How Can I Get My Two Cats To Stop Fighting?
Fighting is a natural feline behavior, and the key to getting cats to stop is to understand why they're fighting. Cat behavior is complex, so be patient. You may need to try several solutions before finding one that works.
Consider the living situation–have you just introduced a new cat into the home? Do you have a young cat who is reaching sexual maturity? Have you moved, leaving your cats to establish new territories? The root cause will determine how you resolve your cats' conflicts.
Common causes of cat fights include:
Hormones. Male cats are often involved in inter-cat aggression, which most often occurs when a cat reaches social maturity between two and four years of age. Although this type of aggression is usually seen in males competing for mates, it can occur between cats of any sex when territorial conflicts occur.
The first step toward eliminating this form of aggression is to spay and neuter your cats.
"New Cat" smell. When you bring a new cat into the home, it will have a new cat smell.
Jealousy. A new cat will almost always get more attention from you than your existing brood does. Give your other cats extra one-on-one time in order to alleviate their fears of abandonment.
Territory. Cats are naturally territorial, even if the territory extends no further than the end of your couch.
Surviving a Cat Bath
If you must give your cat a bath, the best solution is to make sure you have all the necessary supplies handy, so you can make the cat?s bath happen very quickly.
Following is a step-by-step procedure for the quick and painless cat bath:
- Fill the sink with about 2-3 inches of lukewarm water
- Wet the cat from the shoulders to the tail and apply shampoo.
- Just like your own hair, lather and rinse thoroughly
- Since most cats really hate having water splashed on their faces, use a damp washcloth to gently clean your cat's head.
- Use a cotton ball to clean inside the cat's ears. Never put any kind of object (not even a Q-Tip) in your cat's ear.
- After a thorough rinsing, lift your cat onto a large towel and fold it around them.
- Rub as much water from their fur as possible
It's much easier to wash a cat in a kitchen or bathroom sink than bending over a bathtub.
