Can A Cat Bully Mellow Into Another Cat's Friend?

[Dacatchair]

I live with a year and a 1/2 old neutered male Savannah cat that only goes out on a leash or out in a series of enclosures and wire tunnel walk ways and he is my only pet. The norm in this area is free roaming cats, and my neighbors neutered male cat who is maybe 5 to 8 years old (?) is a bit territorial and aggressive. If my neighbors cat was given a chance, from what I have seen of his relationships with other cats, he would like to chase what he sees as intruders out of his territory (part of which is my yard and porch) But he is mostly bluff and puff. He has pulled a pinch of fur from another cat, but as far as I know he has never drawn any blood.

The wire enclosures and tunnels are keeping my cat from having any direct contact with him, but he has been coming around, trying to block my cat from either using his walkways or getting back to the house using them, and a couple times my neighbors cat has yowled warnings and tried to hurl himself against the wire of the enclosures or tunnels. Immediately after that my cat just walked past him very very slowly and stiffly, with eyes glues straight ahead. My cats body language seemed he was trying to convey he did not want to be aggressive. My cat, who generally seems inclined to be open and friendly has also been charged by my neighbors cat when we are out in the yard. This has happened as soon as my neighbors cat starts making aggressive sounds and my cat turns his back to walk away. As my cat is on a leash it is easy to step in between them and tell my neighbors cat to knock it off and to go home. He does, looking kind of anxious, confused and embarrassed...My neighbors cat was pretty seriously beat up a couple times by a psycho aggressive cat that is no longer in the area, and maybe that is why he feels anxious to see my cat in *his* territory, even though we live a couple hundred feet from his house.

But lately it isn't completely clear whether my neighbors cat is coming over to fruitlessly throw his weight around or paying a social visit. In between stalking my cat and sitting by the walkways my cat would need to use to go somewhere, my neighbors cat seems to be spending a lot of time just peacefully hanging out a few feet away from my cat, watching him, looking like maybe he is confused about whether wanting to get my cat to go away or at least know know who is boss, and maybe enjoying his company?

I think my cat mostly loves having a visitor, though he is a bit intimated by the dominance displays and will try to avoid them if they get to be too much. Mostly my cat will watch my neighbors cat intently with his neck craned and ears forward and a big excited puffy tail (think this may be a Savannah thing - he also gets it when he is about to get a treat) And my cat meows at my neighbors cat the same way he meows at me when he wants attention, except it sounds a bit more wistful when he is talking to my neighbors cat.

When he comes back inside seeming all happy, playful bouncy and excited after having a visit, I chase him around with his favorite cat sized toy stuffed tiger and they wrestle and stalk each other, and he loves it and seems to find it even more thrilling after hanging out with another cat. Even a grumpy one...

So, does it sometimes happen that an aggressive bullying cat can mellow and even become a friend? Or am I just imagining that my neighbors cats seems to be mellowing?

I think the fact the wire is preventing any direct contact, keeps the hostilities from escalating and maybe it is hard to keep feeling all fired up when it can't escalate..?

Does anyone else who's cat is only out in an enclosure have free roaming friends that come and visit?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I sort of have a similar thing althoug it's a somewhat different setup, but in any case my boy hates visitors

I think you're right, the enclosure is making all the difference. If that was removed, I think there would be flying fur, but on the other hand, these are cats LOL...

 

[KarenKat]

Sounds like integration to me. If you wanted them to become friends, all the suggestions would be to separate them, allow them to get accustomed to each other etc. which is what is inadvertently happening anyway with the wire mesh.

Our guy Trin has an aggressive streak when it comes to our new kitty, and he would walk up to her and bat at her face. Now they can hang out near each other with no issues. So I think what we see as “bullying” is territoriality, from which a cat can become less territorial with friend cats. It does sound like the neighbors cat is getting more mellow to me.

And I’ve never heard of an excited poofy tail, that’s pretty cool!

 

[susanm9006]

I think it depends on intact male vs neutered male. There is a strong hormonal instinct to fight for territory in intact males and I don’t know whether that ever subsides. But otherwise I would say it is just a matter of getting used to one another, especially since your cat can’t actually get at the other cat.

 

[Dacatchair]

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I also am thinking the enclosure is working to create a similar situation to a gradual introduction. I guess it remains to be seen whether my cat will be continue to be an attraction for my neighbors cat once he gets over feeling his territory has been invaded.

My neighbors cat came from the SPCA was neutered at or before 4 months old, but for some reason he is still territorial, still gets in fights, still wanders, and still sprays.

Considering how much my young cat seems to enjoy his visits, I am seriously considering getting my cat a kitten as a friend... Before he gets too old to appreciate having a playmate...

 

[Furballsmom]

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