Zoff in the cat group: Kitty are loners

Is it just a cat or a couple or a whole group of cats? This question often arises and many people wonder when there are rioting between the cats. Zoff in the Katzen-WG is not rare, because actually Kiezen loners. In the wild, you rarely see a cat group.

Cat groups are rare and purposeful

However, there is always a group of cats, because the purpose is to sanctify them Medium. Mostly, cats say goodbye to their preferred solitary existence when they have to get together due to their diet. If there are few game prey, then the cats roam together in search of food. These feral strays can then be seen, for example, in empty buildings or in refuse bins.

Cats who do not go through life as loners make everyday life in the cat group as comfortable as possible. A cat who has had experiences with bullying and attacks and is not so dominant and brave enough to fend off attacks becomes the inconspicuous follower of the cat group. It arranges itself, holds itself back, has a protective environment and is overlooked by so much submission but smoothly by litigious, strong conspecifics. But even stronger cats take a back seat and tend to avoid friction - but still, when it comes down to it, they'll pull out their claws.

The territorial boundaries will be defended

Cats generally live territorially, which also means that they pay close attention to the fact that no other animal disputes the territory. If an intruder tries it anyway, then there is trouble. Especially hangovers are not squeamish there. Cats subdivide their territories into a home area closer to the home and the wider hunting area. And it is apparently unwritten rule that the territories of the cats do not overlap in one area.

Also domestic cats have in the Apartment these two areas, except that one then speaks of two homes. But the basics are the same: No overlapping and the homes have to be accessible at all times - otherwise they will pee in protest and if someone does not pay attention to the area boundary, there will be a lot of trouble in the cat apartment. Now you can imagine what happens if the apartment is not too big, but a cat group lives in it. Right: The place is so close that no cat can have two undisturbed own homes. The result is rank and turf fights.

How cats can work together

Nevertheless, domestic cats can certainly make friends with their mates - provided the chemistry The animals have enough time to get to know each other and the space is enough to avoid them. It works best with siblings who know each other from an early age. They make less than two rabbits, which are to be socialized by chance. If you want to accustom cats to each other, then please pay attention to the following:

• The characters should complement each other, that is, do not bring together two dominant animals that do not avoid any controversy.
• Come on Zoff in the cat group, you should not intervene too early, because the ranking is reviewed and redefined again and again. This is important for a peaceful coexistence - therefore eyes to and through. Only if it is dangerous, you should intervene.Therefore, I strongly advise: Do not prefer animals, because this challenges another animal to fight for your attention.
• Even with domestic cats, the food plays a major role - and woe it is scarce, then begins the dispute over the food. But you can prevent: everyone gets the same amount of food, each animal has its own feeding place with distance to the other bowls, the bowls are filled for everyone at the same time and is served daily at the same time. So no food fears come on and because everyone gets full, also the food offense has a break. But be careful that the cats do not steal. If a cat is given special feed or smaller portions, feed the animal separately in another room, because if Fighting cats can also be sexually conditioned, so castration should always be considered in a multi-cat posture. For this you consult best with the veterinarian. Text/Photo: Marion Friedl