Behaviour changes following loss of fellow cats

[dinahsmum]

Several people have comented on changes in behaviour of the remaining cat(s) following loss. It's an interesting thing isn't it - I suppose it's quite basic animal behaviour and the shuffling round of the pack/changes in leadership etc.
Mini has changed quite a lot, in some minor ways and some more noticeable. The main overt change is that she is sleeping (daytime) in a quite different place - and not Tizzie's old place either. Took me some time to get used to finding her in a previously ignored basket in a corner of my bedroom. I can't come up with ay animal psychology to explain that. Her eating habits have changed, and she has taken the place Tizzie took on my lap every evening for the last few months of her life.

[Hreow]

If Tizzie was the dominant cat, she probably frowned on Mini sleeping in that basket, even if Mini didn't want to sleep there? Now that Mini's the boss, she can sleep where she wishes.
The rules for the "cat-chess" that goes on in a multi-cat household, or outside, are complex and not for humans to grasp easily. Dominant queens seem to have similar powers to the chess queen, though.

[Fran]

Yes, we had a major shift in heirachy here when Lucky passed on over Christmas. Actually, I thought that Matilda was alpha female here whilst Lucky was alive and she actually tried to make Lucky's life hell at times but it became apparant after Lucky had departed that Lucky had infact been alpha female Matilda, seemed to try from day one of Lucky's departure to take over as alpha female, strangly enough she seems to have accepted that Maud is now alpha female despite the fact that Maud is several years younger than herself. I would say it didn't affect the boys in the slightest and they still have the same heirachy as they had before lucky's passing...

[Hreow]

My only experience is from when I lived in an area where most people (if not all) had cats. The female cats would have their garden, and perhaps a bit more as their core territory, and the males would "annex" (and defend against other males) the territories of the females around them as well as their own garden. It's the only time I've had a chance of observing larger populations of co-existing cats.

[Fran]

It's rather a strange mix in our house. We have two females, one speyed one not. 3 males, 2 neutered and one entire. Surprisingly, it is a very calm existence. Matilda and Sylvester like to keep themselves to themselves and prefer human company to other felines. Actually things are so much easier since Lucky passed away as I could never trust Sylvester or Matilda with her as they really tried to hurt her. I always had to keep her shut away from them when I wasn't around. Now there is no Lucky they all seem to get on just fine Not sure what will happen when I introduce two more females into the house later on this year. Especially, ones so dominant as Siamese/Oriental

[dinahsmum]

I should have added in my first post that Mini is alpha, without a doubt - is Siamese, would gulp her food then steal Tizzie's, Tizzie was very deferential to her, Mini was a litle b*tch and would seek out all Tizzies 'quiet hideaways' and colonise them. But never the basket I spoke about, neither of them were very fussed about that........yet suddenly, that's 'the only place in town'.

Roll on two nice, uncomplicated, eunuchs - tummy kicks anyone?

[Hreow]

The basket may not be in the optimal position to watch all critical paths? If she was making sure that Tizzie didn't get anything nicer than Mini had?

[dinahsmum]

Originally Posted by Hreow

The basket may not be in the optimal position to watch all critical paths? If she was making sure that Tizzie didn't get anything nicer than Mini had?

Yup - good point!
I can understand much of the dog psychology but the cat stuff is beyond me - inscrutable +++

[Kazz]

Well I have given up trying to figure it outdogs easy peasy. But cats - I am in the dark.

I never figured out who was in charge if anyone was. Put down two dishes of identical food and Cleo would always take first choice but if she wasn't there or not hungry and Oscar took a dish Cleo would never move him from it nor would he move even if she passed him or vice versa. On the bed if Cleo was asleep on the bed Oscar never jumped on her side he always came up the other way she would attack him and growl (but that only started a few years ago) and I put it down to her failing hearing not hearing him coming because if she saw him no trouble. Its when he jumped up and took her by surprise the trouble happened. Where as Oz let Cleo jump on him to get to where she wanted but she used to when younger. No one had better sleeping places than another. They would intermigle one have a chair then if that one got off the other may get on or may not it was first come first served basis I think but remember my two were one boy one girl .

Since Oz has gone Cleo still will not sleep on the left hand side of my bed, and her sleeping habits have not changed, she still snoozes where they used to or one would when in. Although she was noticably sadder.
Karen

[dinahsmum]

Your two are prob not the best example Kazz - being siblings and together for 23 years ...... had probably reached an understanding long ago!