Common feline problem behaviors: Aggression in multi-cat households

Being able to understand and intervene in cases of cat-cat aggression in multi-cat households is important for all veterinarians and behavior counsellors dealing with feline behavior cases. Feline conflicts are common, perhaps not helped by many owners' assumption that this is the norm. Interventions can be complex in multi-cat households with large numbers of cats as there are more interactions to evaluate and monitor, and care needs to be taken not to negatively affect the other cats. There may be limitations due to the environment or the people involved and so behavior guidelines should always be tailored to the individual situation. This article reviews the main forms of aggression in multi-cat households and the appropriate behavioral interventions, considering both the typical scenarios and emotions/motivations most likely involved. It details essential environmental management for multi-cat homes, as well as an approach to friendly cat introductions. This article is aimed at veterinarians dealing with feline behavior cases as well as behavior counsellors, as both professionals are likely to experience cases of aggression in multi-cat households. The author draws on the published literature where available and, where there is a lack of research, on hypotheses derived from her own clinical behavior experience.