Fighting over/guarding the cat tree

[kirk]

We have 3 cats. A female (15 months) and two males (15 months and 16 months). They have been together since they were 8 and 12 weeks old and have always gotten along great. They are all spayed and neutered and we've never had any behavioural problems.

Today our older male was on top of his cat tree. When he got down the female got up. He tried to get back on (they usually all sit on top and look out the window) and she hissed at him, which she has never done. Then she started batting at him and hissing at him more when he tried to get up. He kept his ears back and batted back a little. I got up to stop them but when I got near the tree she ran away and is hiding somewhere now, probably in the laundry room where the litter pans are.

Nothing has changed in our lives. Is this just a grumpy cat or something we need to break now? They've always been so great with each other, and great cats in general, I don't want them to have any issues.

We have 3 cat trees, all look out windows, plus window seats on every window. So there are more than enough to go around. That particular cat tree in the males favourite spot.

 

[shadowsrescue]

It sounds like a territorial issue.  The alpha cat will usually determine who gets what spot.  When the favorite spot (usually occupied by the alpha cat) is not occupied, it is often up for grabs.  Yet, if the alpha cat wants it back, then there will be a battle of some sort if the other cat doesn't back off.  Do you know who is alpha cat?  There is always one in a multi cat household.  It's the way cats work. 

To help the situation, you can add a feliway diffuser to help reduce some of the tension.  You also could move one of the other cat trees nearby to see if that would help. 

Sometimes you can allow the cats to work it out, but other times you need to get involved.  You want your cats to be safe.  You also do not want this to escalate.  If it's a major problem, move the cat tree all together for awhile and see what happens.