Pets Australia — October-November 2017

Aug/Sep 73

Behaviour and training Breed feature | PETS | PETS

http://www.petsmagazine.com.au 73

FIGHTING FELINES

Q:

Dear PETS, I have three cats — two

males, one female, all desexed. Sadly,

however, the two males keep fi ghting with

each other. They’re indoor cats, and it’s getting

harder and harder to keep them away from

each other, especially while I’m out of the

house. Do you have any suggestions on how

we can stop this behaviour?

Rachel, via email

A:

Hi Rachel, although many

people keep multiple

cats in the same home without

a problem, this isn’t always the

case. Cats are highly territorial by

nature and many do not tolerate

sharing their territory (your home)

with other cats, even if they know

them. This is especially true when

there is perceived competition for

access to territory and other high-

value resources. To help prevent

aggression you need to try and

reduce perceived competition for

resources. Cats typically perceive

space, litter boxes, food bowls, cat

towers, scratch posts and favourite

resting places as high value, so

ensuring each cat has ready access

to their own will help reduce competition.

Try to increase the cats’ access to space by

adding an outdoor enclosure or additional

vertical space inside the home using shelving,

cat towers etc. Finally, work on creating a positive

association between the male cats by giving them

their favourite treats whenever they are near

each other. Over time, this should help reduce

aggression. Sometimes, rehoming one of the cats

is the best option when behaviour modifi cation

is unsuccessful.

CLIMBING KITTY

Q:

Dear Dr Kate, my cat loves getting up in

high places — on top of the cupboard,

the curtain railing, you name it! The problem

is, sometimes I need her to come down, in

particular when we’re going out and I want to

get her into another room where she can be left.

Do you have any advice on getting her to come

down from these high spots? Just calling her

and off ering treats doesn’t seem to be working.

Joey, via email

A:

Dear Joey, your cat sounds very cheeky!

But it also sounds as though she really

enjoys being up high. You are certainly on the

right track offering treats, however I don’t think

the treats you are offering are good enough

because your cat would rather stay up high than

come down for the treat. Try experimenting

with a few different high-value treats. Things

like canned tuna, sardines and roast chicken

are considered high value for most cats. On the

night you’re going out, you could delay feeding

your cat part or all of its meal until you leave.

That way, your cat will be hungry and more likely

to come down to eat.

I would also suggest adding some more high

spaces for your cat to explore in the home. Cat

towers, shelving, cat hammocks and window

beds all offer high vantage points which are

highly desirable to most cats. With some extra

options for high spaces, you might find your cat

utilising these more appropriate places rather

than the tops of your cupboards.

A cat can arch its back when it is scared or uncomfortable.

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