Multi-cat households: are they friends?
Thinking about welcoming extra furry friends into your house? Well, there are a few welfare issues you should consider before extending your home into a multi-cat household.
As we know, cats are territorial animals in the wild and can be known to exhibit aggressive behaviour towards each other. This tension between pets can take a huge toll on their welfare. Having said this, cats are capable of living in social groups – the issue lies when outsiders interrupt this dynamic. Naturally, when a conflict occurs, cats would want to flee the situation thus avoiding the risk of injury during a physical fight which would impede their ability to hunt. This can be difficult when cats are forced to live in the same house and will resort to aggression as a final attempt to claim the territory.
While play fighting (a natural cat behaviour) and aggression can often look very similar, it is important to note which key differences to look out for. Both scenarios could involve some chasing and rolling but the table below summarises the most obvious differences. Don’t forget, aggression can also be expressed in the passive form of staring or physically blocking resources from another cat.
| Play fighting | Aggression |
| Claws usually retracted | Claws out |
| Silent | Noisy hissing |
| Battling with paws | Paw swiping |
| Gentle biting | Attempting to harm |
To minimise the risk of harmful aggressive behaviour between pet cats, there are some measures that all owners should implement:
- Separate feeding and water bowls for cats where they can access them without turning their backs on each other. (One bowl per cat plus one extra is a recommended rule of thumb)
- A scratching post would be essential to allow for territorial communication between cats.
- High-up and private spots provide important safe hiding places for cats when they want to escape the conflict.
Remember that cats respond strongly to scent. So, if one cat has been to the vet, or a fight has recently broken out, separate the cats and allow them to slowly acclimatise to the foreign scent. We should never assume that pets we bring home will always be best buds. As pet parents, it is our responsibility to look after our pets and follow the 5 Needs. Sometimes we must accept when 2 cats simply don’t get along and housing them together could potentially impact their welfare poorly.
Hopefully, this information will help you make an informed decision on the welfare considerations of bringing more cats into your home!
If you are worried your cats may be experiencing stress at home, talk to your vet and follow our Blogs4u for support and advice.
