Hissy, how do you tell? I know who my bottom cat is - that's Patches, my torti. The other two always put her in her place, so to speak, but they all get along. She's very skittish and startles very easily, but she is moma's girl.
It's really hard to tell if my Alpha is Toonces (my grey kitty) or Buttons (siamesish). I often think it's a tie because once in a great, great while they do this standoff thing where they are sitting facing each other and one of them has their paw pressing on the others forhead; it varies on who's doing it.
Pathces and Toonces are the most vocal, Buttons hardly ever meows - when she does it surprises you.
Toonces was the first cat, she has to know everything that's going on at all times. She's also the official "greeter," and is the only one that likes the dogs.
Buttons is a big girl who is slow most of the time, but will surprise you with occasional "sprints" and will use her size to her advantage when one of the others irritates/provokes her.
Toonces however, it the nastiest when she gets really mad.
We had two cats for ten years and Snowball was the alpha male. I sometimes saw the same standoff behavior that Sabra described. Does it mean that both cats want the alpha position? [Probably a dumb question.
Definitely my Noelle, the 4,5 yr old domestic. She's 9.5lbs, and the younger Maine Coon is 14.5 lbs, but there's no doubt who's boss... She doesn't have to do more than just give the coon the 'look' and she'll back off, and when Noelle wants to, she reminds the dogs who's boss around here as well. She *always* makes her opinions known to everyone, including us humans, so you definitely don't make the mistake of trying to pet her when she doesn't want you to more than once.
Fred is my alpha. Even at nearly 14 years old, he is the man in charge. Georgia is his accomplice. Leo and Pearl don't care as long as they get their share of the food and plenty of naps. Georgia likes to pick on Pearl, and when Fred thinks she has had enough, he will smack Georgia and make her lay down. If she doesn't want to, he will herd her around until he gets her where he wants her. She is so small, she really can't stop him. Sometimes he gets fed up with her and just lays on her and holds her down.
I would have to say Snowball is my Alpha....after that it would be Merlin. Snowball is the only cat that Merlin avoids, and backs down to. Snowball is large and in charge!!!
I have had the strangest Alpha's...I have two kitties and have moved four times in 4 years and they seem to switch places depending upon where we live. Ruby was the first alpha and now it is Pesto. I don't know what the place has to do with it...but it changes them. I am due to move one more time (and praying for the last) next week. I will see what happens then.
Due to being older, Opie has been the alpha cat but, as Rowdy matures, she is trying to take that spot. Opie is so laid-back, I think that he's going to let her take over. Opie, still lords it over Ike, though. Of course, a dog is way-y-y down the social ladder, to most cats.
When Rowdy gets to be too much, for Opie, he swears at her and bops her between the ears. He, also sits back and waits for her to eat. Of course, maybe he's just being a gentleman.
You can usually tell at feeding time. For me, because my crew is feral they follow a different structure than domesticated cats. In the feral colony, the leader gets to the food first and takes what he or she wants pushing others aside by growls or body language. With Trip if she arrives late to feed, she just growls flattens her ears and the others back off respectfully lets her find her place at the trough and then they continue eating. If she is walking across the yard they steer clear of her and watch her even if she is walking away from them. Occasionally she has been challenged, Bartee is the most current cat who wants the leadership role, but so far she has held her post.
Mine would be Twig. He is 15 pounds of TNT! the next in line is Rocket. Occassionally he will mount Twig like he is the dominant one, and Twig willput up with this for about 5 seconds then, he will roll over and as they say "put the smack down" and Rocket finds his place VERY quickly! My Omega is Luna. She is the quiet one who will put up with pretty much anything. I've hardly ever heard her meow unless she has her ball in her mouth and then, she is a regular chatter box.
Truffle appears to have taken the position of "Alpha" in our family now.... she's the smallest, but she's the boss!!! And poor Merle.... he's such a wuss, he's definately the "under-dog" bless him.... such a wimp....
Before I became owned by my first cat, I thought I was Alpha. Boy, was I wrong! Now, I'm somewhere down the bottom between the yappy dog next door and that little lizard Milo brought in last week.
I've been trying to figure that one out for quite a while now. For the most part, Trent is in charge. Except when it comes to food, then generally our little piggy Ophelia gets that first.