Jealousy in a Multiple Pet Family

[Daisylover]

Tazz gave me a great idea for this thread...

In a multiple pet family, how do you handle jealousy among the fur kids?

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Leonardo is the only one of my four that seems to get jealous. He is the self-appointed top cat and makes sure the other know it. Usually, if he is picking on the others all I need do is say his name sternly and go toward him. Sometimes, I pick him up and move him to a different location and tell him to be a good boy. I remind him that I AM THE TOP CAT in this house. I have threatened him with bodily harm but he knows he is quite safe.

After I deposit Leonardo in another location, I go back and give the one picked on a cuddle so they know they really do belong and are loved no matter what Leonardo tries to tell them.

If we happen to be lying down and Chester or Luke jumps up on the bed, I usually pet Leonardo and tell him to be a good boy. He knows his place is not being taken then and he's ok.

He's getting more mellow now that he is older. When I got Chester two years ago, he would stalk him. Chester learned to stay far away from Leonardo. I acutally saw them sleeping on the bed at the same time the other day. They weren't side by side but it's a start.

[Former User]

If I'm for example petting Kitty, Casper will come to us and start moaning that he wants to be petted too. And it works the other way round too. If Casper is getting a treat, Kitty will make sure she gets hers too! If the other one gets something, the other one makes sure to get it too

[tazz1227]

Thanks Daisey. I just try to give each one what they want. Boy Boy wants to be loved and Girl Girl wants to be left alone. But when she wants love, boy does she get it. Like I told Daisey, I am going to work on spending more time with them and try to make them get used to being held and cuddled.

[Lachesis]

Max is the most jealous. If we're laying down and even looking @ one of the others he plops down as close as he can to your face LOL. If needed he will lay on one of the others...

[tazz1227]

They are the most adorable kittens!! Girl Girl, even though she is not real affectionate....yet, she does the same and if I am rubbing Boy Boy, she will lay down besides her to get rubs and on that very rare occassion, she will let you slip a rub in but not for too long.

[Daisylover]

Glad to know I'm not the only one with jealous fur kids. Momoffuzzyfaces, when you remove your trouble-maker do you go back to him and let him know he's loved too? Or by removing him do you think he gets the idea that he's in trouble with mom and therefore you don't go back to him right away?

Tazz, I spoke with the director of the sanctuary over the weekend and she thought it was a good idea to keep on trying to get my Robbie and your Girl Girl used to being petted and handled.

And I think she's right....I was sitting on the floor with Chocolate on Sat. night and Robbie hopped over and sat as close to her as he could and I automatically started to pet him too and then, DUH!, I realized exactly WHO was getting that second bunny massage...I was shocked. Of course as soon as I realized who I had, he got up and went away but that's about 1 minute more than he has let me pet him in the past. I am very encouraged!!!! You might want to keep trying with Girl Girl.

[tazz1227]

UPDATE!!!! I don't remember if I told you that I left Girl Girl downstairs one night because she kept running and would not let me pick her up and she didn't know how to climb the steps. I took them to the vet and Boy Boy is wweighing in at 10lbs and Girl Girl is 8lbs !! Very healthy. Well this past Saturday, I came home and Girl Girl was at the top of the steps!! She was determined not to be left downstairs this time. But she is getting better with rubs but when i picked her up to come downstairs she kicked like I was taking her to the pot.

[Daisylover]

Tazz,
Yeah, I think both you and I were getting discouraged and now look!!! All of a sudden our bunnies are doing wonderful things. I'm feeling so much better and think we are both doing something positive for our kids.

That's great about Girl Girl doing the steps. Please tell me they are carpeted steps....I had one fall down my hardwood steps....fortunately he was not hurt but he could have been seriously injured or killed.

As far as carrying her, don't sweat that. Most bunnies HATE to be carried. They are a prey animal and prefer to be close to the ground for quick getaways.... Being held makes them helpless and vulnerable. I've never tried to take my bunnies for a walk, although I did buy a leash. How do yours like it?

Bad news, a Rottewiler moved in next door!!! AAAggghhhh!!!!

[tazz1227]

They are carpet steps. I have not tried to walk them...yet. But on a bad note my bunnies don't want to use the new litter box anymore !! They were ok as long as I had "old faithful" with the Carefresh in it. Yesterday I implemented all new litter boxes and they went RIGHT BESIDE the box. I wanted to choke them!!

[Daisylover]

This hopefully is a temporary rebellion. Bunnies don't like changes. Could you put clay litter in first---about an inch or two and then put Care Fresh on top of that? Hopefully they'd think it's all Care Fresh.... Or maybe they are rebelling against not being able to eat their litter anymore. Just remember who is the parent here!!!

Do they have paper they can rip up, like a phone directory or the sports section?

I'm betting this is a temporary clash of wills so don't sweat it. Easier said than done I know, esp. when they are in a snit and/or decide to "move" their litter box location!

[tazz1227]

I know who is in charge...THEY ARE !!! They run things!! I have LOST control!! I think they are rebelling about not being able to eat it anymore. I even have a little "play box" that has Aspen bedding (no pine or cedar for my bunnies ) and newspaper for them to play in and they decided to "tinkle" in there and that is fine so I put some of the Aspen in the litter box and they love it but they seem to want to eat that too!! And we wonder why they are SO FAT!! I gave them a phone book and they ATE it ! Not good !! I would have no problem is they just shred it up but I was afraid they were eating too much. Do they know when to stop and can I let them just go for it. My kids are getting older and getting definite ideas of what they will and will not do!! I may have to move and give them the house !!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Originally posted by Daisylover
Glad to know I'm not the only one with jealous fur kids. Momoffuzzyfaces, when you remove your trouble-maker do you go back to him and let him know he's loved too? Or by removing him do you think he gets the idea that he's in trouble with mom and therefore you don't go back to him right away?

Usually, I put him in his favorite spot on my bed, shake my finger at him and tell him to be a good boy. He gets pats and usually a kiss on the head. I'm more tolerant with his jealousy because I'm the only Mom he can remember. His cat mom deserted him when he was about 10 days old. He only had one eye partily open. I had to bottle feed him. We have a stronger bond because of that. The others were all at least 3 months old or more when they came to live with us. After depositing him, I go back and pet and comfort the one he was picking on. I don't want any of my fur babies to think for a second they aren't wanted here, no matter what Leonardo tries to make them think.