Behavioral problems in cats

[T_Bone]

Cats suck. No really.

We have two cats here, both 9 months old, out of a liter of 3, given to us by a neighbor.

The neighbor just left for a vacation on the outer banks, will be gone for a week, left his 2 cats with us, these 2 are the mother and the sister of the two cats we have.

They arn't getting along. All hell is breaking loose. But the wierd thing is, it's not just our cats vs. theirs, for some wierd reason, all 4 are independantly territorial against each other! Our own cats are hissing at each other, as well as the new cats! Same goes for the new cats.

Meanwhile, the mother cat is an evil beast. You can't pick her up at all, she'll scratch the hell out of you and bite you for even trying. The other 3 are ok so long as they're alone.

The dogs on the other hand are getting along fine.

Why do cats have to be so damned dramatic?

[Speelgoedmannetje]

The cats can't cope with the republican environment they live in and get psychological problems :-P

Here, they're a slightly territorial sometimes, but for the rest no probs.

[PMC]

It depends on the cat.  My old cat Leonard seemed to just accept other cats coming in and out of the place without a fuss.  He was one chilled out feline...  (RIP). :-(

Cats are solitary animals by nature and moving from next door has broken their routine, and also upset the status quo with your own cats, hence the problems.  When introducing new cats to a place, it's better to do it gradually, so they all get used to each others scent before being thrown together in one house.

I bet the dogs wonder what all the fuss is about?

[redrumloa]

Why do cats have to be so damned dramatic?

Cats make a aweful pets, I hate cats.

[PMC]

redrumloa wrote:

Cats make a aweful pets, I hate cats.

Either you "get" cats or you don't.  Cats are able to spot cat people a mile off, if you're not a cat person then they play up soleley for their own amusement.

Cat psychology is more complicated than dog psychology and they're a challenge to try and figure out.  It's a myth that cats can't be trained.  You've just got to get on their wavelength.

[redrumloa]

Maybe it's just the time frame of my life, but I don't see the usefulness of pets in general. Between my various work, family life and everything associated with it I hardly have lesuire time with the kids let alone the headache associated with a pet. The wife and kids have rabbits. They love them, I just find them a nuisance;-) My opinion on pets will probably change when I get old and have too much free time.

BTW T-bone saying yuo own cats is probably destroying some people's image in here about Republicans. You should tell them something like "Oh yeah I only keep cats for target practice at NRA meetings" :lol:

[odin]

I spotted a young squashed kitten on the road to work this morning being scavenged by crows  :-(.

[blobrana]

hum,
"what does not kill you, makes you stronger..." - Conan, the  beastmaster.

[PMC]

That's exactly how poor Leonard met his end...

:-(

[odin]

Once, a long long time ago, when I still was a young kid, I received a package from a software mailorder company in UK with A320 Airbus, Easy Amos and eh....some other title. However as I was about to open the package someone came to our house asking if our cat was such-and-such looking. It was, the poor creature was hit by the car and I started shouting at my father that he should call the emergency services, the vet or something :cry:.

I was devastated :-(.

A few years before that the dog was hit by a car whilst my brother was walking him. I was angry with (at?) my brother for a long time, even though he was entirely not to blame.

Gah, I'm all depressed now......

[Vincent]

That's why we have an indoor cat.  He only goes into the back garden with a harness on.  Sioux panics if she can't find him in the house, she'd be a nervous wreck if he ever went outside.

[redrumloa]

Gah, I'm all depressed now.....

When I was a very young kid we had a little weiner dog (dauchsun? dunno how to spell it). One day when we were going out to get groceries from the car, she darted out the front door and into the street just as a car was flying by. She ran into the middle of the street, saw the car and just froze. We were all terrified about what was about to happen and could do nothing. Suprisingly and luckily the car drove right over her without the wheels or the body hitting her. The bottom of the car must have missed her by an inch or so max.

That would have been a terribly tramatic experience for a kid, I really loved that dog.

[odin]

@vince:
Hmmm, I wouldn't want to restrict a cat in such a way. IMHO they need to be able to roam the neighbourhood.

@redrum:
Dachshund :-). Ugly little animals. Then again I despise most small dogs.

[KennyR]

Strangely enough Dachshund means "Badger Dog" in German.