Wordless Wednesday
Put on your feline behavior decoder ring and tell us… what do you think’s going on here?
P.S. How do you interpret this scenario? Please add your response tothe comment box. And if you’ve been wondering how to get great photos like the one we featured last week, check this.
UPDATE, January 31: Can’t we all just get along? Maybe not these two, but that doesn’t mean these cats couldn’t find suitable companions. Dr. Brenda Griffin, DVM, MS, DACVIM, explains more—and why it’s so important to monitor feline interactions in a group housing situation—in the comment box.
“Indeed, cats tend to have strong preferences for their roommates,” says Dr. Griffin. Our big red guy may not think Mr. Tux is exactly dressed for success, but he clearly approves of this fellow…
Adds Dr. Griffin, “Making good matches and carefully monitoring for subtle signs of social stress are keys to preventing social stress in group-housed cats and keeping everyone content in the social milieu.”
Related links:
Listen to: ASV Shelter Guidelines Webinars
“Busting the Cat Collar Myth”
“Wordless Wednesday: What’s going on here?”
Photos: Dr. Brenda Griffin, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Tags: Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Shelter Standards, Behavior & Enrichment, Shelter Health, Wordless Wednesday
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LeeAnn Says:
Looks like the orange tabby is about to pounce on the other cat and they are about to wrestle. Could be a play fight or could be a stand off between newly introduced cats…..
Vanessa Packman Says:
You never told me this event was black tie and tails! Dang it, now I have to go change!
Christie Says:
“Back off! The fountain’s mine!”
Looks like the middle of a normal play tussle or the occasional real battle at my house. While Mr. Orange might seem to have the upper hand here, though, it’s possible that Tuxedo Boy is actually the aggressor. I see my dominant male take that semi-low down pose sometimes in the middle of a fight he initiated; just getting ready to spring.
Deb V Says:
ears back, tails low, direct eye contact, b/w is ready to roll over for the ‘back foot kicker move’. probably a quick hit & run tussle between friends
Pune Dracker, Shelters' Edge blog Says:
Cat fight, or it’s all all right? I asked Dr. Brenda Griffin, DVM, MS, DACVIM, to shed some light on the situation here, as the good doctor took this photo as a way to illustrate the importance of monitoring cats who are housed in groups: “The light-colored cat is leaning forward, staring down the tuxedo cat, whose ears are back and body is low, indicating that he is quite frightened by the other cat’s advances,” says Dr. Griffin. “In group settings, dominant cats may intimidate lower-ranking cats in order to block their access to food, litter or favored resting areas. This type of intimidation is very stressful and is a clear indicator that these cats should not be co-housed in a shelter.”
“But,” continues Dr. Griffin, “just because he does not like the tuxedo cat does not mean that the large light-colored male cat can’t find a compatible roommate. He may peacefully coexist with other cats–a female cat would be a good choice, or perhaps a younger male. Indeed, cats tend to have strong preferences for their roommates. Making good matches and carefully monitoring for subtle signs of social stress are keys to preventing social stress in group-housed cats and keeping everyone content in the social milieu.”
- Brenda Griffin, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Florida
P.S. For more information on group housing for cats and dogs in a shelter setting, listen to Dr. Griffin’s excellent webinar, “Shelter Guidelines: Group Housing.” Access the recording here: https://aspcanet.webex.com/tc0505ld/trainingcenter/record/downloadViewAction.do?actionType=view&recordId=40010292&siteurl=aspcanet&setted=102