Whats happening?
Living with cats can be one of the best things to do – when it all goes well. It can also be the most frustrating, disheartening, frustrating, confusing and did I mention a frustrating journey??
Cat are very sensitive souls and often don’t react to change very well. A cat who is stressed will try and tell you what’s wrong but they have to do it in a fashion that makes living with them difficult until you work out what’s happening.
Some ideas
Is someone ill – cat or person?
Is another cat attacking or chasing the cat?
Have you change the litter or tray or the location of it?
Have you changed type of cleaner/disinfectant been used?
Have you changed the type of washing cleaner?
Did the food change?
Did the time that food was given changed?
Did the location of where the food was changed? Was there less bowls or places to eat? Are the others not allowing some one to eat?
Has a new cat/ animal arrived?
Has a litter arrived or a undesexed cat come into the house?
Has a new person arrived or left changing the dynamic of the house?
Has a new baby arrive?
Has a cat left or passed away from the group?
Was there too many visitors come to the house?
Hs the family been on holiday and they had to go into care or have a sitter come to the house?
Was the furniture moved around or did a new piece arrive?
Have you moved house?
Have you been spending less time with your cat?
Living with multiple cats can provide some challenges. Its not usually natural for cats to live in a colony. Cats are usually solitary creatures but can learn to live with other if there is an abundant supply what they need.
When you have multiple cats in your home, its very important to provide enough – or more than enough of everything. Food bowls, water bowls, litter trays, beds for sleeping and scratching posts for resting and grooming, toys for playing. Play and exercise is important too. This helps to expend some of their energy and keep their mind active.
There is something that amongst cats that live in a colony – its called ‘Ranking”
This is where the cats organise themselves where they live in the hierarchy of order.
The hierarchy starts the Alpha cat. He is (or she) controls the group – not with fighting or intimidation, instead the Alpha cat shows confidence and security, so the other cats trust them to oversee the colony.
Other cats in the colony will usually defer to the Alpha cat. Sometimes one of the cats will check the ranking as they go along just to see if the Alpha should still be the Alpha!. There can be swatting, hissing and growling if someone wants to test out the position of Alpha cat.
There are also other ranking positions. Some cats may decide that they will hold the rank over some activities such as who eats first or who is allowed to sleep on the highest post of the scratcher. These rankings can change with time or the introduction of a new cat.
Time, love and attention is another resource that needs to be managed. Because that’s why we have them isn’t it!