No matter how hard you try, some cats just refuse to get along. Sometimes, personalities clash, or sometimes cats lack the feline social skills needed to form positive cat relationships. The latter occurs if a cat has had next to no pleasant experiences with other cats early in life. If your cat, for instance, grew up as the only cat with little or no contact with other felines, he or she may react aggressively if you add a second cat to the family. Cats, in general, are social beings, but they are also a territorial species. They do not like disruptions or changes to their environment and routine and tend to keep a good distance from their neighbors. Add to that the fact that YOU have picked your cat’s new housemate and might not have chosen the right personality match. Therefore, the newcomer is regarded as an unwelcome invader of their well-established territory, and strife is likely to follow.
Aggression can also break out between cats, who up until recently have co-existed just fine. If, for instance, one cat is forced to visit the vet clinic for a prolonged period, his housemate might choose to react to his homecoming by showing signs of aggression and deciding that their friendship is over. Cats primarily experience their world through scent and the sudden, unfamiliar vet clinic smell on the body of the returning cat can trigger an aggressive response. Fireworks, road construction, renovation, or other frightening noise disruptions might also lead to sudden spouts of aggression. Do not mistake perfectly normal play behavior between two kittens or adult cat housemates for aggression. It can look rough but is, in fact, a sign of mutual affection.
If you struggle with cat-cat aggression, Smiling Kitty can help! Our expert behavior modification plans will address the most common sources of feline aggression. We will guide you through the process of re-training your cat(s), rebuilding damaged cat relationships, and show you how to modify your home environment and daily routines to prevent spouts of aggression. We can also assist with the initial cat introduction phase and help you make the first meeting between your cats as aggression-free as possible. Lastly, please note that a sudden onset of cat aggression can be a sign of underlying, serious health issues, so be sure to take your cat to the vet before making an appointment with us! Click here to read our section on new cat introductions!