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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

4388.0. "Agressive behavior towards pregnant cats" by CRUISE::NDC (Putiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313) Thu Feb 14 1991 09:07

    I have observed some undesireable behavior in Dundee and was
    wondering if the breeders out there might enlighten me.
    
    He has become somewhat aggressive to both Bonnie and Halie.
    He breaks out in full fledged spats with Halie.  What he seems
    to do is run up behind them and smack them on the butt with his
    paw.  He's NOT playing.  I have come running to the sounds of
    catfight to find both Halie and Dundee "puffed".  Very occasionally
    I have observed similar behavior in Isis towards Halie only.
    
    I suspect that since both cats are pregnant they smell funny.  Does
    that sound right to you folks?  Also, I wonder why Dundee seems to
    tolerate the two mommies most of the time and just sometimes
    becomes aggressive towards them.
      Nancy DC
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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4388.1whole male scent?DEMON::MURPHYThu Feb 14 1991 11:295
    
    Would it be the scent of Batman on them, Nancy?
    
    Maybe he's jealous cause he "can't". ;-)
    
4388.2Pay him extra attention.AKOCOA::FALLONIsn't that a Mooncat?Thu Feb 14 1991 12:1919
    Hi Nancy!
    
    I have experienced the exact same thing between Ruby and Stinky!  Even
    tho he was fixed they always "fooled around" and were best buddies. 
    After Ruby was bred he would run around and sniff her then hiss and run
    away.  As she became more pregnant she didn't care about him at all and
    I think he got very upset.  If you remember this is what I think
    triggered his mysterious illness just after Christmas.  He was put on
    Serac, a yellow liquid with vallium in it.  Anyway, he seemed to get
    better but will no smack her like you say and make the most awful
    sounds.  He even smacked me in the face the other nite so I gave him
    another dose and he calmed right down.  I have tried to give him
    attention but I think he really needs more to be reassured.  He got soo
    upset the other nite after he tried to hit me.  I can just imagine how
    poor Ruby must feel!  I think if you MAKE the extra time to spend with
    Dundee and REALLY let him know that his life won't change and that you
    love him will help.  Don't let him start to get sick from it.  It will
    also have to run its course, at least that's all I know to do.
    Karen RSW +5
4388.3pregnancy=elevated status/dominance playsWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityThu Feb 14 1991 13:2219
    I have found that the best idea is to keep the pregnant queen's
    separated from the rest of the cats.  Reason for this is that when
    there is fighting going on, there is stress.  Where there is stress,
    there is a higher susceptibility to illness.  The last thing that I
    want when I have a litter due is illness in the house, whether in the
    mom or someone else.  
    
    In my household when one of the cat's becomes pregnant, that means that
    that cat has elevated status in the house.  If that cat was normally
    the dominant cat, then there is no problem.  But, sometimes a cat that
    is usually the low cat on the totem pole is bred and has it's status
    elevated.  That cat is now competing for top cat status with whoever is
    the current dominant cat.
    
    We have observed in our house that being in season, being pregnant or
    having kittens are all things that can have an effect on the social
    heirarchy.
    
    Jo
4388.4CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313Thu Feb 14 1991 13:275
    That's really interesting.  I don't remember any of this when it
    was just Halie who was pregnant, but now its two cats.  
    
    Hey!  Perhaps Dundee is jealous that he can't have his own kittens
    to nurse ;-)  
4388.5Sometimes it isn't easy to figure out exactly who is in chargeWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityThu Feb 14 1991 20:508
Maybe Hallie is the dominant cat.  Sometimes it is hard to pick out who is 
dominant.  It isn't always the one that is picking all the fights.  When we
placed Kyrielle, we discovered that she had been dominant cat and now that she
was gone the structure had to be reorganized.  There was a few weeks of chaos
before they worked it out.  (Limoges is happy to report that she is now dominant
cat!)

Jo