Prince is treating Nikita like prey....I don't know what to do

[Nature9000]

I apologize for the long post but this is an urgent matter and I'm feeling very anxious, so I have to explain in detail.

I know I've posted well in the past about Prince and being confused whether the cats are playing or if Prince is bullying Nikita, and you know he's the hyperactive cat so ever since he was a kitten he's always on go. My confusion stemmed from how the two are always cuddling together and grooming each other, and they do have their play session; but being at home (since I'm a custodian we're on hold during this virus thing) I can observe more and today seems the worst of it so far but here's what I've been noticing that isn't the first time I've noticed over the years but the first I've seen more frequent stuff and wondering what to do and if there's some sort of issue.

I've seen that Nikita will just be sitting around doing nothing, or she'll be going to the litter box or minding her own business and Prince will start to stalk her, going behind the tv or chair or something and he'll tackle her. I've always mentioned in other posts how she seems timid and anxious when he's around and right now (this is the second time today I've put him in the bathroom as a result of just randomly rushing Nikita and scaring her) she's very social with me and being as she was that one week he was at the grandparents and she was here, the lovable vibrant cat....

I thought maybe it was his high energy and activity so I put Nikita in the bathroom (only room with a door in this apartment) and had a play session with Prince to get his energy worked out. Once he stopped playing and seemed tired and uninterested in the toys, I let Nikita out and lo he went into stalking mode and ran right after her. Even today is the first time in all the time I've had them where I've seen Nikita puff her tail and avoid him at one point. She's not hissed but there are times when she'll be on the cat bed or the new shelf I put on the window sil and he'll just come up from underneath her and swipe his paw at her. I never see ears folded back, so I have always assumed he's playing and she wants no part of it, but now I'm not so sure.

The only time they seem perfectly fine and are cuddled up together is when he's calm and docile, which is again what I figured was activity and energy issues. But this is getting a little out of hand, to the point I'm worried. You know Prince was the first cat, he came in before I got Nikita, and I socialized them and all. She's playful but not hyperactive like he is, so it could be he's always stressing her out but I have absolutely no idea how to snap him out of this behavior. I need serious help and advice here guys, and I'm starting to wonder if it's a mental thing but I wouldn't know. As you know, Dr. Rowe can't get close to him, he's fine with Gramps due to treats but he's still hesitant with other people, but perfectly fine with me but I'm starting to wonder if it's progressing and where maybe he's always picked on Nikita, it's just getting worse. Because she isn't even enticing play, like I said she'll be minding her own business and he'll go from laying down wherever he was either to stalking or flat out running....and it's not even attacking, but I don't know. I don't hear them hissing or yowling, he's just rushing her. What is this? What is going on?

It may be true that Prince was always best as a one-cat household, but I personally don't think that's the case nor do I want to even think about such a thing. He's fine with Nikita when he's calm, or at least at night, but yet I just had a play session with him like I said and he still started after Nikita. Usually I'll see him in play sessions puff his tail and arch his back a bit, backing up at the toy-but today I saw Nikita do that with him, puffed her tail and bent it, arched her back and backed up from him. Then I also had her laying on the bed and she came into the living area and slowly, carefully walked behind the chair (Prince was laying between the chair and end table) and studied him from the other side of the end table like she was nervous. He then bolted a few moments later at her and I had to pick him up and put him in the bathroom which is where he is now as I started typing this post.....

What is happening with my cats, guys? Prince has always acted like the dominant cat, you remember way back when I first got Nikita that Prince (though neutered) was trying to mount her, and I got him to stop doing that, he still acts like the alpha cat but I thought this phase had long since passed, it seems like it's sprouted up again ever since I've been home more............Is that the problem? I'm home every day right now, does he feel jealous again of Nikita or something?

 

[Nature9000]

I have to add another observation here. Just now with Prince in the bathroom, usually in the past when I've put him in there Nikita will almost always be laying right at the door as if wanting to be with him. She has not been doing that at all this whole time, at one point she sat down at the foot of the bed and stared at the door for a minute before coming over to me. Another observation since I've been home 24/7, Nikita's been following me around constantly (which she usually does normally) so while I've tried to give them both equal attention, she has been getting a bit more attention than Prince....so maybe that's a thing

 

[FeebysOwner]

I can observe more and today seems the worst of it so far but here's what I've been noticing that isn't the first time I've noticed over the years but the first I've seen more frequent stuff and wondering what to do and if there's some sort of issue.

This has been going on for years??? When you were working did you keep them separated in your absence? If so, it could explain why she seems to be more affected by his behavior now that you are home and not separating them as much. If not, they could have been having issues while you were at work that you couldn't possibly have been aware of (unless you had cameras on to watch them in your absence). And, yes it is possible that you being home all the time is affecting them both because I am sure their schedule has been disrupted.

I guess I am not sure what to suggest until I better understand whether or not this has been happening for years.

 

[jen]

How young was Prince when you got him? He just sounds like a kitten that lost its family too young and was never properly socialized to learn kitten/cat manners. He is being an obnoxious hyper brother and she is annoyed and uninterested most of the time. She needs to kick his behind and put him in place with one good tussle to tell him off. You could talk to your vet about meds to calm him down a bit. Or to make her less anxious around him maybe? I don't remember how long it has been but I am still not seeing anything TOO alarming here. Annoying maybe... and I would prefer to see her hissing and growling at him to tell him off if she was truly unhappy with him. But I don't think she is at that point.

Simply put he is trying to play with her. What does she do if he charges at her while up on the shelf? Or on the bed?

 

[Nature9000]

I've never separated them except for when I went through the socialization after bringing Nikita home. Prince was five months old when I got him in November of 2017, and Nikita I brought home in February of 2018. She'd spent a year (Vet assessed she was at least a year when I got her) in foster homes with other cats and people, Prince spent his time in pet stores and was an only cat when I brought him home. I've not seen or heard her hissing or growling at him, though she also has a very quiet voice, her meows sound like breaths of air (she's the runt of her littler according to the foster lady so I dont' know if that means she has certain quirks because of it) but she may not be able to assert herself as well as a cat that would be more vocal.

I would like to have a camera to watch them because I assume it would be fun and intriguing but I don't know where to even find one or if I could afford one (I mean I have a camcorder, but I don't think that's what people are referring to) and I'm not sure where I'd even place it. Certainly they've probably had issues like this while I've been at work, I wouldn't know, you're right about that. Their schedule certainly is off balance too with me being home constantly. My normal work hours are from 3:30 pm to 12:30 am, so a good chunk of Prince's activity moments are probably during that time frame.

 

[ArtNJ]

Boiling down what you said, my takeaway was this -

One cat is constantly stalking and trying to pounce the other, who generally wants none of that, showing some avoidance behaviors but no hissing/growling. However, when the overly playful cat is calm, she is fine with him, sitting close.

To me, that indicates that this is normal and fine. Cats are often like human brothers. One is bigger, and plays a bit too roughly, and the other will often end up calling for mom or avoiding. It is not ideal, but it is normal and will improve with time. It is only when the smaller or less playful cat has injuries, or acts like it is in constant terror, hiding all day, not using the litter box or eating unless the coast is clear, that you have a real problem. Everything else will improve with time. Just like the brothers in my example, the cats will mature, especially the overly playful one, and their relationship will change.

 

[Nature9000]

Simply put he is trying to play with her. What does she do if he charges at her while up on the shelf? Or on the bed?

If she's on the shelf or the cat tree that's when she seems like she's agitated with him and will swat back at him and her ears go back momentarily before she hops off and leaves. To which he sometimes climbs up into her spot and lays down.

 

[Nature9000]

Boiling down what you said, my takeaway was this -

One cat is constantly stalking and trying to pounce the other, who generally wants none of that, showing some avoidance behaviors but no hissing/growling. However, when the overly playful cat is calm, she is fine with him, sitting close.

To me, that indicates that this is normal and fine. Cats are often like human brothers. One is bigger, and plays a bit too roughly, and the other will often end up calling for mom or avoiding. It is not ideal, but it is normal and will improve with time. It is only when the smaller or less playful cat has injuries, or acts like it is in constant terror, hiding all day, not using the litter box or eating unless the coast is clear, that you have a real problem. Everything else will improve with time. Just like the brothers in my example, the cats will mature, especially the overly playful one, and their relationship will change.

Dad in my case but yeah that does make sense. I've not seen any injuries on either of them but rarely and that's a nick on Prince at one point. Nikita definitely isn't acting like she's fearful of him, she is a little more timid and (I mentioned this in a post last year) when I'm petting her and he walks by, she'll walk away. At this point I've had Nikita for two years and Prince for two and a half, and I know both the manager at petco and my vet had said there's no real knowing how long it takes for cats to become 100% fine with one another. Definitely Prince is onery and rambunctuous but perhaps he'll stop being so overbearing and Nikita will become more assertive with time

 

[Nature9000]

The thing I do worry about is like I say, Nikita barely meows. The vet and others say it's normal, some cats are more vocal than others. Her meow is like a breath, I've never seen or heard her hiss but I wouldn't know. Even when she purrs I only know when I feel her throat and it's vibrating. She's quiet, so with a cat like Prince, I don't know if she can truly assert herself.

 

[Nature9000]

But yeah I am probably just being an overly worried papa bear. Nikita's been curled on top of the little cat hut I pieced together, and Prince, who has been calmer now, has climbed up and curled with her...

Thanks for responding, you've calmed me fown a bit too haha

 

[FeebysOwner]

That is a very nice pic!!!

I truly don't know how you are going to significantly change the dynamics that have been going on this long. And, while it might settle down as they both age some more, it wouldn't appear to me that will be anytime soon given that Prince is nearly 3 yo and this has been going on for 2 years. So, the only settling down that is likely going to happen involves two, maybe three, things - 1.) they get more settled in with your schedule change and adapt a bit, which I am sure is affecting them, 2.) they get older and Prince slows down a bit, and 3.) you can find ways to distract Prince away from Nikita, at least some of the time (just to give her break, if nothing else).

Does Prince have his own cat tree? If not, get him one. Either way, when Nikita doesn't want him on hers and he tries to chase her off, put him on his own tree, and place her back on her spot. Use towels with his scent on them to place on his tree. Give him a treat after you have to move him to his own cat tree. It rewards him for being on his own tree, and lets her know you 'have her back'. This, obviously, doesn't need to be done when you have the situation as shown in your last pic - just when she seems frustrated and is not wanting to interact with him. (She probably senses whether he is in a wild-play mode or a cuddly mode.) Also, since you are home to see more, use distraction toys with Prince, if possible - some kicker toys you can throw at him to see if he will redirect his attention to them. You could also consider buying some automated toys for him to see if that will pre-occupy him some.

I don't think there is anything to worry about with Nikita's voice, some cats are just quiet like that (wish mine was!!).

 

[Nature9000]

I have quite a few toys. It's amusing, these little balls that I toss across the floor, Prince will chase after it, slapping it with his paws until it stops moving and he walks away. As for cat trees, I don't have a lot of space in my apartment and there are a couple trees I've had for the duration of the time, and both of them use it regularly on their own as well as together so I don't know that trying to suddenly designate one of those as theirs would be a good idea

 

[jen]

He is alpha cat and reminding her about it. She submits to him so it isn't a big deal for her to hiss and fight back all the time. Again, this is just normal cat dynamics. This is how they relate and interact. They are fine.

 

[Jemima Lucca]

Thanks for all the advice on my part also because if I didn’t know better, I would have thought I wrote this! Exact same problem but reversed. I got Jemima 1st and 3mths later, got Lucca. They were both 8 weeks old when I got them (except 3 mths apart). Same problem; not even kidding. I worry about Jemima because she’s a lot smaller and quieter than him. At this point he’s 5lbs heavier! I’m hoping it’s a terrible teen problem and it’ll go away. She does deferr to him. And he stalks her. And she doesn’t meow. And they like laying on the cat tree together. She batts at when on the tree. Trust me, I get it. But you all are so helpful with your insights and suggestions. Again, thanks even though it’s nature9000’s post! I feel for you with this issue!

 

[Nature9000]

I'm glad my thread was able to help you out Jemima.

It's so funny today, Nikita's showing Prince whatfor. She's in a playful mood I think but she's been waiting as he runs around and then tackles him. At one point she's crouched in front of some batting cat toys and Prince was starting to go for one, watching her, she extends a paw onto one of the toys and he walks away, she then retracted her paw. I guess it's a case of "You mess with me one day, I'm gonna get you back tomorrow."

 

[Jemima Lucca]

Jemima has her little digs too! She’s very petite, and accurate with judging distance. She’s nimble with lanky limbs so running, turning and jumping are her forte. Lucca can run as fast as Jemima, but he’s more like a Sherman tank and cannot jump and land like Jemima. She knows this so she’ll entice him to chase her, at the last minute Jemima will turn and leap onto something and she loses him
Also, Jemima will batt at lucca’s tail when he’s on the top of the cat tree. It’s funny to watch! I guess they hold their own

 

[FeebysOwner]

It's so funny today, Nikita's showing Prince whatfor.

This is good!!!