Is Some Fur Flying Ok?

[mandmcats]

If you know my previous post, we are introducing our two cats. Our new cat M2 has been getting braver overtime. She’s come downstairs on her own more often and will hang out on the stairs more often when we are home versus hidden in our bedroom.

We still have several instances where our resident cat M1 chases M2. Sometimes long distances like from the living area all the way up the stairs to the bedroom. I’ll find a small tuft of fur occasionally on the stairs or near the bed (where M2 has to crawl under). Sometimes it’s in some of our other rooms. We know they bat at each other when they get into these spats. It’s definitely a tuft and not regular shedding because it’s clumped together in a bunch like it’s pulled out.

We haven’t had blood from this. M2 seems to bounce back okay. They are amicable whenever food is involved. However M2 is definitely fearful of M1 as her ears go flat and she hunkers down hissing whenever M1 runs up to her (either that or she runs away). M1 ears are forward and she kinda stands taller. She sometimes will swat M2 if they pass by in the hall. We think it’s a bit of territorial aggression. M2 if she decides to stand her ground for instance at the top of the stairs, she will hiss and M1 will quickly go past her sometimes without accosting her. So we think that’s positive!

What we do witness, it doesn’t seem like M1 is swatting very hard though. Are these occasional tussles ok? I’ve always read as long as no fur flying it’s fine but we DO have fur occasionally!

 

[rubysmama]

Just read your other post, and added a reply, actually. However, for your question in this thread, I'm not sure of the answer, as I've never had more than one cat at a time, and all my "cat fighting" knowledge is from "reading" not "experience."

TCS does have this Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing? | TheCatSite article that you might find helpful.

 

[di and bob]

My cats are mother/sons and the fur still flys sometimes 5 years later! Tussling, even if done when they are upset is perfectly normal. It's sad your M2 i fearful and runs, but there HAS to be some kind of heirarchy in the house and it seems M1 is dominant. As long as M2 doesn't run and hide at the sight of M1 and stays hidden most of the time, everything is normal. Occasional running is normal. M2 will at some time in the future stand up to M1.It took my Chrissy over a year and then things really seemed to settle down. They may never be best buddies, but they will grow comfortable around each other and keep each other company. I have always said fur flying at times is normal, but blood and deep bites are not!

 

[Maria Bayote]

My Bourbon and Barley have been together for years and there are still furs flying every now and then, although Bourbon is usually always the one who instigates the "fight" or whatever it is called in cat world. Barley usually just cowers down, but he never runs away.

What we do witness, it doesn’t seem like M1 is swatting very hard though. Are these occasional tussles ok? I’ve always read as long as no fur flying it’s fine but we DO have fur occasionally!

I think this is fine, as this is how also Bourbon swats my Barley.

 

[lavishsqualor]

I think those kinds of tussles are perfectly normal, and I agree with di and bob about their having to be some form of pecking order in the house.

I honestly wouldn't worry.

Atticus, my four-year-old delicious smelling male gray tabby, and Thirteen, my four-year-old lovely female tuxedo, grew up as kittens together. Interestingly enough I think I might have heard one hiss in all their time together. But about a year ago when Bella Roma came into the mix it all changed. Bella Roma was only about a month to six weeks old when she joined our household, and although Atticus took a liking to her immediately, Thirteen was having none of it. She and Bella are fine now and they even sleep in the same cat bed every night; however, there's still plenty of fur flying when they play chase. They even still hiss at one another occasionally, but they've never--not even when Bella Roma first got here--have actually fought.

I'll confess that I didn't introduce Bella Roma to them the right way. She was a rescue and I just sort of plunked her down in the middle of Atticus and Thirteen and supervised them to make sure no one got too upset. Like I said, Atticus wanted to mother Bella Roma from the start, but Thirteen took a good month to be totally cool with her.

All in all I think your cats are doing fine, and I suspect M2 will, over time, be less inclined to be fearful of M1.

I think you guys are fantastic custodians and your cats are lucky to have you!

 

[pearl99]

My second cat, Mooshoo, has learned over the last year to stand up to Waffles (older cat) and be brave with him. She still mostly gives in, but it's happening more often that she won't give in, and he backs down. Mooshoo's ears will go flat and back sometimes, and they bat at each other when Waffles is being dominant over something- but Moo has learned to stand up more. So, there can be progress in the less dominant one becoming more brave.
They both initiate a lot of play now- chasing, stalking, pouncing, bopping each other. If Waffles is too much Moo will hiss and do a little growl to tell him "knock it off," and run away if needed. I've found a few tufts of hair over the last year.
So I think yours are good and time will have M2 gain more confidence.

 

[susanm9006]

Yes, some fur doesn’t necessarily mean fighting. Bunny kicking each other in play can produce some fur clumps.

 

[mandmcats]

Thank you everyone for your personal experiences and reassurance! All great things to hear. We will definitely continue to monitor both of them.