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By:
Dr. Mikel Delgado
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Illustrations by Michelle Simpson
One of the most common behaviour concerns in multi-cat households is when cats don’t get along. Although with a slow introduction, most cats will adjust to living with other cats, not all do. In some cases, the signs of conflict can be obvious (fighting, hissing, and growling). Other times, the problems can be more subtle and hard to detect. That is when we might see hiding, resource blocking, or signs of stress, like changes in feeding behaviours or urination outside the litter box.
Whether your cats are fighting or showing subtler signs of aggression and stress, these proven strategies will increase harmony in your multi-cat household.
How to Help Cats Get Along When They Don’t Like Each Other
Step 1. Adjust Your Expectations
Many times, we expect our current cats to behave like our previous cats did. Maybe your previous cats were BFFs and cuddled and played together well. But not all cats will be friends. In these cases, the goal is not cuddling—the goal is safe co-existence. That might mean that it’s better if your cats choose to avoid each other as much as possible. And that’s okay as long as your cats are happy and relaxed.
Step 2. Collect Cat Data + Make a Map
Start by understanding what is going on. I encourage my cat behaviour clients to keep a log of when and where there is there conflict in the home. Behaviour is rarely random, and often there are clear patterns. I also like to draw a map of the home, with the cats’ “stuff” (litter boxes, food, water, beds, scratching posts) clearly labelled.
Where does each cat like to spend their time? Which areas are used by multiple cats? And which are used by only one cat? This can help you determine each cat’s unique and shared territories. Now add conflict areas to the map and see if there are connections between specific resources and the problems you are observing.
For each important resource (litter boxes, food, water, beds, scratching posts), you need at least as many of them as you have cats.
Step 3. Make Sure You Have Enough Cat Resources to Go Around
When it comes to cats, more resources are better! You will never go wrong by adding another litter box or cat tree. For each important resource (litter boxes, food, water, beds, scratching posts), you need at least as many of them as you have cats—i.e., if you have three cats, you need three litter boxes minimum. Be sure to spread these resources throughout your home so that all cats can access what they need without competition. Use your map (Step 2) to help you identify where there are gaps or where one cat’s territory might not have everything they need within it.
Be sure to give your cats plenty of space at mealtimes. Feeding cats several feet apart, or even in separate rooms, is ideal.
People often make the mistake of feeding cats near each other to try to make them like each other. But keep in mind that cats are not social eaters—they hunt prey animals that are too small to share. Their instinct is to eat alone, so feeding them together can be more stressful than helpful. Be sure to give your cats plenty of space at mealtimes. Feeding cats several feet apart, or even in separate rooms, is ideal.
Step 4. Use Training (Yes, cats can be trained!)
Hopefully we no longer need to inform people that yes, cats can be trained! In addition to training our cats to do cute tricks, we can use training to reward cats for good behaviour around each other.
Training a cat to sit can easily be turned into training your cat to stay. You can train multiple cats to sit in their places calmly when together, allowing them to earn treats for the behaviours YOU want them to show together.
Through training, you can reward cats for making good choices in their interactions with each other.
You can train a recall or target in cats (asking them to come to you or to touch their nose to an offered finger), just like you can for dogs. Now we have tools in our toolkit to stop cats from chasing each other or getting in another cat’s personal space. Through training, you can reward cats for making good choices in their interactions with each other.
Step 5. Play With Your Cats!
As the saying goes, tired pets are happy pets. Interactive playtime with wand toys is a great way to exercise cats and reduce stress. For scared cats, it can provide a confidence boost. For overactive cats, it can reduce that excess energy. This allows all cats to come to any interactions feeling a bit more relaxed.
In a multi-cat household, be sure to separate cats for playtime as needed. This prevents one cat from hogging the toy, gives everyone the chance to play, and stops cats from accidentally jumping on each other!
Step 6. Don’t Let Them Fight It Out
If your cats are actively fighting, the time to intervene is NOW. Fighting will not make your cats like each other. Cat fights can lead to injuries and secondary behaviour problems, such as litter box avoidance. Talk to your veterinarian and ask for a referral for a qualified behaviour professional.
Cat fights can lead to injuries and secondary behaviour problems, such as litter box avoidance.
You may need to separate and re-introduce your cats for a relationship reset. Many cat parents may also utilize management (via baby gates and screen doors) to keep cats separated when they can’t supervise. In some cases, your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist may suggest behaviour medications to help your cats.
To sum…
Sadly, some cats are not meant to live together, and in some cases, one or more cats may need to be rehomed. But by following the steps I’ve laid out for you, you will give your cats the best chance to live together peacefully, even if they aren’t best friends.
This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Cat magazine. Subscribe today!