My brother and his GF live together in an apartment. They have a cat who's only about a year old, and I find to be a real bratty thing. This isn't the part I consider SPO
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Was the litter mate the same gender? Also, just because they don't play together all the time doesn't mean they aren't social animals - or do you interact & love every person you meet on the street? :) Same goes for outside cats, random people going into your garden probably wouldn't be received all too well either.
Cats without a home always form social groups or colonies. They hunt alone, but meet up regularly. All cats (unless fucked up by humans) are interested in socialising with other cats - just in different ways and frequencies, so to speak. Some just want to peoplewatch together, some explore together, some groom each other, some play together and some really can't get enough of other cats and want to be close to others at all times. The comparison to humans, in this case, is fitting.
First interactions between strangers is usually cautious and yes sometimes you have to slowly let them get to know each other (with a secure gate f.e. so they realise this is not just a temporary intruder), playful behavior is often interpreted as 'attacks' (especially with male cats) by people as well (not saying that was the case with you) and so on.
Many cats kept alone are seen as 'chill' or 'relaxed' because honestly, they just sleep all day and follow their owners around once they get home. Of course they do, they HAVE no one else. Literally.
All cats (unless fucked up by humans) are interested in socialising with other cats
I have to disagree. Perhaps it is true for *most* cats, I don't know.
My mother has a cat, she is about 10 years old now. We've had her since she was born, so we know that there have never been any issues... but she hates other cats. She had two littermates; a boy and a girl and she drove them both off. When she was about 5 we got a male kitten and she just hounded him constantly until he ran off. She randomly attacks my mother's dogs. She never leaves the garden but she will patrol the borders waiting for our neighbours cats to show up, and then she will attack them.
So she was a kitten who - from your description - was very dominant. How long was she allowed to stay with her mum to learn what is 'too far'? Anything below 12 weeks I would wager that she simply was never taught properly by her Mother. Then she was separated from any other cats for X time (~4 years?) which means the little she had learned was likely forgotten as time went on. Then she was put together with a male kitten, which even with social cats is unfortunately a bad combination. Male cats tend to (!) prefer wrestling, female cats tend to prefer chasing each other. Effectively you placed a small babe who had nothing to offer against a rough 25 year old who barely had any human contact in their life. Physically, the male kitten had no way to defend himself so yes, that escalated.
And now all she has ever learned is 'if I'm mean enough no one will bother me with their weird talking!'. She is protective and probably dominant, but life has made her asocial.
And to poke a bit more, how could she even hound the kitten constantly? Even if they are a great fit, you can't just put two cats together and expect them to jump into a hug or something (edit: exception being if both are young kittens or extremely social) - with them being territorial, its always best to separate them first into about equal territories, then use a sturdy gate where they can smell, hear and communicate with each other but can't hurt each other in the slightest. No way to hunt someone this way and its smoother by just a huge, huuuge amount.
I foster cats here and groups change constantly as some cats are adopted and new ones come in - we always use gates etc.... Sometimes you have to re-separate and give them more time and yes you have to choose carefully for long-term (after all here with me they just need to be tested for how social they are and how they behave/what they prefer interaction-wise) so they really are a good fit, but thats really it.
The mother cat was also our cat. The kittens stayed with her up until the point she naturally rejected them - which is 12-14 weeks? Something like that. They were then raised together, but she would often bully her two littermates. When they were about 2 years old, she chased off the boy kitten - and about six months later, she chased off the girl. First she stopped allowing them access to the house and would attack them every time they came in - and then she would attack them even if they were in the garden. Eventually they were both so terrified that they left and wouldn't come back. (she also completely terrified my mother's border collie - who I saw literally *cower* if she was too near him)
The male kitten was separated for the first few weeks, though that was mostly to keep him away from the dogs. It was the same pattern; initially she ignored him and showed no interest at all. When he started getting more confident she started stealing his food, attacking him and eventually drove him off too.
She has no interest in other animals unless it is to attack them. She is extremely affectionate with people though and has no problem being picked up and carried around and even likes belly rubs. She is an odd cat.
Yep, both female. Adopted from our SPCA, but kept with their other littermates until then.
Her preferred method for interacting with other cats was to start yowling, turn into a giant puffball, and then attack (not playing, full on attacking with claws out). This happened even when meeting other friendly cats outside of her normal territory. With enough time, it might settle down to the other cat being allowed to exist outside of her large personal space bubble, but she was definitely not a fan.
I did have pet rabbits in the house, which gave her some company when I was gone, and at 14 she seemed very happy to sleep lots, go outside for supervised walks, and get lots of attention when I was home.
Cats without a home always form social groups or colonies. They hunt alone, but meet up regularly.
All cats (unless fucked up by humans) are interested in socialising with other cats - just in different ways and frequencies, so to speak. Some just want to peoplewatch together, some explore together, some groom each other, some play together and some really can't get enough of other cats and want to be close to others at all times.
The comparison to humans, in this case, is fitting.
First interactions between strangers is usually cautious and yes sometimes you have to slowly let them get to know each other (with a secure gate f.e. so they realise this is not just a temporary intruder), playful behavior is often interpreted as 'attacks' (especially with male cats) by people as well (not saying that was the case with you) and so on.
Many cats kept alone are seen as 'chill' or 'relaxed' because honestly, they just sleep all day and follow their owners around once they get home. Of course they do, they HAVE no one else. Literally.
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I have to disagree. Perhaps it is true for *most* cats, I don't know.
My mother has a cat, she is about 10 years old now. We've had her since she was born, so we know that there have never been any issues... but she hates other cats. She had two littermates; a boy and a girl and she drove them both off. When she was about 5 we got a male kitten and she just hounded him constantly until he ran off. She randomly attacks my mother's dogs. She never leaves the garden but she will patrol the borders waiting for our neighbours cats to show up, and then she will attack them.
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Then she was separated from any other cats for X time (~4 years?) which means the little she had learned was likely forgotten as time went on.
Then she was put together with a male kitten, which even with social cats is unfortunately a bad combination. Male cats tend to (!) prefer wrestling, female cats tend to prefer chasing each other. Effectively you placed a small babe who had nothing to offer against a rough 25 year old who barely had any human contact in their life. Physically, the male kitten had no way to defend himself so yes, that escalated.
And now all she has ever learned is 'if I'm mean enough no one will bother me with their weird talking!'. She is protective and probably dominant, but life has made her asocial.
And to poke a bit more, how could she even hound the kitten constantly? Even if they are a great fit, you can't just put two cats together and expect them to jump into a hug or something (edit: exception being if both are young kittens or extremely social) - with them being territorial, its always best to separate them first into about equal territories, then use a sturdy gate where they can smell, hear and communicate with each other but can't hurt each other in the slightest. No way to hunt someone this way and its smoother by just a huge, huuuge amount.
I foster cats here and groups change constantly as some cats are adopted and new ones come in - we always use gates etc.... Sometimes you have to re-separate and give them more time and yes you have to choose carefully for long-term (after all here with me they just need to be tested for how social they are and how they behave/what they prefer interaction-wise) so they really are a good fit, but thats really it.
Reply
The mother cat was also our cat. The kittens stayed with her up until the point she naturally rejected them - which is 12-14 weeks? Something like that. They were then raised together, but she would often bully her two littermates. When they were about 2 years old, she chased off the boy kitten - and about six months later, she chased off the girl. First she stopped allowing them access to the house and would attack them every time they came in - and then she would attack them even if they were in the garden. Eventually they were both so terrified that they left and wouldn't come back. (she also completely terrified my mother's border collie - who I saw literally *cower* if she was too near him)
The male kitten was separated for the first few weeks, though that was mostly to keep him away from the dogs. It was the same pattern; initially she ignored him and showed no interest at all. When he started getting more confident she started stealing his food, attacking him and eventually drove him off too.
She has no interest in other animals unless it is to attack them. She is extremely affectionate with people though and has no problem being picked up and carried around and even likes belly rubs. She is an odd cat.
Reply
Her preferred method for interacting with other cats was to start yowling, turn into a giant puffball, and then attack (not playing, full on attacking with claws out). This happened even when meeting other friendly cats outside of her normal territory. With enough time, it might settle down to the other cat being allowed to exist outside of her large personal space bubble, but she was definitely not a fan.
I did have pet rabbits in the house, which gave her some company when I was gone, and at 14 she seemed very happy to sleep lots, go outside for supervised walks, and get lots of attention when I was home.
Reply
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