How to fix feline pet peeves in multicat homes

Continuing our focus on multicat households, we discuss problems that can arise and what to do to prevent them.

Sometimes the signs of this can be obvious: growling or hissing at each other, or fighting or hiding away. However, in many cases, the signs are far more subtle. "Inappropriate elimination, where a cat goes to the toilet around the house, is one of the most common signs of inter-cat stress. They will often go in a very obvious place, such as on a bed, a chair or a table, to try to give a very public signal of their displeasure."

Cats will also hoard resources and some felines in multicat households will overeat and become overweight or prevent other cats from eating.

"Lastly, many cats in a stressful multicat situation will over-groom, repeatedly licking their legs or abdomen, resulting in hair loss and sometimes skin abrasions," the vet says.

The best way to avoid these behavioural issues, Gething says, is to make the home as cat-friendly as possible. "The most important starting point is to prevent any competition for resources such as food, water and shelter. Each cat should have their own food and water bowls, and these should be placed in different areas of the house to prevent one cat from guarding all of them." Each cat should have a bedding area to rest, preferably in quieter, peaceful areas of the house.

Cats should also have play areas, such as a cat tree, scratching posts and toys. "Scratching has an added benefit in helping a cat vent aggression and allowing self-soothing," Gething says.