Just curious

[Ginger's Mom]

Hi fellow PTers. As you know I don't spend much time in the cat section. But I am pet sitting a neighbor's cats and I was just curious about some things. I have baby-sat her two cats for years, and everything has been fine. But, this spring Pat and I rescued a kitten which we think had been dumped in our neighborhood (we can't figure out where she came from-I think her family moved and just left her). Okay, finally to my question...Do cats have a hierarchy like dogs do? I mean I don't really hear about alpha cats, and they really don't have a social group like dogs do. So do they have hiearchy problems? One of the older girls really seems to "beat up" on the newest cat when she does things like eats first or uses the litter box first, and the new kitten will just roll over and take it. Is this always going to be the case, or is there something that can be done to make them get along better? I feel so bad for both cats (Lucy because she is upset about the new cat, and Belle because she seems to be a target because she is the newby).

[Tux&Oreo]

Well The older Cat may be Jealus and trying to show the kitten that she's the boss.

[Freedom]

Oh my goodness YES cat DO have a hierarchy, just like dogs. AND there are alpha and omega cats. CATS are a matriarchal society, and they do best in groups, they are not loners. FEMALES rule. A colony will consist of many generations of females, with the youngest males. The older males will be on the outskirts of the colony.

A newby will have to learn where his / her place is in the pecking order, just as with dogs.

For the msot part, you can identify an alpha cat by head size. When both cats are full gown, the alphas have larger heads.

Here is a photo of 2 adult male cats. The head on the one on the right is noticeably larger than the head on the left. That is the alpha male. Most adult males will have a head about the size of the one on the left, and you won't really be able to tell where they fit in the pecking order.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q57/sfsamm/nov%206th%20post/kitty009.jpg

It is the same with the females, I just don't have a picture loaded on photobucket to show you right now.

All that aside, all the usual sibling rivalries also apply. So the established cat becomes jealous, wants to warn the intruder away and hopes it will leave, and thinks mom and dad are crazy to be bringing this newby in.

It will take time for them to adjust - up to 6 weeks!

There are also omega cats - ones the entire colony beats up on. I have one now. It is a bit comical because he is the only male and he is the largest cat here of the 7! But they all pick on him, and he hollers and crys "ma, ma! she's picking on me!" but he never hits back, and he rolls over. That i genetic, it will never change.

Best wishes with your crew!

[Ginger's Mom]

Thanks Freedom, that was extremely interesting. I had always thought that cats were more solitary animals and did not have as strong of a pack order. Thank you for explaining that. Lucy is definitely in charge of the household; neither of the other cats argue with her. I will have to check out the size of their heads the next time I go over. ;)

ETA: I just re-read your post, and it is funny, I can say that I did notice the matriarchal pack set up you described in the feral cats that lived in the apartment complex where I lived.

[smokey the elder]

I think TicTac must be the omega! He's huge, but the world's biggest fraidy cat. Bosun's the alpha; the smallest female, a tortie ('nuff said!! :D ) but deigns to allow the "peasants" near her. :p