Cat Pesters Other Cat When She Tries To Have A Hairball- Odd Repeat Behavior

[GreyLady]

Hi everyone.

I've noticed a really weird behavior in Grey Cat and I was wondering if anyone has seen behavior like this before or knows why.

When Noodle (young 1 1/2 year old female) starts to cough and try to make a hairball, Grey Cat (9 year old Male) comes up and get in her face, like nose to nose on the ground and wont leave her alone. She moves and tries to have it again and he dives right in. I cant tell if he's looking or trying to "get" her, like attack her when she's vulnerable. I just took him away to try to let her have the hairball but she just stopped and looked kind of freaked out.

The same thing happened a couple days later when she tried to have (probably the same) hairball again. I couldn't help but be really annoyed at Grey, he sheds a lot and therefore has hairballs pretty often so I have a hard time believing he didn't know what was happening. She never has hairballs so I was annoyed she couldn't pass this occasional one in peace.

Anyone seen this before? They usually get along pretty well. They play, hang out, sleep and even occasionally cuddle when Noodle can catch him already sleeping and nuzzle up lol

 

[IndyJones]

Are you sure she's not just trying to eat the vomit? It sounds really gross but sometimes if one of my cats pukes the other one swoops in an trys to eat it.

 

[GreyLady]

Hmm that could be possible. If seen dogs do that before. I guess I don't know because he bothered her so much she never had the hairball (or if she had it later, he ate it up and I never found it...)

thanks for the reply

 

[susanm9006]

It may be that he recognizes her distress or unusual noises and is curious about what is happening. I certainly wouldn’t be annoyed at him but if you think he is shedding too much step up his grooming to daily so he has less to shed. You can also try a furminator on him which decreases shedding by thinning his coat.

 

[GreyLady]

It may be that he recognizes her distress or unusual noises and is curious about what is happening. I certainly wouldn’t be annoyed at him but if you think he is shedding too much step up his grooming to daily so he has less to shed. You can also try a furminator on him which decreases shedding by thinning his coat.

I could see that. It's not like I treated him any differently but I couldn't help but feel that way since he wouldn't just leave her alone lol. But it's not the end of the world if he bothers her a bit because he gets pestered by her to play all the time.

I actually did buy a furminator (well, a rip off.) and this dander spray from Burts Bees.. Ive only been using it two weeks but I've noticed a huge difference. I think he just has a hard time reaching his back and needs the help. His coat looks a lot better and there are far less hair clumps on my carpet.