Cat dominance? Fat cat pics added...

mandelyn82 · 08-09-2006, 06:50 AM

Do they form a heiarchy?

My Cat, and Brownie, the one I'm cat sitting for... are getting along great now. Brownie has been doing much better since I changed his diet, groomed him (pulling 3 cats worth of hair from him)(and he's a short hair!) and since he's adjusted to living here.

They'll play, fly through the house like maniacs, steal each others toys.

But I don't know what to do about the food situation.

All the cat stuff, is in one room, but there's another litter box upstairs.

Food bowls are 5 feet apart... because they won't share, and hiss and spit if they're any closer.

I can't seperate them and close doors... Cat will open them, and Brownie will howl if I lock them to keep Cat out.

Neither of them eat a "meal"... they both "free range" through out the day. Independantly, anyways.

Brownie, nibbles here or there, from both bowls, dry and canned.

Cat... stuffs herself to the max... after Brownie walks away from his.

This makes Brownie, eat faster, and then get sick.

I tried feeding in seperate rooms... neither cooperate. Tried feeding one in the kitchen, grabbing the other, carrying it to the cat room, and then passing out that food... then they both run off to see what the other got, then go back to their bowls... then.. ugh... it turns into a big tizzy and the dog chows down on whatever bowl I can't see leaving the cats to come back around and fight over the remaining bowl.

Now, the bowls are close to me at this desk. I have the squirt bottle... so that I can run Cat off when she shows up to gorge herself. Skinny butt Brownie sees this... and won't come eat, thinking he'll catch a squirt.

Everything else has been figured out. Who gets what side of the bed, who gets what chair seat under the table, who get the prime bird watching spot... but this eating buisness.... I don't know what to do. It's been a hassle for 3 weeks now.

Crap... while I was typing Cat just polished off the bowl of canned food. She's getting very, very plump.

Her old schedual, was 1 cup of dry food, once a day. It lasted her all day.

Brownie, was on canned, twice a day. He barely gets a chance at it before she's wolfed it down for him before I catch her. He'll eat the dry... but then she gets after him about it because it's "her" bowl. He won't defend his own bowl.

Brownie, is just too finicky... and Cat... is just a pig.

Here's Cat with her new found pouch of fat.

Here's Brownie... he has a "pouch" but it's empty... like he used to be fat, and it's gone leaving flab. He looks much better and almost healthy after the grooming.

Lady_MCSE · 08-09-2006, 12:28 PM

For once, believe it or not, I have absolutely no suggestions.

If you read the other "fat cat" thread where I posted about my fat Mr. Tigger, a.k.a. Piggy Tiggy, a.k.a. Bigger Tigger, then you know I"ve been through the same stuff and am at my own wits' end with it.

bettymo · 08-09-2006, 12:47 PM

yes, heirarchy can be very important to some cats. (other cats are just to laid back they don't care) but most, especially females and unneutered males, have to have a pecking order. i've had cats that wont eat when the higher up cat is already eating, and i've had other alpha cats that always step back and let the other cats eat first. they probably just need to work out their pecking order. and that may take more time if they are both adults and both pretty new to the house.
my family took in a starving abandoned cat when i was little, who was older than all our other cats. it really got messy at meal times because she thought she should be alpha sense she was oldest, and our cats disagreed because she was the newcomer.
and while your cat doesn't look very fat to me, cats will eat more when trying to establish dominance. i don't know why, it's just something i've observed. maybe it's a "look, i can eat whenever i want to, i'm dominant" kind of thing.
anyway, cute cat...i love black kitties.

iris_surreal_euphoria · 08-09-2006, 12:50 PM

Cats are such strange creatures, I tell you what. Yes they certainly have a kitty pecking order. Your fat cat sounds alot like my cat, Lunar who is very over wieght. I have another cat, Quiet who looks anorxic (sp).
I've never had that exact problem but I've had many similar. It sounds to me like Cat is having a jealousy issue, and food is just a good way to express it. What you might try is giving Cat some "specail time" in which just you and cat stay in one room. Groom her, pet her and take her mind off the fact that Brownie is eating up some food elsewhere. What I did when Quiet was first introduced to Lunar was took Lunar in the bathroom with me when I would shower (Yeah, it's kinda wierd) but he was amused at playing with the shower curtain and tearing the bathroom apart while quiet got familar with the room and got to eat.
It may work it may not, cats are so difficult sometimes

. Lunar loves to scarf food down then hurl it up where ever he feels it's appropriate. (Like on my clothes.) Good luck!

bettymo · 08-09-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iris_surreal_euphoria

Lunar loves to scarf food down then hurl it up where ever he feels it's appropriate.

my gypsy does that, too...i swear she doesn't even chew her food. It's totally whole when she throws it up. And it's a special expensive food (she has bladder problems) i just want to yell "that's expensive food! eat it!" when she does that.

iris has a good idea...giving your cat some quality one on one time. that also helps her to feel superior over brownie sense she knows you are giving her attention and not brownie.

and you don't have to lock brownie out to do it...just make a point to pet her/play with her more often. (then observe the smug "that's right I'M the best cat" expression on her face hehe)
and if she likes being picked up, she'll like it even more when brownie around...the alpha cat always wants to be on the highest lookout post above the other cats.

mandelyn82 · 08-09-2006, 03:07 PM

I did notice jealousy when I was cleaning Brownie up. So I cleaned out the brush and got ahold of Cat... then the dog got jealous.. so I brushed her down too.

Then, I vacuumed. Because hair... was every where.

I wouldn't really be that worried about it, since it's temporary... but I don't know when the owner is coming back. She still hasn't had her baby, she's coming up on being over due. Then there's a few weeks with the new baby. Her husband doesn't come in until September. So who knows.

I just don't want Cat blimping out during this period of time. Or getting accustomed to eating this much.

We did invent a new game. Cat, goes and lays on the floor down the hall. Brownie, stays in the middle, crouched down. I throw the cat nip toy, Maggie runs to get it, Brownie leaps for it, but Cat catches it. Then Maggie takes it from her and brings it back to me and we repeat. Never had a 4 way game before... kind of amusing. lol

08-09-2006, 06:50 AM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,977	Cat dominance? Fat cat pics added... Do they form a heiarchy? My Cat, and Brownie, the one I'm cat sitting for... are getting along great now. Brownie has been doing much better since I changed his diet, groomed him (pulling 3 cats worth of hair from him)(and he's a short hair!) and since he's adjusted to living here. They'll play, fly through the house like maniacs, steal each others toys. But I don't know what to do about the food situation. All the cat stuff, is in one room, but there's another litter box upstairs. Food bowls are 5 feet apart... because they won't share, and hiss and spit if they're any closer. I can't seperate them and close doors... Cat will open them, and Brownie will howl if I lock them to keep Cat out. Neither of them eat a "meal"... they both "free range" through out the day. Independantly, anyways. Brownie, nibbles here or there, from both bowls, dry and canned. Cat... stuffs herself to the max... after Brownie walks away from his. This makes Brownie, eat faster, and then get sick. I tried feeding in seperate rooms... neither cooperate. Tried feeding one in the kitchen, grabbing the other, carrying it to the cat room, and then passing out that food... then they both run off to see what the other got, then go back to their bowls... then.. ugh... it turns into a big tizzy and the dog chows down on whatever bowl I can't see leaving the cats to come back around and fight over the remaining bowl. Now, the bowls are close to me at this desk. I have the squirt bottle... so that I can run Cat off when she shows up to gorge herself. Skinny butt Brownie sees this... and won't come eat, thinking he'll catch a squirt. Everything else has been figured out. Who gets what side of the bed, who gets what chair seat under the table, who get the prime bird watching spot... but this eating buisness.... I don't know what to do. It's been a hassle for 3 weeks now. Crap... while I was typing Cat just polished off the bowl of canned food. She's getting very, very plump. Her old schedual, was 1 cup of dry food, once a day. It lasted her all day. Brownie, was on canned, twice a day. He barely gets a chance at it before she's wolfed it down for him before I catch her. He'll eat the dry... but then she gets after him about it because it's "her" bowl. He won't defend his own bowl. Brownie, is just too finicky... and Cat... is just a pig. Here's Cat with her new found pouch of fat. Here's Brownie... he has a "pouch" but it's empty... like he used to be fat, and it's gone leaving flab. He looks much better and almost healthy after the grooming. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"

08-09-2006, 12:28 PM
Lady_MCSE Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Shytown, IL Posts: 3,646	For once, believe it or not, I have absolutely no suggestions. If you read the other "fat cat" thread where I posted about my fat Mr. Tigger, a.k.a. Piggy Tiggy, a.k.a. Bigger Tigger, then you know I"ve been through the same stuff and am at my own wits' end with it. __________________ A little self-deprecating humor from time to time can be healthy. Just be cautious -- make sure it doesn't turn to self-defecating humor. --LadyM

08-09-2006, 12:47 PM
bettymo Yearling Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: oklahoma city Posts: 672	yes, heirarchy can be very important to some cats. (other cats are just to laid back they don't care) but most, especially females and unneutered males, have to have a pecking order. i've had cats that wont eat when the higher up cat is already eating, and i've had other alpha cats that always step back and let the other cats eat first. they probably just need to work out their pecking order. and that may take more time if they are both adults and both pretty new to the house. my family took in a starving abandoned cat when i was little, who was older than all our other cats. it really got messy at meal times because she thought she should be alpha sense she was oldest, and our cats disagreed because she was the newcomer. and while your cat doesn't look very fat to me, cats will eat more when trying to establish dominance. i don't know why, it's just something i've observed. maybe it's a "look, i can eat whenever i want to, i'm dominant" kind of thing. anyway, cute cat...i love black kitties.

08-09-2006, 12:50 PM
iris_surreal_euphoria Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset, Kentucky Posts: 1,077	Cats are such strange creatures, I tell you what. Yes they certainly have a kitty pecking order. Your fat cat sounds alot like my cat, Lunar who is very over wieght. I have another cat, Quiet who looks anorxic (sp). I've never had that exact problem but I've had many similar. It sounds to me like Cat is having a jealousy issue, and food is just a good way to express it. What you might try is giving Cat some "specail time" in which just you and cat stay in one room. Groom her, pet her and take her mind off the fact that Brownie is eating up some food elsewhere. What I did when Quiet was first introduced to Lunar was took Lunar in the bathroom with me when I would shower (Yeah, it's kinda wierd) but he was amused at playing with the shower curtain and tearing the bathroom apart while quiet got familar with the room and got to eat. It may work it may not, cats are so difficult sometimes . Lunar loves to scarf food down then hurl it up where ever he feels it's appropriate. (Like on my clothes.) Good luck! __________________ If wishes were horses this room would need a good mucking! Visit our website: http://www.freewebs.com/lazziassacres/

08-09-2006, 03:07 PM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,977	I did notice jealousy when I was cleaning Brownie up. So I cleaned out the brush and got ahold of Cat... then the dog got jealous.. so I brushed her down too. Then, I vacuumed. Because hair... was every where. I wouldn't really be that worried about it, since it's temporary... but I don't know when the owner is coming back. She still hasn't had her baby, she's coming up on being over due. Then there's a few weeks with the new baby. Her husband doesn't come in until September. So who knows. I just don't want Cat blimping out during this period of time. Or getting accustomed to eating this much. We did invent a new game. Cat, goes and lays on the floor down the hall. Brownie, stays in the middle, crouched down. I throw the cat nip toy, Maggie runs to get it, Brownie leaps for it, but Cat catches it. Then Maggie takes it from her and brings it back to me and we repeat. Never had a 4 way game before... kind of amusing. lol __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"