Hello!
I am "new" to having two cats. I adopted siblings - a male and a female - in August 2021 and they are now almost 17 months old. They each have their own personalities but a still very bonded. During the warmer summer months, there wasn't much cuddling but with the cooler weather coming i find them snuggled up together more. A little about each:
Orion - my male. he is a black cat, about 12.5 lbs. he is a momma's boy. he is the most companionable and is more my shadow then his sister.
Artemis - my female. she is a calico, about 10.5 lbs. more independent, snuggles only when she wants and definately a little princess
The eat together, have two litter boxes, share toys, beds, etc and there hasn't been any signs of any aggression except in the below situation. The sometimes sleep apart - even in separate rooms - or together.
I know that they play and wrestle and that it can seem rougher then it is. Neither of them has actually hurt the other - although i know Artemis whopped her brother and he was a little shell shocked - and neither seems fearful. But my male cat seems to be.....bullying....my female cat at night a bit.
I had a cat bed on the floor beside my bed and they would sometimes cuddle up together and other times sleep in it in shifts. There were a few times when i caught Orion grabbing Artemis by the neck in the night. it seemed that he was in the bed, and she was maybe trying to join him and he wasn't having it. I'm not sure, i was asleep and woke up - probably more asleep then not. Anyway, i had thought about getting them a bigger bed for there so they would both fit in it better, but decided to get another small bed instead and put it beside the original. no issues since (they have both slept in both, but have cycled away from those beds for now). The other place they sleep is on my bed - either on it, or under the blankets. The latest incident had Orion again, grabbing Artemis by the neck while she was sleeping on my bed. I don't know if she was there first and he wanted to be there or what. the bed is obviously big enough for both, but i keep a blanket folder up on the corner to kind of mark their "spot".
There are no wounds, no blood, and Artemis does not seem to be scared of him. She is vocal when he grabs her. he also likes to jump on her on occasion, sitting on her and can get a little rough in their play (he's knocked her off the top of the chair more then once). I try to avoid favortism and make sure they each get attention and cuddles but it's not always balanced. Like I said, Orion is a momma's boy and is more likely to seek out attention then Artemis is. Because Artemis does not seek it out as much, maybe i seek her out more than i do Orion? I dunno.....
Maybe i am making a bigger deal about this then it needs to be. they are both healthy - just had their check ups. i forgot to ask my vet about this issue. As i write this i have Artemis in my lap and Orion is on the back of the chair. like i said, i am new to having a multiple cat household, they were fixed when they were 10 weeks old so i don't think it's anything sexual but i did read that they aren't yet social mature at this age, so maybe its a hierarchy thing? or maybe i was half asleep and it just seems worse then it was. during the day they seem fine, but i work so im not around all the time and it is just me and them. Is this something I should watch? Is Orion just jealous?
I am "new" to having two cats. I adopted siblings - a male and a female - in August 2021 and they are now almost 17 months old. They each have their own personalities but a still very bonded. During the warmer summer months, there wasn't much cuddling but with the cooler weather coming i find them snuggled up together more. A little about each:
Orion - my male. he is a black cat, about 12.5 lbs. he is a momma's boy. he is the most companionable and is more my shadow then his sister.
Artemis - my female. she is a calico, about 10.5 lbs. more independent, snuggles only when she wants and definately a little princess
The eat together, have two litter boxes, share toys, beds, etc and there hasn't been any signs of any aggression except in the below situation. The sometimes sleep apart - even in separate rooms - or together.
I know that they play and wrestle and that it can seem rougher then it is. Neither of them has actually hurt the other - although i know Artemis whopped her brother and he was a little shell shocked - and neither seems fearful. But my male cat seems to be.....bullying....my female cat at night a bit.
I had a cat bed on the floor beside my bed and they would sometimes cuddle up together and other times sleep in it in shifts. There were a few times when i caught Orion grabbing Artemis by the neck in the night. it seemed that he was in the bed, and she was maybe trying to join him and he wasn't having it. I'm not sure, i was asleep and woke up - probably more asleep then not. Anyway, i had thought about getting them a bigger bed for there so they would both fit in it better, but decided to get another small bed instead and put it beside the original. no issues since (they have both slept in both, but have cycled away from those beds for now). The other place they sleep is on my bed - either on it, or under the blankets. The latest incident had Orion again, grabbing Artemis by the neck while she was sleeping on my bed. I don't know if she was there first and he wanted to be there or what. the bed is obviously big enough for both, but i keep a blanket folder up on the corner to kind of mark their "spot".
There are no wounds, no blood, and Artemis does not seem to be scared of him. She is vocal when he grabs her. he also likes to jump on her on occasion, sitting on her and can get a little rough in their play (he's knocked her off the top of the chair more then once). I try to avoid favortism and make sure they each get attention and cuddles but it's not always balanced. Like I said, Orion is a momma's boy and is more likely to seek out attention then Artemis is. Because Artemis does not seek it out as much, maybe i seek her out more than i do Orion? I dunno.....
Maybe i am making a bigger deal about this then it needs to be. they are both healthy - just had their check ups. i forgot to ask my vet about this issue. As i write this i have Artemis in my lap and Orion is on the back of the chair. like i said, i am new to having a multiple cat household, they were fixed when they were 10 weeks old so i don't think it's anything sexual but i did read that they aren't yet social mature at this age, so maybe its a hierarchy thing? or maybe i was half asleep and it just seems worse then it was. during the day they seem fine, but i work so im not around all the time and it is just me and them. Is this something I should watch? Is Orion just jealous?
!
