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Male Cats Not Getting On

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Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi All,

Just wonder why male cats don't get on? I have 5 cats - 1 female and 4 males. All been to vet and had snip! Snowy is the mum and Fluffy is the eldest male, with Snowball a few months younger, then Spot and Stripe are from the same litter and the youngest. All are white with splashes of ginger except Stripe who os mainly ginger. Fluffy doesn't like Stripe at all and will chase him away and in the last few days Stripe has been cornered and they have been fighting and I have managed to stop the fight. Fluffy knows when I am cross!!!
We live on a farm and there is lots of room for 5 semi ferral semi pet cats that live outside.
If anyone has any theories as to why they night not get on let me know and if you have any ideas how I can make Fluffy like Stripe again then please let me know.
Thanks
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 10 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi Sara,
Sounds like the alpha male, Fluffy, has decided that Stripe is a possible challenger for leadership. You may never resolve this. Is Stripe Fluffy's offspring? Don't think colour will come into it. It could be that Stripe has been challenging Fluffy and this is Fluffy's way of stamping out the challenge.

You may have to let nature take its course and let Fluffy totally dominate Stripe so pack hierachy is settled. Keep me posted.

Hope the pack settles down.

Sallie.

Posted 10 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Sallie,
That's interesting that you think that Fluffy thinks Stripe might be challenging him. I am not sure if Stripe is Fluffy's could be as Snowy may have mated with Fluffy before we had them all done! But then our neighbour has alot of cats so we are not sure.
I wondered if Fluffy didn't like Stripe as Stripe will often go off in the Summer for a few days and then this Summer whilst Stripe was missing for a few days another ginger cat started hanging about and I wondered if it was a case of mistaken identity!
Stripes brother Spot doesn't get chased by Fluffy and I have noticed Spot take a swipe at Fluffy so he is standing up to the alpha male! Just wish Stripe would do the same!
Could Fluffy be jealous if he sees me stroking and cuddling Stripe?
Thanks for your thought on this matter.
Hope all your dogs and horses/ponies are well.
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 10 months ago #
TopVeg
Member

Hi Sara

Sorry your cats are fighting. It may be the fighting season as the youngest 2 of our 3 female jack russels are both looking very stiff & sorry for themselves. I took one to the vet this morning when she arrived home limping - & she had to have a stitch. They usually play outside on the farm quite happily, but the other one has been looking very uncomfortable tonight & we can only think that they have been fighting. The natural world is tough!

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Posted 10 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Topveg,
I am sorry to hear that your Jack russels haven't been getting on. Poor thing having a stitch. Must be something in the air! Yes the natural world is tough!
Moving Stripe's feeding spot seems to have helped, as I had to move where they are usually fed as a load of fodder beet is now there and the cats are back in the barn where the pigs used to be but this means that Stripe is restricted in his getaway moves, so I have got him his own feeding area for now, seems to be working.
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 9 months ago #
TopVeg
Member

Hi Sara

All better now, thanks. The two injured dogs were playing together today, rushing round and round the yard! Still not sure what caused the damage, but they seem to be well on the mend.
I agree that it is sensible to be careful when feeding - & only fair to give each individual animal their own space. I now feed our 3 Jack Russel's separately - the old one first, who likes to eat outside- the middle one is shut in the porch with her food, & the youngest likes to be shut up in their sleeping quarters for her dinner. After 5 minutes, I carefully open all the doors, hoping that they will all have lots of space - and no hackles will be raised!
Best wishes, TopVeg

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Posted 9 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi TopVeg,

I have 1 jack and 4 lakelands + 3 labs. Mine do have the odd fight but normally only when they get over excited. Luckily they all eat together quite happily, although I would never leave them alone while eating. I am lucky that my lakelands are more social than most of that breed as they have grown up with so many dogs around. If they do have a scrap the 4 seem to gang up on the Jack so she has to be picked up and the others shaken off! Terriers eh - who'd have em!!!

Best wishes

Sallie.

Posted 9 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi All,

Earlier this week Fluffy my alpha male cat looked abit like he had been in a fight, gash on ear and bits stuck to his fur and a runny eye. Stripe who Fluffy doesn't like seemed abit subdued and slightly below par and I noticed a scab on his lower lip, which suggests he may have been in a fight. He wasn't walking about as well as he does normally but was eating well. His tail didn't raise up like cats tails do when they are greeting you and appeared to be stuck to his bottom although not stuck down with anything as such. Idon't know if he has knocked his tail and bottom and bruised it slightly.
On Friday night Stripe was sitting on the bales and then when I went back 10 mins later, after helping to bottle feed the new born calf, Stripe had disappeared and didn't reappear until this morning but before I could feed him and check he was ok, Fluffy,Spot and Snowball seemed to chase him off.

Is there anything I can do to bring harmony back to the group? We have a large farmyard for 5 cats to wander about in so I don't think it's anything to do with amount of space. The 5 cats are Snowy - the mum to all of them, Fluffy, Snowball, Spot and Stripe who are all males. All the cats have been to the vets and have been done so to speak. Stripe and Spot are both from the same litter but Fluffy and Snowball are from two other previous litters.
All the cats are white with abit of ginger on except Stripe who is all ginger.
Any advice would be welcome.
I am worried about Stripe as he is under par and not as fit as he would normally be to get away from Fluffy.
I hope to find Stripe and keep him away from the others until he is better, but Stripe is hiding from Fluffy at the moment, hopefully uninjured. He was last heard/seen going into an empty corn bin. Fluffy has been sitting outside it waiting for Stripe, I have tried to entice Fluffy away and managed once to get him to come away for some food but when I went to pick Fluffy up at one point he gave me a warning swipe with his claws - fortunately didn't hurt as it was just a warning to leave him alone!

Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 7 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi Sara,
Sounds like Fluffy has really got it in for Stripe now. Have you got a cat basket as I would catch Fluffy up (using gauntlets if nec) and put him in the basket to allow Stripe to come out. A towel can be a good cat catching implement. If you can drop it over him and scoop him up pinning his front and back legs to his body then you only have the head to worry about!!

It may be that Stripe is trying to establish dominance and Fluffy won't have it so you may have to re-home one of them.

Hope Stripe appears

Best Wishes
Sallie

Posted 6 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Sallie,
You are right Fluffy does have it in for Stripe and Stripe is frightened of him when he is underpar as he has been in the last few days. I discovered yesterday that Stripe has been injured as he has a wound near his bottom but he won't let me look at it too closely. He is much better and is moving about the farm now and not literally nursing his wound as he was earlier in the week.
This morning I found Fluffy covered in dirty water as if he had fallen in a ditch but my father-in-law thinks he's been fighting and rolling in the puddles around the farmyard. I don't think he faught with Stripe as Stripe is clean. I have seen another ginger cat wandering about the farm and it could have been this cat. Fluffy has been subdued today and is now a bedraggled looking cat instead of a beautiful Fluffy cat!
Like you, Topveg thought that Stripe might be asserting dominance but knowing Stripe I can't imagine he would try to be dominant. Could it be he is the only ginger cat and the others are all white? Fluffy's behaviour towards Stripe seems to be worse when another ginger cat is spotted around the farm.
The trials and tribulations of a cat owner!
Hope all is well with you Sallie.
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 6 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi Sara,
Poor Fluffy, how humilating for a cat to be tatty! Haven't heard of cats having a colour phobia but Fluffy could perceive Stripe as different! Just watch out in case Stripe's wound becomes an abcess, normally cat bites do abcess.
Hope it all settles down.
Best wishes
Sallie.

Posted 6 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Sallie,
Fluffy spent the day I found him all wet and dirty in a subdued mood. He is now bagk to looking fluffy and back to his normal self. He obviously got abit of a shock!
I will post a photo of him in his bedraggled state.
Stripe seems to be improving everyday, he was running about yesterday. He ran the length of the barn at full speed which was good to see. I checked his wound this morning and it seems to be scabbing over. I will keep my eye out for an abcess. Thanks for letting me know.
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 6 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi Sara,
If you can prevent Stripe's wound scabbing over it will help prevent an abcess forming. May be tricky but try to pick scab off! Good Luck!!!

Best Wishes
Sallie.

Posted 6 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Sallie,
Although Stripe is very friendly and quite a placid cat I don't think he'sgoingto like me picking off the scab!!
Hubby said he would pay good money to watch if you are volunteering!!!
Will check tomorrow to see what it looks like.
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 6 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi Sara,
Would be happy to oblige if lived closer! Having worked at a Vets for 10 years have come across most things (including a 14ft python) so happy to leap in where angels fear to tread. Will take the money off Hubby if you bring cat to me!!!

Best Wishes
Sallie.

Posted 6 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Sallie,
Hubby didn't realise you were an expert, he's changed his mind and doesn't wasnt to part with his money!!! Yorkshire farmer, say no more!!
Not sure what an abcess looks like. near the wound seems to be bruised and when I lift Stripes tail he does turn around and look at me. May need to a trip to vet next week I think!
Not sure Stripe will like this, last time I took him to vets he ran round kitchen and broke a pot I bought in Bethlehem before I got him in the cat basket!
Best wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 6 months ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi All,
Just thought I would post a picture of Fluffy as he is drying off after being soaked in dirty water, not sure if he was fighting and rolled in the muddy water or if fell in a ditch.

He looks ok here which is the day after the mishap, he looked terrible when it happened, I saw him not long after it happened.

Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 6 months ago #
sallie
Member

Hi Sara,

Abcess will appear red and swollen with (possibly) a pale centre where head is forming. I think you would find most cats will turn and look at you if you lift their tail!!! Hope all well and wound clearing up.

Sallie.

Posted 6 months ago #
Bee
Member

Beautiful cat

buy pet products

Posted 2 months ago #
anitopia
Member

i have five cats here (4 neut males and one spayed female).

It interesting to watch the different relationships that happen between them and how it changes when one dies.

Fluffy is one gorgeous cat.

Hope it all has sorted itself out and harmony has resumed

Posted 2 months ago #