fights. I don't know why he keeps picking fights. :confused:</STRONG>

hey thelma- I can not remember which one was the kitten and which is the older kitty. anyway, I have a 7 yr. old cat and just a few months ago adopted a kitten who is 7 months old now. they play really rough sometimes, and it will also turn into a fight at times. the kitten annoys our older kitty because he is too active and does not know when to stop. then at other times the older kitty just swats & jumps on the kitten for no apparent reason (that I can see anyway). when he does this he is usually mad and will growl and hiss. I think it is a combination of him wanting to be 'top cat' and just getting tired of being bugged by a kitten all the time. I should add too that they are VERY close. they sleep together, groom each other, very lovey-dovey most of the time. but they are around each other 24/7 and I think any human would need a break from someone if they were around them that much! I don't think you have anything to worry about- it sounds pretty normal.

[Gio]

My two females, Maya and Prema, don't often play together as they both prefer human company, but when they do you better keep out of their way if you don't want to be knocked over! They start chasing each other from room to room and they both play rough. As soon as one gets fed up of being jumped chased or tormented, she will start hissing, swatting and generally trying to make the other retreat in the corner. They always come out of it unharmed, on the few occasions when I thought it was getting a bit too much and decided to intervene, and was not fast enough to take my hands out of the way, I was the one left with the battle scars :D

[dayzeez]

Hi,
This bring some concern to me because cat DO usually get along if they have from the begining. The only reason they would start to fight would be because something happened. I'm curious...did you buy a new toy, did you move your living room around, did you change jobs? Maybe one of them is sick. You know I actually have a cat with algeries. LOL None the less, let me know!

Sonja

[thelmalu99]

Hi,
You know, I'm getting the impression that all of this is really just rough play. The other day, they got into it and I saw Elvis (the older cat) pin Danny down a few times and bite him on the back of the neck. I was really scared that he was hurting him, and when they stopped, I picked Danny up and examined the area, but there was nothing. No blood, not even bite marks or a scratch. I don't think they're really hurting each other. When they started these fights, Elvis got two scratch marks on his nose, but they have healed up and there haven't been any more.
I have also noticed that sometimes, when Danny is napping, Elvis will go up to him and start grooming him. It's so cute. I wish they could just be that way and not have these fights/rough play sessions. I really hope they're only playing. :rolleyes:

[thelmalu99]

Oh, and Sonja,
Nothing has changed at all in the apartment or in my life &gt;sob&lt; LOL!
I have only had Elvis and Danny for about one month, so I guess they're still adjusting. They seem to have made themselves completely at home with the place and with me, but only recently have they started really interacting with each other. If these are really fights that they are having, hopefully it won't last. With cats, who knows??

[Pam]

Thelmalu, I think what you have going on is just really play. My two guys go at it usually every couple of days. It doesn't last long but they tumble and roll all around and the fur flies! :D Andy, who is quite a bit smaller than Trevor, is ALWAYS the one who instigates these little sessions. It is also completely out of the blue, just like you describe. I think it's sort of an athletic event for him! The only problem is, when Trevor has had enough he usually lets Andy know and a short little chase follows with Andy making a mad dash through the door flap to the basement. Then they are back to their mutual grooming and cuddling until Andy gets the urge again and it starts all over! :D

[thelmalu99]

LOL at Andy and Trevor!!
Sounds like they have a whole routine!
I have seen quite a few tufts of orange fur fly when my two go at it! Just like in the cartoons, LOL!
http://bbs2.fanforum.com/images/smilies/LOL.gif

[tmckay]

I have 2 kitties - Otie and Mir and have been thinking of adding another kitten. I am glad to hear from reading the responses that usually they get used to each other. I would like to add to the family, but am nervous about upsetting the balance. Otie is very laid back and accepting. He is 5. Mir is 3 and not laid back at all. She tends to be on the aggressive side with everyone except for her immediately family. My vet has recommended only adding a kitten as opposed to an adult cat. She thinks Mir might feel less threatened by a kitten.

[dayzeez]

It is quite possible that they are bonding. I have two brand new kittens and they are VERY cloase but they roughhouse like you wouldn't believe. I think you have two cats that are going to be very close. Watch to see if they start sleeping together. :D

[thelmalu99]

Dayzeez,
I am waiting for the day!! When I brought them home, I was SO looking forward to seeing them cuddle together and sleep together. I think that's the cutest thing!!
The closest that they have come to that is when Elvis starts licking little Danny's ears and grooming him. It's a big step from totally ignoring each other, so I'm happy and hopeful that they will become very close.
:D

[yorkster]

you just never know with 2 cats if they will be close & snuggly with each other. my 2 previous cats were not at all. they tolerated each other, but that was about it. But they also did not really play or fight. My 2 cats I have now play (and fight!) all the time, but they are also very close and affectionate with each other. I think the closer 2 cats are with each other, the more they will 'fight'- which is not always fighting, it just looks that way to us humans. When I first brought my kitten home at 3 months old, they right away would chase and fight each other. Sometimes the big kitty would (and still does) bite the kitten in the neck, etc. and hold him down that way. He seemed like he was getting really rough sometimes, and it concerned me at first. I had a lot of people here tell me that it is normal cat play, especially when one is quite a bit older than the other, and that older cats have an instinct to teach kittens how to fight. Have you ever seen a momma kitty with her kittens when they get a month or so old? She is VERY rough with them at times! Anyway, my kitten must not mind too much because he keeps coming back for more.

[catwoman]

Yorkster's comments reminded me of something ... my vet once told me that a cat's skin is much tougher than ours, and that is why they can play so rough without getting hurt.

So, what looks rough to us may not feel that way to them at all ...

[4 feline house]

Yorkster-

Yes, when the kittens were still about a month old, Peaches kept tearing into them like she was trying to kill them! She actually hurt Cookie once. We never did figure out why she did that, my last mom (who was a foster) never did such things. Who knows? Now she ignores Cookie, cuddles, grooms, and sleeps with Pepper, and constantly battles Big (who is now almost three times her size) for top dog status.

[sailorsaturn]

I doub thay HATE each other. probly fighting over who gets to be lead. My friends cat has a brother that, like every sesion will fight. then just stop. I think it's just a copation that no one has won yet. then again, I'm not really sure :confused:

[shaggo]

I agree with you. My two guys love each other. They spend all their time together and play really well together most of the time. Once in awhile they have a big fight with lots of hissing and howling. They never hurt each other and a couple of minutes later they are back to being best friends. I never intervene as I don't want to send the message that playing together isn't ok. They seem to resolve things ok on their own. The posturing and loud noises seem to be just for show. They are two and three years old and have been having these little spats since they were kittens.


Originally posted by yorkster:
<STRONG>I think it is pretty normal for two cats to fight some. After all, they are a lot like people! My cats totally LOVE each other, but sometimes they really get into it, and then a few minutes later they are snuggling & grooming each other. They have been on each others nerves a bit more lately, but I think it's because of the weather- it's been pretty hot and humid (well, for Seattle anyway). They have not been eating as much either. I would not worry too much yet. I think kittens argue and fight more than adult cats too.</STRONG>

[yorkster]

I know what you mean Shaggo- cats are so interesting to observe!

[purrley]

I have 4 cats. I adopted a Momma kitty
back in February - she had 3 kittens and I
kept the white male. Momma (Panda Bear) likes to instigate play with her son (Braydee) 6 mos. old, and then she gets fed up and gives him a growl, a hiss, and then a good swat. I think its funny to watch. She's
such an onery B since she had her babies
and is top cat in the household. Whatever
she says goes :D

[yorkster]

Originally posted by purrley:
<STRONG>I have 4 cats. I adopted a Momma kitty
back in February - she had 3 kittens and I
kept the white male. Momma (Panda Bear) likes to instigate play with her son (Braydee) 6 mos. old, and then she gets fed up and gives him a growl, a hiss, and then a good swat. I think its funny to watch. She's
such an onery B since she had her babies
and is top cat in the household. Whatever
she says goes :D</STRONG>

I know what you mean. My cat Liza was THE boss, and even more pissy after she had her kittens. It was okay though, as my other cats respected that and let her be 'top cat'. Cats will always work their own thing out.

[4 feline house]

Peaches came to us as an only cat, too, but not for long as we soon realized she was carrying kittens. She had two girls and one boy. We kept them all. Even though her boy "kitten" grew to be almost three times her size, she still administers enough swats to him that she remains firmly top dog. She even occasionally swats her humans to let them know where they stand! :D

[yorkster]

4 feline house- Where did you get the picture of the kitten running in the grass? I have seen it before but I can not remember where. It's my favorite kitty pic!

[4 feline house]

It was in a signature on a BB my son goes on. Would you like me to email you one?

[yorkster]

Yes 4 feline house, if you could email one to me that would be great! Thanks!

[AmberLee]

Dear 4FelineHouse,

I may be mistaken, but I think that kitten is the one from an illustration of cat poems by Gallico (Paul Gallico, maybe?) It's one of my favorites -- the title is something like "Reflections of a small cat in a very large hurry" ? and the entire poem is "Gangway!" I think it's hysterical. There are many great poems in the book, but unfortunately my memory really is lousy these days. Perhaps the book's title is Gallico's Book of Cats? The majority of it is mixed photos and poems.

[4 feline house]

Amberly, I searched everywhere in everywhich way for that poem. "Gallico" did not bring up any kind of poetry book, "Gangway" brought up battle ships and a gay bar :confused: , and "book of cats" brought up T.S. Eliot! Oh, well!

[AmberLee]

My parents own a copy -- next time I visit them I'll get the details straight. Paul Gallico wrote a couple books that relate to cats, but I'm not sure of the title of the one I'm trying to think of, drat the luck!

He also wrote "Thomasina" that Disney made a sweet movie of ages ago...

My memory really stinks these days... :(

Okaaaay -- I just tried "BookFinders.com" and think I've found it. "Honorable Cat" by Paul Gallico, illustrated by Osamu Nishikawa, 1972 (out of print) 152 pp/73 color photos. I'm almost positive this is the right book; but I'll check next month when I visit my parents. I'm also sending an e-mail to my sister who lives next door to them. It's getting under my skin...
;) :D

[ September 20, 2001: Message edited by: AmberLee ]