Cat behaviour advice please

Jjjjjjjbarry

Hi,

I have two female cats and one seems more dominant than the other.

The older one who is 4 seems to be put off by the younger one who is 1.

Examples:
I can't play with the older one like I used to as the younger one comes flying in to take over so the older one runs away. But if I'm playing with the younger one then the older one stays away. Obviously there is an eager kitten involved here which is normal but is it normal for them not to play together?

If the old one is lying on her back and I'm stroking her and then younger one comes along then the older one runs away.

The older one no longer comes on to the bed at night where as she used to sleep on the bed.

I've seen the younger one pounce on the older one to instigate rough play several times but then again I've seen the older one jump on her the odd time too!

One of them has started to leave uncovered poo in the litter box too. I'm guessing it's the younger one for some reason (I have 2 litterboxes)

It's upsetting to see the older one not seem as happy as she used to be and I'd like to know if there is something I can do? thanks!

Nody

Normal? Yes. A youngster (and 1 year is still young) is going to have way more energy than your adult cat who're settling in for the long haul. To help balance this you need to help your older cat by exhausting the youngster (which means yes, it gets more play time but you can compensate by cuddling more with your older cat) every day multiple times before you serve them their food (ideally you'd do the same with your elder cat as well).

Secondly you need to help your old cat by instituting cuddle spots in bed for your young cat; simply refuse to interact with it outside the area that's suitable far away that you can reach both your old cat's spot and the youngster's spot (personally I use the young one touching me while the old one is at arms length). That will ensure both can share the highly valued area (the bed, smells of you and you spend a ton of time there) while being rewarded. Same thing if you're cuddling them; give each one side where they get cuddles to ensure you can cuddle both without any major issue.

Finally consider getting a third litter box; the normal rule for litter boxes is cats +1 (so in your case 3) to ensure there's a second one to go to in case "theirs" gets taken.

Jjjjjjjbarry

Thanks, I'll try implementing some cuddle zones! Good idea. Trick will be to get the older one back on the bed though as she seems to avoid it now and runs under. I think she thinks it belongs to the 1yr old and not her anymore

I've tried closing the door so it's just me and her in the room and using a toy to try get her up playing but she prefers to stay under the bed and play from there.

Qualitymark

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Thanks, I'll try implementing some cuddle zones! Good idea. Trick will be to get the older one back on the bed though as she seems to avoid it now and runs under. I think she thinks it belongs to the 1yr old and not her anymore

I've tried closing the door so it's just me and her in the room and using a toy to try get her up playing but she prefers to stay under the bed and play from there.

She sounds a bit scared. Maybe a couple of Feliway plugs, one in your room and one downstairs? And I'd be inclined to bar the younger cat completely from your bedroom and make it older-cat-only, so your older cat can feel that she has territory of her own where she's safe.

Jjjjjjjbarry

I might look into those plugs actually. Good idea!

The other night I did only let the older one in the bedroom. At first she was scratching at the door as if she wanted to get out but I waited and after a while she came up on the bed and started purring and went on her side but I noticed she stayed facing the door. Maybe she was making sure if she couldn't get out that the other one couldn't get it?

Thing is the next morning when I opened the door the younger one was waiting outside and ran in with that little 'I'm here' beep and I felt so guilty
(Imagining her waiting patiently outside the door all night)

So last night I left the door open and when I woke up it was the younger one asleep on the bed and the older asleep on top of a wardrobe in another room.
Maybe I should only let the older one in the room until her confidence picks back up or else alternate the nights?

Qualitymark

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

last night I left the door open and when I woke up it was the younger one asleep on the bed and the older asleep on top of a wardrobe in another room.
Maybe I should only let the older one in the room until her confidence picks back up or else alternate the nights?

Just keep the younger one out. My dog isn't allowed to come upstairs, and when I had a scaredy-cat the cat had upstairs under her hegemony. At first, the cat wouldn't even go downstairs past the dog, but after a few months, she was coming down and she and the dog were politely touching noses as they passed. Everyone was happy.

If you try to enforce friendship without giving the underdogcat a territory of her own, she's going to leave and try to find another home where she's not frightened all the time. Her chances if she does this are not great.

Don't worry about the top cat. She wasn't waiting anxiously outside the door all night. She was curled up snoring, and when she heard you getting up she came running in to the place she's been used to accessing, with a happy chirrup of 'meringue'. She'll quickly get used to having her territory outside your room, and the old cat's territory in your room, though she'll probably try to push it for a couple of weeks.