Why do cats and cats fight among themselves, what to do

A fight between two cats sometimes happens more often than between dogs. There are many reasons for this behavior, ranging from the nature of these animals, since cats are born predators, to psychological problems. Naturally, fights more often break out between males, as they defend their territorial boundaries or lay claim to one female.

It is important to understand what can provoke a cat fight and how to provide first aid if your pet gets caught.

Options to correct the situation

It is quite easy for a person to cope with the aggression of an animal. The main thing is to understand exactly what caused it. The cats need to be separated, given the opportunity to calm down, fall asleep, feed them, and only after that, after a while, start trying to introduce them again. The following tricks will work for this. You can build a transparent wall between the cats, which will help them see each other, but not get into fights. It is especially better to start doing this when the cats are friendly and relaxed. This therapy can take up to two weeks.

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If your cats suddenly start fighting, the safest option is to separate them into separate rooms for 24 to 48 hours until they calm down.
You should also keep them inside during this time so they don't meet or fight outside.
Watch for any signs that your cats are frustrated at being kept indoors, such as meowing to be let out.
Make sure your cats are kept apart from each other long enough for them to calm down, but not so long that they become upset and potentially more stressed.

Causes of cat fights

Cat fights can occur for a number of reasons. Most often, cats living in the same territory are prone to conflicts due to the following factors:

temporary isolation;
aggression provoked by fear;
social pressure due to the large number of individuals;
unsuccessful acquaintance with each other.

Why do cats fight?

The reason for male conflicts lies in the nature of the cat's origin. To take a place in the sun, small predators made their way to it with teeth and claws.

In most cases, cats are called to fight by the instincts of the hunter, and sexual desire also plays a big role. Therefore, fights for territory are organized by mature, uncastrated males, especially if there is a “walking” cat nearby.

Most often, fights between cats are caused by defending the territory in which they live. This applies to a greater extent to outdoor cats. The cat defends its territory, following instinct. The more land under his paws, the more satisfying he will eat. In addition, the cats living in this territory will be exclusively at his disposal.

What to do to avoid provoking clashes between cats

After eliminating the cause of the conflict, an important step in the peaceful coexistence of cats in the same house is the prevention of such incidents. We must use all possible means to achieve, if not complete unity, then at least a long-term truce.

Personal hygiene items

Each pet should have its own items that only it uses. These include bowls, combs, trays, scratching posts:

this will help avoid fights over food or going to the toilet;
This approach creates more hygienic living conditions for pets.

When the owner observes open clashes between animals, bowls with food and water should be placed as far from each other as possible, for example, in different rooms. The same goes for trays.

It is better if each cat in the house has its own bowl.

Each animal must be provided with its own toys. It is important not to confuse them in the future, otherwise the offense may spread from the furry neighbor to the owner. Cats are very sensitive and, if they catch someone else's scent on a toy, they can easily react in a negative way.

Individual games

The owner of several pets must learn one simple rule: give each pet at least 30 minutes a day for play. This allows you to create harmony in relationships with each representative. In addition, cats will see that they are equally important to their owner.

During the game, the cat will throw out excess energy, along with which aggression will go away.

If the owner is not alone, then several people can play with the cats at the same time, and then change places. With such a setup, it is important that during the game the cats do not intersect and cannot interfere with each other. An interactive puzzle toy can be an excellent option to keep your pet occupied. You can order it online or buy it at a pet store.

A puzzle game can keep your pet occupied by separating it from another animal in a separate room.

How to make furry bullies friends

In order to make warring cats friends, associations of a positive attitude can be useful. The owner of the animals must achieve a situation in which the animals have only positive perceptions of each other. To do this, treats and affection are used. For example, pet cats only at the same time. Treat them to “goodies” in the presence of each other, etc. Here you need to be careful and behave in such a way as not to single out one animal from the whole group, otherwise a new conflict cannot be avoided.

So we became friends with each other, not only the cats, who began to conflict with each other, but also the cats and the dog. Now, for example, my animals do not perceive each other as enemies: the dog does not touch the cats, they have stopped hissing and rushing at her. So the method works is to simultaneously stroke the animals and speak kind words to them.

Video: how to make friends between two cats who have not lived together before

Using a Clicker

Many breeders, not only cats, but also dogs, use a clicker when training animals. This is a special device that can make a sound resembling a click. If the animal does everything as it should, then its correct actions are noted with the help of a clicker.

Clicker training is done in advance. The owner presses a button, then gives out a treat. It is important that animals develop a conditioned “click-treat” reflex. Then, based on the sound of the device, the pets themselves will look for the “yummy.”

The device can also be used in situations of conflicting cats. For example, if the animals are sitting peacefully next to each other - the clicker clicks, the animals show aggression - the clicker is not used.

A clicker is a simple device that, when you press a button, produces a clearly audible click.

Creating Vertical Space

Scientists have discovered one interesting detail. People live and interact with each other in a world of a horizontal plane. Cats, on the other hand, live in vertical space. Therefore, it is important to provide pets with multi-tiered houses and high scratching posts. This way you can create a happy life for your cat. By being located at the highest point, a cat can show how important a place it occupies in its team. If this is not possible, then it will prove its role with the help of claws and teeth.

It is psychologically important for a cat to lie on a hill, this is how it proves its superiority in the team.

Patience

Every owner who cares for more than one animal must be patient and understand that love at first sight between cats may not occur. To prevent animals from fighting, you will need to make a lot of effort and spend more than one day on reconciliation.

Even if all the manipulations were in vain, do not despair. You can try to separate the pets for a few days, and then “introduce” them to each other again. But this time we must try to take into account all previous mistakes and not repeat them.

Cat fights arise not because of the whim of pets, but because of instincts. It is important to understand this and not punish the animals, but to try to find out the cause of the conflict and prevent the recurrence of incidents in the future.

Veronica Eremenko

Cats are, in theory, kind, affectionate pets, purring on their laps and soothing with their “rattling” and purring. But this is only ideal. In practice, things sometimes turn out to be far from being the case. A cat can turn out to be a real feisty person and bully everyone around her, and a cat can show a strong dominant character. And this is even if there are no other animals in the house. Why do cats start fighting with their own kind, people, dogs?

Peace-friendship

If there are two cats (or tomcats) or even more living in the house, and they cannot improve their relationship, the intervention of the owner will be required. If fights arise due to a reason known to the owner (a favorite place for both, food, toys), then it can be eliminated by blocking access to the favorite place, which is a bone of contention, removing the sofa or chair, etc.

But often, the origin of conflicts is not so obvious. In this case, you can defuse the situation by providing the cats with their own accessories. Pets should have separate trays, bowls, beds, toys, etc. When fights occur out of boredom, you can add entertainment to the cat - new toys, scratching posts, build a house or special moves. If the cats calm down, it means the owner made the right decision.

And the most important thing is that when having several pets, the owner must take into account that he should not have favorites. All cats need attention and affection, even the most phlegmatic ones

It is worth taking into account their characters and characteristics, making the life of pets more comfortable, calm and safe.

A cat is a universal animal that can save you from loneliness, calm you down and even cheer you up, and two or three cats can double or triple these qualities. But when there is discord in the cat family, there can be no talk of any peace for people either. If they themselves are not able to coexist peacefully, then the owner should not rush into the decision to get rid of one of the pets. We need to give them time and improve the conditions of living together.

Two representatives of the cat family: pros and cons

If you plan to have several cats, it is better to do this at the same time. It’s easier for kittens to get used to each other, because they lack aggression and competition for primacy. Babies from the same or different litters quickly find a common language, play together, attack, but do not seriously fight. If the pets are of different sexes, castration should be planned, since there is a high probability of unwanted matings in the future.

When a feline is already living in the house, problems are likely to arise when introducing a new animal. The most complex relationships occur between two sexually mature males. Females are more reserved, but rarely become attached to their territorial neighbor. A female cat and male cat can be affectionate and caring, but it is important to neuter both to avoid producing offspring. It is better not to use hormonal drugs, as they negatively affect the health of animals.

When planning to add a second cat, it is important to take into account the temperament of both animals. It is desirable that they match. If we are talking about purebred pets, it is easier to find out the type of temperament, since certain qualities are inherent in a particular breed. The British have a relatively calm character and will not be able to get along with active Orientals. You should also pay attention to the age of the animals: older pets will not like being next to playful kittens.

Game - as a manifestation of instincts

Behavioral stereotypes are formed by innate instincts and personal experience. Thus, cat play can be seen as honing the most important instincts:

defensive;
hunting;
territorial;
sexual

Month-old kittens' eyes are already open, and their paws are getting stronger day by day, requiring training.

Observations. It is enough to observe the offspring to track the behavior of an adult animal in one or another element of the game:

The breadwinner instinct manifests itself in the pursuit and capture of a rolling ball, a rustling candy wrapper, or the twitching tip of the mother's tail.
Growing kittens try their hand at tracking each other like “prey” from an ambush, attacking in a jump and biting the head and neck.
Hunting passion is demonstrated in the form of possessive displays towards the “prey” during general feeding.
Defensive skills are practiced during “military exercises,” when kids pretend to wave their paws, copy combat grips, and dodge the “enemy.”
The games of male cats, which from the age of 4 months can grab their sisters by the withers with their teeth and sit on top, are full of shades of sexual behavior.

Cat and kitten

Males are more wary of kittens than cats. In nature, males do not care for their offspring and can even kill other people's kittens. Therefore, the domestic cat will most likely simply ignore the new resident, avoiding contact with him for some time. Then the cat will understand that the kitten does not pose a danger to him and, most likely, friendly relations will arise between the animals.

But open aggression is also possible - this is where you need to be on guard. The cat may rush at the baby and try to strangle him. Therefore, owners, especially at first, should not leave the cat and kitten alone.

After the kitten reaches puberty, animal relationships will develop depending on the gender of the pets.

To figure out how to make friends with cats, the owner must study the psychology of these animals. The better a person understands the motivation for a particular act of a cat, the more effective his actions will be aimed at maintaining neutrality and developing friendly relations between pets. But do not forget that each cat has individual traits and a unique character. It is important to understand your cat, to realize why she acts this way and not otherwise. Cats can be stubborn and self-willed, aggressive and pugnacious - such an animal is very difficult to make friends with a new resident. Other cats have a soft, unquarrelsome character - in this case, even two cats get along well together. And don’t forget that a cat is a proud and independent creature. Do not try to force and punish your pet into becoming a hospitable “hostess” - this approach will lead to the development of even greater aggression towards the “newcomer”. Be persistent but gentle, adamant but affectionate. You should not play the role of a leader - a cat will never recognize a person as the head. Remain a protection, support and loving friend for your tailed stubborn ones.

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Male vs female

Most often, owners are misled by the cat's behavior towards the cat. She seems to accept his dominance and fulfills his every whim. However, this is not the case. The cunning of females knows no bounds, and they successfully use it, “powdering the brains” of both the cat and the owner. This tactic of behavior allows the cat to achieve what it wants without open conflict, and fights between animals of different sexes are rather nonsense.

Yes, the male can afford to hiss at his girlfriend or lightly touch her with his paw, but this is not a full-fledged fight, but only a reminder of who is boss in the house. Serious fights between a cat and a cat break out extremely rarely, and only if the female ceases to obey and shows leadership qualities. Usually cats go crazy because of this behavior of cats and find no other way out than to give the presumptuous “madame” a beating. In this case, short fights can break out out of nowhere; they proceed loudly, but not for long.

It is worth noting that the war between a cat and a cat is a fight to the last drop of blood. As soon as one of the pets obeys, peace and grace sets in in the cat kingdom.

Conflicts between individuals of different sexes

Only at first glance it may seem that the cat is completely subordinate to the cat. However, in reality the female is much more cunning. She easily leads the more powerful ruler of the territory by the nose, without entering into open conflicts with him. Therefore, a cat fights with a cat quite rarely. In addition, a male can easily allow himself to slap his girlfriend hard and hiss at her. This is not a reason for a cat family to start fighting. This is how the male demonstrates his power.

Individuals of different sexes can fight for no particular reason: near a bowl for a tasty morsel, colliding in a narrow corridor, choosing a more secluded place to rest. Although the conflicts are quite noisy, they are very short. There is no need to help pets in this situation. Animals of different sexes rarely “fight to the last.” It all depends on the characters of the pets. Ultimately, one will definitely submit completely to the other, sensing in him a full-fledged leader.

However, every breeder must understand that the comfortable living of several animals in one territory depends only on him. It is necessary to take care of the proper feeding of cats, providing each with a separate bowl. Pets’ trays should also be different and not located in the same room. Of course, you can’t deprive your pets of affection by singling out your favorite. Cats are very sensitive creatures and you shouldn’t give them an extra reason to start fighting.

Nature has made cats natural fighters due to their predatory nature. The main weapon of all cats is their sharp claws. Often the game looks like a fight. But sometimes the action takes on a serious character, then the pets must be separated, because injuries are possible. But you must act correctly so as not to harm the person himself.

Why are my cats fighting?

Your cats may fight for several reasons.

For example, if one cat has just come from a place that may have a distinctive smell (like the vet), it will smell unfamiliar and perhaps a little scary to your other cats.

Cats communicate with each other primarily using their sense of smell.

If one cat comes back into an apartment with an unfamiliar smell, it may upset the other cats in the house. To try to avoid this type of fight, it may be a good idea to keep your returning cat in a separate room for a few hours or overnight when you bring them home to allow them to regain a familiar scent.
Sometimes aggressive behavior has nothing to do with your other cat. The fight instinct can be caused by something completely different. This can damage the relationship between cats that live together, so if separating them for a period of 24-48 hours does not solve the problem, it is a good idea to contact a cat behaviorist.

cat and cat

Two mature cats in one house are a constant headache, because... These animals very rarely treat each other calmly. In nature, the territory of cats is much larger than the territory of cats, overlapping several habitats of females. The more such areas a cat enters his territory, the more females he fertilizes. Therefore, cats have much stronger territorial claims than cats, because we are no longer just talking about hunting, but about procreation.

Two adult cats can remain neutral for some time, periodically starting violent fights. In such a fight, cats find out which of them is more important and try to remove a competitor from their territory. Passions run high when there is a mating cat nearby. Fights during this period result in serious injuries and sometimes the death of one of the animals. Often cats begin to mark their territory, constantly overlapping each other’s marks - the smell in such an apartment is overwhelming. Therefore, when you decide to get a second cat, immediately prepare for castration of both animals. And it’s better to do this a couple of months before you meet (which, unfortunately, is not always possible).

If cats fight

The causes of aggression can be different, so you need to approach the issue individually and analyze what exactly happens to the animals in each specific case.

Cats may act nervous for the following reasons:

Fear. This is the main factor that provokes aggressive behavior. Cats who have not previously had contact with other animals and have little idea of what to expect from such a neighborhood are prone to it.
Territorial claims. They most often appear in males, as well as in animals that have lived in one place for a long time.
Wrong reaction of the owner. It often happens that owners, without knowing it, provoke aggression in their pets - in an effort to calm their pet, they give it a treat or gently stroke it after a negative episode has occurred. This is an incorrect behavior strategy because the animal maintains a positive behavior pattern - anger is followed by reward. This shouldn't happen. There must be punishment, but in no case should you use brute force or beat animals. A shout, a rolled-up newspaper, a loud noise, or water from a spray bottle are good training stimuli.
Dominant behavior of a newcomer. Usually, in a new place, a kitten or adult cat recognizes the right of primacy of the owner and does not show obvious aggression, but there is also the opposite pattern of behavior when the arriving animal clearly provokes the first cat and claims rights to the territory. This should be limited immediately to prevent further conflicts. Typically, young, uncastrated male cats and teenage male kittens behave this way.

Accordingly, the procedure for reconciling cats should be something like this.

You need to set aside a place in the apartment that will be temporarily reserved for both pets. It is divided into two parts by a dense mesh or other non-solid partition, through which you can sniff each other, but no harm can be done.
Bowls with food and water are placed on both sides of the partition at a safe distance - this is how animals learn to live side by side.
Once a day, the cats are changed places, allowing them to get used to the smells.

It is important to pay attention to the following point: the dominant cat, which initially considers itself the master of the territory, should not have serious limitations in space. You can’t lock her in the kitchen or in a small room, this will only provoke the development of a conflict situation.

Consequences of cat conflicts

The main weapons of fighting cats are claws and sharp teeth. As a rule, the results of fights with relatives are clearly visible on the face. Injuries are most often diagnosed in the head area - lacerations of the ears, damage to the eyelids or other parts of the eye, deep scratches on the cheeks.

It is important to remember that failure to provide timely assistance can cause a cat to develop:

otitis – most often when the auricle is damaged;
abscesses on the body - due to the lack of antiseptic treatment, rapid healing of the wound and the development of an inflammatory process inside the capsule;
loss of organs of vision due to injuries in the eye area that were not treated in a timely manner.

The forelimbs may be injured during a fight. It is very important to examine every centimeter of the animal's body. The fact is that puncture wounds received from fangs heal after 2 days, and pathogenic bacterial microflora, which enters with the saliva of another animal, actively develops, causing crushing of soft tissues. After a few days, the formed abscess is filled with purulent contents, causing an increase in body temperature, a depressed state of the animal and pain in the affected area.

It is impossible to do without a veterinarian, since it is necessary to dissect the capsule of the formed abscess, rinse the cavity and treat it.

Causes

Cats are extremely emotional and sensitive animals. They react to love shown to them and to fear, hatred, and aggression directed at them. And if positive feelings are perceived with such intensity, any negative manifestations towards the cat result in hostility, fear and angry behavior towards the owner or any other person who comes into contact with him. For this reason, when you see an animal, do not show fear or be afraid, then trust in you will be higher and there will be less chance that the cat will attack. However, there are other reasons for cat aggression.

Fear. Not only children, adults also often have fun by scaring cats. For some animals this is not a problem, but for shy ones, it is a reason to be wary, fearful and defend themselves. If a cat is afraid, it can run away, hide, press its ears to the floor, and behave warily. In rare cases, the cat takes a position of defense and attack, rears, hisses, and rushes. Defense of the territory. The second common reason for aggression is defense of territory. Cats consider their home their territory, and do not always agree with new residents or changes. Their territory is always marked by their scent. Moreover, even if the cat is neutered, he still leaves his unique smell on the things he touches, eats from, or plays with. Therefore, if a new resident, a child, an adult or another animal appears in the house, the cat may begin to defend its place and its things, and become very aggressive. Health problems often cause aggression. If a cat is in pain when he is held incorrectly, or if his joints, teeth are inflamed, or his stomach hurts, all this can affect his emotional state. Just like a person’s, if your hand hurts, it’s better not to touch it, but a cat can’t complain about pain, for example, in its thigh, and that’s why it grins when they pet it there.

Castration, or rather its absence, can lead to aggression in an adult cat

For this reason, it is important to castrate the animal before the age of one year, so that it does not begin to behave aggressively, and does not become accustomed to such behavior.

Causes of aggressive behavior in males

How painful it is to look at your cats, who suddenly, for no apparent reason, begin to fight, tearing each other’s fluffy skin and delicate ears. Wool flies in different directions, flower pots are overturned, and in the apartment there is a heartbreaking cry of two warring creatures. The owner is amazed at what his cute cats are missing. He tries not to deprive anyone of affection; everyone has their own food bowls, comfortable beds and trays.

But the conflict between cats is still ripe and there may be several reasons to start fighting.

Innate instinct, male aggression. Rival cats, with the help of peculiar body movements, communicate to each other that they are ready to engage in a fierce battle.
Territorial conflict. Each cat needs privacy, its own place, which it strictly protects from any encroachment. When a new pet appears in the house, aggression and struggle for territory are inevitable.
Competitive fight. Each strong individual must secure its place in the pride. This is how even domestic cat breeds become more resilient and hardy.
Transferred aggression. Conflict between cats can arise literally out of the blue. One looked out the window and saw his fellow tribesman. Doors and windows prevent him from reaching his opponent. As a result, aggression is transferred to the first person who comes under the paw.
Medical reasons. The cause of conflicts can be various diseases. For example, one cat develops arthritis. He is in pain, and his fellow tribesman, out of old habit, playfully jumped on him. One can respond with aggression, and the second, without understanding, can attack in response.

It is necessary to constantly monitor the behavior of cats. If the owner notices that once friendly pets suddenly begin to quarrel frequently, and violent fights often break out, immediate action should be taken. Even the calmest, friendliest animals can begin to share something, furiously sorting things out. The main task of the breeder is to find the reasons why cats fight. You should not hope that animals will eventually find mutual understanding. If the causes of conflicts are not eliminated, the level of aggression will only increase, and pets will be constantly in a state of stress.

Cats are not pack animals

A cat is a predator that walks on its own. If you have several pets living in your home, make sure that everyone has personal items: a bowl, a scratcher, a scratching post and a pad. They don't tend to share with their siblings, so sharing the same toy or cup of water will most likely end in a fight.

If you add a new kitten to a cat you already have at home, then remember that fights are inevitable. The old resident will definitely show the new one who is boss here. This time must be endured. You should not artificially “introduce” cats to each other by pushing their faces together. Let everything go naturally.

According to experts, well-socialized cats (those who have had experience interacting with other cats as children) will be more sociable than those who have not had such experience.

How to make two cats friends in the same apartment?

Because cats are territorial, they instinctively feel that they need to defend their territory. For your cats, this will be your home, apartment and various places within it, such as where they eat, drink, sleep, play and go to the toilet. This also applies to areas they use to get from one place to another, such as stairs and hallways. If you have two or more cats in the same apartment, then each should, in theory, feel like they aren't directly competing for all those important things.

You can help by ensuring that all of their "resources" are provided in the right places and in sufficient quantities so that your cats don't feel like they have to fight for what's missing.
You may want to give each cat her own bowl, her own litter box, and her own scratching post.
You won't necessarily have to rehome any of your cats, but you will have to make some changes to help them.

There are many options you can try to resolve the problem.
Sometimes, however, it may be a case where rehoming one of the cats is the only option. Some cats simply don't like living with other cats, and so separating them may be the best solution for them, no matter what loving owners are willing to do to solve the problem.

Features of behavior during combat

If the reason for the conflict lies in the defense of its territory, then the cat is ready to defend its possessions to the last. Cat fights can last for days. Rivals may growl hostilely at each other, hiss and beat with their paws. Even when one of the participants in the battle begins to submit, the other cat is ready to accept surrender only if the victim of the battle finally leaves the territory of the winner.

But if a cat fight occurs at home, it is very difficult to try on two warring individuals. As for castrated individuals, they are more restrained towards encroachments on their territory.

In the video we invite you to watch how cats usually fight.

But if we talk about cats, they are friendlier towards their rivals. But, nevertheless, fights can occur, and the reason for this is the hunting period. Thus, competing with each other for the attention of the “groom,” they are forced to engage in battle. The cats fight until one of them agrees to take the secondary role.

Conflict can even arise between a cat and a cat. Although many believe that the latter is subordinate to the cat and obligingly fulfills the wishes of a more powerful ruler. But in fact, a cat is capable of fighting with a cat, putting him into a stupor with his tough temperament.

True, in most cases she uses cunning tricks to achieve what she wants. The cat knows maneuvers that allow it not to enter into open confrontation. Sometimes you can see a picture where a cat hisses at his “roommate” or delivers a single blow with his paw. Thus, he tries to remind her who is boss. Such behavior is just a demonstration of power.

Serious cat fights can occur when a cat decides to attack head-on. Therefore, in such a situation, the cat has no choice, and he tries to pacify his neighbor. Cat fights usually occur near a food bowl or in a narrow corridor. Such skirmishes are usually short-term, but they are also quite noisy. Reconciliation occurs only if one of the pets obeys the other. It is worth noting that animals of different sexes rarely fight to the last.