Cat fights always seem to start through arguments over territory or a struggle for dominance. The areas they fight over tend to be high places or new furniture that has not been marked yet. We have two play stations - one about three foot six and one about four foot tall. There is often a spat over who will have the highest platform and it is usually Louie our red Somali, who appears to be more dominant. In a cats hierarchy the higher the cat is physically, the more dominant the cat is.
These battles are really no more than spats. A quick paw and a hefty growl may well let the invader know “this is no time for revolution”. Fights seem to be more apparent if there is a change in the weather. We have always felt that Louies’ territory is the garden. He loves to hunt and he spends a lot of time out there. Ellie, our blue Burmese on the other hand, spends time in the house where she is close to people. When it rains Lou gets pretty melancholy. Hr cant go out so now he’s also got to share the house with Ellie. This means those territory boundaries have got to be fought over all over again.
Another time fights started was when our patterns of behaviour changed. It can have an effect on the cats. For example, the main bedroom had always been Ellie’s territory. This is probably because as a Burmese Ellie always needs to be where the people of the house are. This didn’t bother Lou so much. Also Ellie enjoyed the warmth of the bed. Lou on the other hand had a thick fur coat to keep him warm so was not enticed. However for some reason we started giving them treats last thing at night. Treats which Lou was absolutely bonkers about. Suddenly the bedroom was the place to be. We then began to notice fights breaking out (instigated by Lou) just as we were going to bed. Again, a case of “this town aint big enough for the both of us.” Don’t get me wrong these fights are infrequent but what I want to emphasize is, if you look close enough you will see patterns that you can remedy. We started to give them their treats in a separate room. This did the trick nicely.
It is difficult to know when they are fighting or playing. Most of the time play is obvious. They will chase each other around the house; thunder up and down the stairs; and even play hide and seek behind the furniture. This is great to see and a reflection of how they get on most of the time. But there are times when tempers seem strained and there is more than just play in the air.
These times we have found are usually accompanied by low, long fearsome growls, tails erect and bushy, bodies confrontative in the prone position, ears flat and back on their heads. Where tussles which started out as roly poly turn fighting which creates a frightened squeal from one or the other. Simple chasing turns to stalking with an ulterior and aggressive motive.
We were advised by our breeder that this fighting was usually over territory and dominance and therefore they had to work it out for themselves. The philosophy being the loser will submit, the victor will gain dominance, and the fighting will cease quite quickly. Which it does tend to do. If you intervene you prevent the natural progression taking place and it will only start again (as Mother Nature says it must).
But it is difficult sometimes to listen to one of the cat when she sounds frightened or either in pain. We were advised that the time to intervene was when one of the cats is cornered. So this is what we do.
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