Domineering behaviour

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Toni Ford
Returning Cat Chatter
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:13 pm

Domineering behaviour

Post by Toni Ford »

Hi all

I would like some advice please. I have 2 FIV+ boys Ralph and Freddie, they have been living together for a year, although they are not best chums they tolerate each other. They have an outside run but I have recently cat proofed my garden so they have free access to a much larger area. The problem is that Ralph is now bullying Freddie. Freddie is elderly with poor eye sight but usually holds his own with Ralph but Ralph is now pinning Freddie down by biting his neck and laying on him, this can happen several times a day.

I am presuming that it is a territorial issue but I don't know how to proceed. If I knock on the window or shout Freddie is likely to think that he has done something wrong when he hasn't and I don't want him to be frightened of going into the garden but I need to try and stop Ralph's domineering behaviour.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Toni
Kitkatbahr
New Cat Chatter
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2022 4:22 pm

Re: Domineering behaviour

Post by Kitkatbahr »

Hi,

What about alternating their time in the garden? Let one out for awhile, bring him in, then let the other out.
Toni Ford
Returning Cat Chatter
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:13 pm

Re: Domineering behaviour

Post by Toni Ford »

Hi

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately as they live together this happens indoors as well. I can monitor them some of the time but not at night and I know it happens then because Freddie's neck is sometimes crispy in the morning where Ralph has obviously grabbed him. Ralph is missing is upper canine teeth so doesn't do any damage but Freddie doesn't like it.

Freddie does try and cosy up to Ralph and on the those occasions Ralph runs away; most odd, if only we could understand what they are thinking.

Toni
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