What does the kitty hierarchy look like in your home?

[alicatjoy]

I was watching my cats interact with one another and began wondering what the kitty hierarchy looked in other multi-cat homes. So, where better to go than here to find out?!

I have four kitties. Cassidy is a 2 year old DLH (red and white tabby). I adopted her first and as an older kitten. Next came Delaney. She is a 2 year old DSH (brown tabby with white). I also adopted her as an older kitten. I then adopted an adult cat, Emory. She is coming on 3 years old (at the end of November) and is a DSH (tortie). And, finally, I took Finnegan in when he was still a baby. He'll be a year old at the end of next month and is a DLH (red and white tabby). For the most part, all of the cats get along with one another. They have the occasional scuffle, but it's short-lived and there's never more than a quick swat, hiss, or growl. In that respect, I'm lucky. But, it's interesting to see the way their personalities play into the kitty hierarchy in my home.

For instance, I know that Emory is the alpha. However, she's a peaceful alpha. She knows that she ranks high, but doesn't set out to prove it. She's very graceful and distinguished. Cassidy would fall right beneath her. Cass is also an easy-going, laid-back cat. Now, both Emory and Cassidy will swat at Finnegan who is next in line. But, then again, he's a pain in the butt. However, they're never aggressive toward him and they usually only put him in his place when he's annoyed them enough. But, that being said, they also tend to let him get away with a lot. Now, Delaney, on the other hand, is low kitty on the totem pole. She's submissive and dominant all in one. She's a scaredy cat who likes to think she's running the show. But, the reason she is not alpha is because she tends to be the most aggressive out of the bunch. She's not mean, but she does initiate "fights" by swatting, hissing, and growling at the others when they're too close. And, in turn, she gets it back from them. She's a gregarious cat, but, at the same time, needs a lot of reassurance. Laney is a study in contradictions. But, even so, when it's all said and done, they all lay with one another, groom one another, eat with one another, and play with one another. I'm very lucky to have four cats who do get on so well together.

I think it's interesting how animals personalities' dictate how they rank with others. I love watching animals of all kinds interact with one another. And, just seeing my cats this afternoon got me to thinking. What does the kitty hierarchy look like in your home?

 

[laceface]

My three don't really seem to strive for anyone to be "alpha." I do think though, that since they are siblings, Ringo is naturally the leader. He was the biggest and most mature since they were tiny, and that is the position he has always had. Lennon, the mid sized kitty, doesn't really interact with the other kitties often. He prefers his humans, and is there for on the bottom. Lucy, despite her small size, doesn't put up from anything from her brothers, and is probably in the middle. I can see her surpassing her brother some day and being in charge though!

I'm also wondering if getting neutered will alter their positions... next week they get snipped, so I guess I'll find out!

 

[strange_wings]

I don't have an alpha. I have some that get along better than others.

Siri doesn't like any cats but begrudgingly tolerates them, though she's got a bit of a mouth on her - because of her growling Sho hates her.

She was likely an only cat house cat for ~4-5 years before I took her in. She just wants the other cats to leave her be and to leave the humans to her. Submissive-ish scaredy cat. Strangely, she's far more tolerant of a cat as long as they do not look at her. She'll even groom them.

Sho's the oldest. He's a mix of wuss and bully, but spends 99% of his time in lazy mode. He'd have to interact with the other cats (besides Tomas) more to be anything.
Tomas is everyone's friend, or desperately tries to be. Sometimes he picks on Tanna because she's always stuck up his butt and he gets annoyed.
Sherman... is absent minded. Non dominate, does't really have anything to prove, occasionally acts hyperactive and like he's lost his mind. He wishes Siri would play with him and tries hard to get her to do so - from following her around to bringing her toys. Her rejection does frustrate him. He tries to play with Sho who easily gets intimidated by him even though Sherman makes no moves to dominate him.

The kittens are tightly bonded. Blasa has very little self confidence and gets upset if she can't find one of her siblings. Blann's happy go lucky, much like Tomas and Sherman and like them tries to even be friends with Siri. Tanna thinks that the world revolves around her and that she's a little princess - she's neither dominate or submissive, she just wants attention NOW.

So my household is actually quiet. I'm pretty good at reading cat attitudes and won't bring one in that I think cannot adapt well to the group. I can spot a more dominate cat rather quickly. Though if someone can spot an alpha in this mix feel free to try.

Of the outdoor cats there's MewMew who's a bit like Tanna (demanding), a bit insecure, and partially psycho.

She would fight with all the cats in the house.
Boo is like Tomas and Sherman, he loves other cats and wants to be everyone's friend.

 

[mbjerkness]

Lucky- the queen with tortitude

Gus- the lowly man servant

 

[goldenkitty45]

Currently we have a 7 yr old Labrador, a 5 yr old domestic shorthair spay (Ling), and almost 2 yr old Ocicat (Jack) - we lost Charlie (our 1st Ocicat) last November.

But when there was 3 cats in the house - the two Ocicat boys were top (Charlie over his baby brother Jack). Ling keeps trying to be boss cat, but she winds up being 2nd to the boys.

When we get our new Ocicat kitten next spring, then he will be challanging Ling within the year - just like the other Oci boys did.

The Lab is last on the list as the cats have to be above her because of her size. She doesn't like when the cats argue and many times breaks it up between them, but she knows they are over her in status.

 

[white cat lover]

Ophelia Rose is dominant/aggressive (former feral & deaf) - she lives in the office by herself, where she is finally happy & relaxed. At somewhere around 9 years old, she wants to retire away from all these other "stupid" cats!

Upstairs - Twitch (deaf 8ish y/o), she rules the house with an iron paw. No front claws, no teeth, deaf - yet when she yowls, even the dogs duck!

Lily (4 y/o) is next in line, she's very timid but at the same time aggressive. Lily doesn't much like other cats, she only tolerates their existence if they stay away from her. Then there's Molly & Margo (4-5 y/o?) - they don't care about anything really, have no desire to be alpha, let someone else worry about how to run the household. They are very....ummm...blonde? Play, eat, sleep, watch birds - they get along well & don't care about the other cats.

Eden (4-5 y/o?) moves between the upstairs cats & downstairs cats. She gets along with everyone, just gets annoyed when some of them try to play with her. She's a cuddler & a lap cat.

Lola (1.5 y/o) also moves between the floors. She's the very bottom of the totem pole, as she is severely mentally handicapped. Her main focus in life is playing. The other cats know when she tries to play with them if they don't want to play, they can jump out of her reach & she'll either get confused or forget about them.

Downstairs - Dorian Grey(5 y/o) kind of runs things, but never aggressively. If someone's out of line, they get one bop on the head & he turns his back on them. Gumby (1 y/o) is below him, but only because she worships him. Tabitha (10? y/o) is bottom of the totem pole downstairs, as she almost exclusively lives in my bedroom, she is still very feral at heart.

Outside - I have three alpha neutered/males: Captain Nemo, Moo Cow, & Squishy. Nemo moved in this spring, and was neutered as soon as I could catch him. Squishy came home from the shelter as a senior neutered male, and Cow was neutered 4-5ish years ago along with the other farm cats. Sometimes you never can take the street out of a street cat, forced to survive on their own.

Fafeena is 16 years old now, and still vying for alpha status, however being mostly blind/deaf she doesn't stand much of a chance. She has to get close enough to be able to see there is another cat there to want to challenge them.

She lives mostly in the garage or the enclosure with Squishy & the two tolerate each other's existence.

Slinky is next on the totem pole, partly because age = wisdom. The other cats look to her for guidance sometimes, and she'll catch things for them to eat.

Goat-Head is next, she isn't alpha but head-butts everyone so does start fights. She means it in play, but most other cats don't get that.

Then there's the Bob brothers, they are bottom of the totem pole. They like it there & stick up for each other. But they are personable cats, and everyone seems to like them - not even the alphas try to fight with them.

 

[nandsthecats]

Interesting thread!

I have two:

Ned - 5yo neutered male shelter cat I got at 4 months old. Shy, quiet, and skittish. Clingy and very much a "momma's boy" - doesn't like other people.
Spike - 5yo (est.) neutured male stray I took in at about a year old (6 months after Ned). Extemely social, talkative, attention-hogging, loves everyone he meets (animal and human).

They have a totally weird, bi-polar relationship. Ned still seems to view Spike as an intruder and gets jealous when I pay attention to him, but at the same time calmed down after Spike came in and really needs him around (freaked out when Spike was in the hospital for a week earlier this month). Spike thinks he's Ned's mom for some reason - he follows him around, gives him "stay in line" bites, grooms him (for a minute or two at a time before Ned tells him to back off and Spike acts hurt). At the same time, Spike is the one who will get way too rough and provoke fights randomly. They go back and forth between bickering and sleeping curled up together. Typical "brothers" I guess. I don't really know who's more dominant - it seems like they don't either and are constantly trying to work it out. Probably the downside to having two male cats that are about the same age.

 

[stephanietx]

Hannah Grace , my 5.5 yo, is the reigning alpha at my house. She fought hard for that position and wears the title well.

Callie, my 14 yo tortie, shows a bit of attitude to Hannah every now and again, but she has accepted her place in the home. Callie knows she's still my favorite girl, so it's all good.

Tumbleweed is trying to figure it all out, but I do believe he's submissive and literally, the low man on the totem pole. Doesn't seem to bother him one bit as he happily prances about the house and plays to his little heart's content.

 

[cococat]

It seems to be
1. cat
2. humans

I have been trying to change this and train her up, but over the years the above stands firm.

 

[ashpie21]

I have two cats. My first one I found outside on Halloween. We named him Spirit and he was about a year old when I found him. He is probably 5 or 6 now and neutered. Then last year I adopted a little girl. She didnt have a name so I named her Angel because she was the sweetest thing in the WORLD. She was also about a year old so now shes probably around 2 or 3.

Spirit is definitely the dominant kitty but very passive-aggressive. You can tell when he gets jealous if my mother or I pay attention to Angel while he's in the room.

Angel really doesnt have a mean bone in her body and tries to submit to what ever he does. Sometimes Spirit will play? and chase her around.

From the beginning there were never any fights but they dont like to cuddle with each other either.

Now our neighbor just had kittens, so when they are old enough we are getting a baby. I know Angel will love it to death ^__^

 

[greycat2]

It depends day to day here but as a rule (at the moment):

Sphinx (RB cat 18 yr old neutered when he passed). He was definetely the alpha cat but fair about things.
Kuce (17 year old spayed female). She took over when Sphinx passed. She keeps everyone in line without much effort though she'd rather just relax and enjoy life.
Luvbug (10 yr old neutered male). He's a real sweetheart and keeps LJ (below) in line. He follows whatever Kuce wants him to.
Lil' Jag (6 yr old Spayed female - she's in training - may replace Kuce when she passes). She has a fiesty streak to her but is mellowing out a little as she gets near seniorhood.

 

[c1atsite]

How nice that you've got a peaceful alpha!

In this household, Penny, the physically smaller tabby, is alpha. Maybe because she's older by 2 years. She's a snooty alpha.

 

[kailie]

Imhotep is absolutely alpha although Shadey THINKS he is and constantly tries to challange that. Imhotep doesn't try to assert dominance with anyone, he doesn't have to except with Shadey. Shadey tends to bully. Cleo II is by far the dominant FEMALE of the group and has cattitude galore.

Nova is the pain in the butt that always tries to instigate authority with Shadey and Shadey puts him in his place. He doesn't try to mess with Imhotep though. Azizi, Teyah and Pria are the youngest and are bottom of the totem poll. They don't seem to mind though.

Elliott and Osiris are so laid back and never try to challange anyone.

 

[2furgirls]

I have two girls, 1 yr and 3 yrs. After 10 months, they have become deeply bonded.

The older one is the one in charge, although to look at "Baby" no one would think so. The older one - who angrily denounced "Baby's" arrival - is the one Baby goes to for "mommy licking", for cuddles when she has a tummy ache, they brush against each other in the garden, they hunt prey together, the older one let's the baby "get" choice bugs, teaches the baby cat stuff, and when the baby (leashed) tries to jump the fence, puts her paws over the leash or puts it in her mouth to prevent Baby from being "bad".

Yet Baby is the one laughing (it's a hoot to hear her mimic our laughs) and flitting about, as though she is number 1. Baby tackles the older one, rolls her around, biting very hard. The older one yells, but takes it. When "Baby" goes too far, you have no doubt who is really in charge!

 

[ladyhitchhiker]

My kitties have been living together for almost a year now. They still don't know who's in charge. But that's partly my cat Linus's fault. He didn't make a point of anyone being in charge and let anyone walk all over him if they felt the need to. LOL

 

[cruiser]

I've been watching my 3 lately and it looks like the youngest,Frosty will be more alpha to the oldest kitten,Nippet.For Now my old cat Skeeter is STILL running the show over these 2

 

[-_aj_-]

Well with Flash and Sooty Flash is the Alpha she just needs to look at Sooty and he will stop in his tracks its quite funny to watch them, he tries to be the more dominate one but no she will not let him

Flash will however encourage Sooty to do naughty things..like open cupboard doors and drawers and she reaps the reward, she is a very clever kitty

 

[aussie_dog]

At the top is Buffy, definitely. Next would be Molly, followed by Willow. We had Willow first, then when she was 2 years old, we got 4 week old orphaned Buffy. Willow raised Buffy (and totally mellowed out in the process; she used to be a frightening, territorial creature), and when Buffy grew up, she naturally placed herself in top spot. Willow was all too happy to concede. Another 2 years later, Molly shows up, a 5 month old stray. To this day, Buffy still hates Molly, and Molly just can't figure out why. Molly's peaceful, timid, quiet, doesn't butt in where she's not wanted (unless there's food. Molly gets passionate around food). But Buffy will sniff Molly, then lean back and hiss, maybe give Molly a bop on the head (and Molly will cower and freeze, afraid to move). It's been 4 years and Buffy still won't accept Molly.

Part of me thinks it's because the order of the pack ranking was disturbed. Buffy had known nothing other than she was alpha and Willow was not. Then Molly comes in and Buffy doesn't know what's what. Is she still alpha? Will Molly try to take it away from her? What the heck ranking "term" is Molly classified as, anyway, and where does it leave "mom" (Willow). Buffy's confused, and she doesn't like it. If only we could speak the same language, then I could tell her that Molly has no interest in leading a pack, any pack. She would rather fade into the background. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe Buffy wants a pack member that will fight to defend the pack. Buffy and Willow will both attack a threat (*cough*our dog*cough*), while Molly has booked it and dashed downstairs or to the farthest room she can find. Molly's terrified of conflict, and it disgusts Buffy. Buffy requires very high qualifications for entering her pack, and if you're not in her pack, then "get the hell off my territory, userper!"

 

[kazanlak]

I have two siblings, Boris and Olga. Both are large cats, Boris weighs 15 pounds and his sister actually outweighs him at 16 pounds. Neither are overly fat but are just large cats for the most part. Boris' dominance over his sister is totally undisputed. I have to monitor them during feeding time or else he will finish his food first then just walk over and force Olga off of her by just crowding her away from the bowl. Boris generally sleeps next to me but if for some reason Boris is somewhere else Olga will quite hesitantly jump up and sit with me, but she seems nervous and uncomfortable when doing it. Boris is like a log when he sleeps on the bed or couch, you can move around and he is just like dead weight, ignoring being jostled and everything, sometimes he even crowds me when he sprawls out. Olga is so twitchy all you have to do is move an arm or leg and she jumps down. So if I want to encourage Olga to sit with me I have to lie absolutely motionless. If she is actually sitting with me and Boris walks into the room she immedietly skitters away, as if she feels she is doing something she shouldn't be.
Boris also attacks her with total impunity for seemingly no other reason then he just gets a kick out of it. Olga can tell by her brother's gaze or body language when an attack is coming and usually tries to flee but Boris has mastered the art of not just pursuing his sister but outmanuevering her by going up and over or around furniture or other obstacles to suddenly appear in front of her and cut off her escape...its honestly a bit more strategy then Im used to seeing cats exhibit. His attacks on his sister frustrate me because she gets genuinely frightened and he sometimes bites her hard enough to leave marks. I intervene when I can but cant always stop the attacks in time, another frustrating part of it is that at 16 pounds Olga is plenty big enough to defend herself from Boris but usually just runs (I suspect if she cuffed or bit him good enough it would take the wind out of his sails pretty quickly). I've tried feliway and that didn't really seem to do anything to curb his aggression. So I've concluded that there may not be any real underlying cause for his behavior other then him just being .....well, kind of a jerk.
But It does show the role of temprement in cat heirearchy in my opinion, since my cats are so similar in size and weight the deciding factor in who's dominant seems to be personality.

 

[sneakymom]

Sneaky Pie is 9. HollyHeart is going to be a year old in October. Or November. I don't remember when LOL. Sneaky grew up with Mistoflees, he was 17 when he passed away last year.

Sneaky and Holly are both spayed females. Mistoflees was a neutered male.

Mistoflees was alpha- Sneaky was definatly second. After we lost Mistoflees, Sneaky was an "only" until January. She was never really lonely as an only. I wasn't going to get another cat- but a friend had found a mama who had kittens, and she couldn't keep them all- that's how we wound up with Holly.

Sneaky is alpha. But a grudging alpha. As long as she's fed and has a place to nap- Holly can do "whatever". She does like to play with Holly. And she will tolerate her sleeping with her (they've laid down within inches of each other. Last winter when it was cold I have some really cute pictures of Holly snuggling up with Sneaky).

Holly thinks Sneaky's her BFF. She'll try to groom Sneaky (and if Sneaky has decided that's ok- she'll let her) When Holly sees Sneaky she gives her this little chirp.

As I've said before- I was kind of leery to have 2 cats of the same gender. We had 2 males (neutered) once, and they never really got along. But we also added 2 babies into the mix then too, so that could have been part of it.

Cheryl