# Do my cats like each other?



## amaranth (Nov 20, 2006)

I know it probably sounds like a silly question, but until recently, I've never lived with more than one cat at once.

I adopted Maya a little over a month ago, when she was 12 weeks old. At that time, my first cat, Brady, was 6 months old. Both are spayed/neutered.

When they are tired, they seem fine together, and sometimes cuddle together when sleeping. Other times, they are definitely playing together and chasing each other.

However, sometimes, I wonder if they don't get along. Brady will sometimes start licking/grooming Maya, but it almost always turns into him biting her. Other times, they will look like they are on the verge of fighting, and will hit each other with their paws. Once or twice, I've seen one of them approach the other or run from the other with a puffed-up tail or ears back. Brady tends to be the dominant one.

Are these normal behaviours in a multiple cat household, or do my cats just dislike each other?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Normal.

I've got a household of 8 permanant indoor, two in/out-door cats, and one strictly outdoor cat. All were brought into the houshold at different times/ages and they have all adapted together. There are a few who don't care for a few other cats... 
_Boo and Marm don't like S-Jo, but S-Jo gets along w/ everyone else. Silver hisses at everybody (poor eye). Shasta and Marm sometimes fuss. Shadow and LuckyDuck play/wrestle constantly. Reilly will snuggle with Shasta... _ 
See how the differing dynamics morph and change? Sometimes Shadow and LD can get very peeved at each other, but usually they like each other fine. It just depends on who wants to play and who doesn't at that particular moment as to how well they seem to be getting along.


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

Agreed, I've watched the dynamics shift back and forth in my house too. I think cats are like little kids -- one minute they're best friends, the next they're fighting, then they're friends again. I don't think you need to worry.  

I'm interested to hear others' take on the violent grooming behavior because mine do that too. Yoshi especially is very rough; he'll practically throw other cats to the ground and start licking them. It always descends into play fighting in no time. I'm guessing it's a dominance behavior?


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## carolsclan (Jun 28, 2006)

Freddy the oldest of my crew does the rough grooming thing ..... he tolerates no refusal .. I always consider him boss kitty .....and the rest of the cats adore him .

Only sooty my little rescue stray doesnt get on with the rest of my cats apart from shaggy !!! but sooty is a little sweetie who minds her own business ... Dear shags on the other hand goes out of his way to cause mayhem.


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## amaranth (Nov 20, 2006)

I think I read somewhere that the cat that tends to groom others the most on his/her own terms tends to be the dominant one in many situations. I'm not sure if that's true, what I was guessing that it is a dominance thing. It's almost like Brady's telling Maya he will look after her but she'd better listen to him!

It will be interesting to see how dynamics change as Maya gets older. She likely won't be quite as big as Brady but they'll be fairly similar in size, and she's pretty headstrong.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Poor, poor little Shaggy.  

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## carolsclan (Jun 28, 2006)

Marie ..... that is now enough about poor shaggy ... poor shaggy is neither poor nor little :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: he is an evil minded overweight, oversized pitch black cat with long hair that he doesnt keep tidy and wont tolerate brushing.

I have had magic at the vet twice after he attacked her ... I think his father was a pitbull....

Jokes aside tho, Fran found him in a gutter , dirty and skin and bone .... so i dont know what life the poor boy had before we got him ....I have tried ......  u are just trying to make me feel rotten.... I think you need to post yr addy and ill send him to you WITH SNOOPY :lol: he is the only cat I have evr had that has this problem so im hoping he will be ok with fran.


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

Shaggy sounds a bit like Cheddar.... everywhere he goes he causes mayhem. I think he sees the other cats not as playmates but more like toys that are only there for his amusement.
Last night, all I heard for about 20 min was chasing, growling, whining and hissing because he was harassing the other cats. It happens all the time too at all times of the day. I swear we can't have peace for anything more than an hour at a time :roll: One time I caught them all laying together on the chair and it gave me a little bit of hope that Cheddar will settle down enough that they can eventually be friends.

To me, it sounds like Maya and Brady get along pretty well. I've had cats that don't get along at all and you'd never find them sleeping together or grooming each other.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Sorry, Carol.

I'm sending myself to the corner. There's no Internet. I'll be out of touch for a bit.


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## jack09 (Dec 13, 2006)

Though it may seem like they are fighting, it's most likely just play.

And Brady is probably very happy to have a friend to play with!


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## carolsclan (Jun 28, 2006)

Marie come out of the corner ..im pulling your leg :lol:


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

:wiggle :yellbounce :jump 

I'm free! I'm free!


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## manitu22 (Apr 25, 2003)

sounds like my 2 kitties. If your cats were never cuddling and always fighting I might be a bit concerned.


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## siamesecat (Jul 3, 2005)

For some reason grooming always ends in a wrestling session in our house! Playful wrestling :lol:


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