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One cat beating up on the other

k-lea Feb 03, 2005 06:01 PM

Hi, I have one male kitten who is about 7 months old and another female cat who is almost 4 years old. They have been getting along well up until just recently when I have sometimes noticed chunks of fur missing from the female cat's neck - I have noticed sometimes when the boy plays he is very rough and bites her neck. When I am around I can stop it, but when I'm not, I don't know what I can do. For the past couple of days, when I come home, the female cat is up on our kitchen counter (where she knows she is not supposed to be) - obviously she is scared of the boy. She hasn't seemed to be eating as much lately and at times I have found her licking the floor instead of eating her food. Very odd behavior... I really don't know what to do. Please help!

Replies (4)

k-lea Feb 08, 2005 09:42 AM

Never mind - took the female to the vet and discovered she was very anemic, and we think she has the blood parasite hemobartonella (mycoplasma). After a blood transfusion and getting her started on antibiotics, she is doing much better.

JaimeMarie Feb 08, 2005 11:42 AM

I'm sorry none of us saw your post before now. Glad to hear you took her to the vet. How is your male cat reacting to her now?
-----
Jaime owned by
Mya the dog
and the cats:Crash, Moxie, Gabby and sometimes Tucker

AstiLover Feb 10, 2005 03:00 PM

Sorry, I missed your second post! So glad the female is doing better. YOu may still want to keep an eye on her and the male as he gets bigger. I have three males (all fixed) and the 7 yr old Bengal still has dominance issues with the youngest one even though the youngest one never initiates it or fights back (he's just a big fat sweetie)and the kitten is now over a year old!

AstiLover Feb 10, 2005 02:56 PM

Sounds like the male cat is tyring to mark his territory and dominate the female cat, even thoug she is older. I went through this with my 7 yr odl Bengal grabbiung my kitten by then neck and then sitting on him while holding on to the neck,once he tried to shake the kitten but then turned his aggression to my 17 yr old cat. They will have to work out the dominance thing between them, but by all means deter the male while you're home. Possilby give your female a space of her own for a while when you're not home so that she knows she has a safe" place to go. Try some Comfort Zone Feliway plug ins and Feliway Comfort Zone spray, this will calm both down and should help head off some of the aggression, expecially while you are not there. You can get these online or at Petco or PetSmart, or almost any major pet store. Let us know how it turns out.
Colleen (in memory of Asti)
and Chopper Boogotti, Claude LeMeiux and Yoko Gary
the cats who run the house!

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