no word pro available ..

so what do I do - I blog.. at least that way I get a spell checker ;)

When cats are raised in a multi-cat household, do they develop a hierarchy like dogs? And, if so, is it important for the humans in the house to take on the leader role? Or do cats care about any of this?

This question provoked a great deal of discussion, even within my own home. Cats mostly certainly are aware of relationships both between each other and with humans. Their hierarchy is looser than dogs seemingly. Cats change their place depending on the moment. In the same group of cats one might get the "preferred seating" while another may eat first and a third may drink first.

There can be some positioning around the use of litter boxes as well. The easiest way to prevent problems is to provide plenty of boxes (at least one more than there are cats) and use whatever litter the cats prefer most. Dumont was our fussiest cat and controlled the type of litter we used quite effectively!

When cats are stressed by overpopulation there can be problems. Aggression, inappropriate toileting, drastic changes in behaviour or eating are not uncommon. One cat may find living in a large group easy, another may find the addition of a third cat stressful. One way to reduce stress is to provide lots of vertical space. Cats at the top of the order in the house will often sit up high and survey the rest of the house. A multilevel cat tree can help keep peace in a multi cat home. I have lived with two cats who enjoyed the top of the fridge as their vantage point. One reason cats often knock things off mantels and shelves may be they are seeking some height and status; providing them cat appropriate seating may reduce that problem.

Cats generally seem quite able to differentiate between cat/cat relationships and human/cat relationships. Humans don't really need to assume an alpha role with cats but can focus on a positive relationship of whatever sort they desire. (In fact many positive dog trainers would say dogs don't either!) Cats are much more more trainable than most people realize!

Felines certainly can adapt to multi species relationships well. Dogs and cats, cats and rabbits will enjoy each others company and seek it out. Julia, one of our permanent cats prefers the company of dogs to the other cats and certainly chooses to play chase and chase me games with the dogs over any game with a cat. A friend of mine swears her hamster likes giving her Siamese a massage by clambering around on his back (she does supervise this interaction carefully mind you!)

The final question "do cats care about any of this" really depends on the cat. Some cats, just like some people, value and seek out more numerous and more in depth relationships than others. Some cats are loners - quite content to spend time alone - perhaps watching the world go by. Other cats thrive on attention .. Nando is only content if he is in contact with someone feline, canine or human!

Living in a multi cat house provides a great opportunity for observation and pleasure. It should be thoughtfully done though with provision for a slow gradual introduction and for plenty of space for each cat. Watching the changing nature of cat relationships is often quite entertaining!