Hello everyone, I'm really hoping someone can help as I feel like I'm running out of ideas on how to improve or resolve this situation! I'm sorry for writing a whole novel but I didn't want to miss any relevant details. I have two issues - inter-cat fighting and soiling but will do a separate thread about the soiling.
I have three neutered cats, Bella and Alfie who have been with me since they were kittens and are now two years old, and Leo who we adopted from a rescue charity just over six months ago. We think he is roughly the same age as them.
Bella and Alfie have always been very close, and after very slow introductions, it seemed that all three cats got on perfectly. All three still sleep together and groom each other. However, in the last couple of months one of the original cats (Alfie) has started to chase the other original cat (Bella). I can't tell if he wants to play but she doesn't, or if he is chasing her to fight or 'hunting' her. Before it starts, Alfie often does this small meow at Bella when they are face to face, while she has her ears pinned back and hisses at him - as if she is in anticipation of it and is warning him off. But then Alfie will chase and start a fight. Because he does this little meow which is more like a 'cute meow' because he is disappointed, rather than a guttural meow or growl, it confused me and made me wonder if he just wants to play but she doesn't want to because she is wary of him. Maybe I've got this all wrong though, and that he is indeed trying to hunt/fight with her. I'm so confused! They get on so well the rest of the time. I separate them when this happens, if she hasn't already run away and hid. It doesn't happen that frequently, perhaps once every few weeks.
When we introduced the third cat Leo (male), the two boys seems to get on very quickly. Bella cat took much longer to accept Leo and not be scared of him. However, she does get on well with him now and she and the Leo never fight or have issues.
Meanwhile, I'm also concerned that there are issues between the two boys. Ages ago, I saw the Alfie mount and bite Leo's neck twice, which I separated but didn't scold him. Leo didn't seemed bothered at all and just sat there in the same position, and it never happened again after that. However, the tables have turned and Leo has today chased and tried to mount and was mounting Alfie's neck three times. Alfie let out a whine the first time it happed and I separated them. Alfie obviously was not happy and ran away to hide from Leo. This was a couple of hours ago and now they are curled up on the couch together sleeping!
I'm not sure if the cause of all this is due to their age, because I read that cats can become more territorial as they mature at around 18 months-2 years- especially as I believe the mounting is a dominance issue? Or if the new cat being here has stressed out Alfie, and that perhaps Alfie is scared of Leo but is redirecting his aggression at girl cat (as Alfie and Bella never had any issues before we adopted Leo). In saying that, it doesn't seem to be the case that Leo does anything beforehand to trigger Alfie, that I've noticed.
I'm just so confused because they get on so well the rest of the time. They don't avoid each other - they actively groom each other and sit and sleep together. And we can go several weeks with no issues at all.
Thank you for reading
I have three neutered cats, Bella and Alfie who have been with me since they were kittens and are now two years old, and Leo who we adopted from a rescue charity just over six months ago. We think he is roughly the same age as them.
Bella and Alfie have always been very close, and after very slow introductions, it seemed that all three cats got on perfectly. All three still sleep together and groom each other. However, in the last couple of months one of the original cats (Alfie) has started to chase the other original cat (Bella). I can't tell if he wants to play but she doesn't, or if he is chasing her to fight or 'hunting' her. Before it starts, Alfie often does this small meow at Bella when they are face to face, while she has her ears pinned back and hisses at him - as if she is in anticipation of it and is warning him off. But then Alfie will chase and start a fight. Because he does this little meow which is more like a 'cute meow' because he is disappointed, rather than a guttural meow or growl, it confused me and made me wonder if he just wants to play but she doesn't want to because she is wary of him. Maybe I've got this all wrong though, and that he is indeed trying to hunt/fight with her. I'm so confused! They get on so well the rest of the time. I separate them when this happens, if she hasn't already run away and hid. It doesn't happen that frequently, perhaps once every few weeks.
When we introduced the third cat Leo (male), the two boys seems to get on very quickly. Bella cat took much longer to accept Leo and not be scared of him. However, she does get on well with him now and she and the Leo never fight or have issues.
Meanwhile, I'm also concerned that there are issues between the two boys. Ages ago, I saw the Alfie mount and bite Leo's neck twice, which I separated but didn't scold him. Leo didn't seemed bothered at all and just sat there in the same position, and it never happened again after that. However, the tables have turned and Leo has today chased and tried to mount and was mounting Alfie's neck three times. Alfie let out a whine the first time it happed and I separated them. Alfie obviously was not happy and ran away to hide from Leo. This was a couple of hours ago and now they are curled up on the couch together sleeping!
I'm not sure if the cause of all this is due to their age, because I read that cats can become more territorial as they mature at around 18 months-2 years- especially as I believe the mounting is a dominance issue? Or if the new cat being here has stressed out Alfie, and that perhaps Alfie is scared of Leo but is redirecting his aggression at girl cat (as Alfie and Bella never had any issues before we adopted Leo). In saying that, it doesn't seem to be the case that Leo does anything beforehand to trigger Alfie, that I've noticed.
I'm just so confused because they get on so well the rest of the time. They don't avoid each other - they actively groom each other and sit and sleep together. And we can go several weeks with no issues at all.
Thank you for reading
