A question for Christine Animal

[Edward Trunk]

We have been offered a pair of kittens, three months old, brother and sister, at present both un-neutered. We had brother-and-sister cats before, (both neutered)and eventually the male began to bully the female. We tried everything - giving them separate food bowls, well apart, etc, but it didn't improve. and the female took to staying out of the house all day and coming in with us in the evening when we came back from work. Eventually we re-homed the male, and then all was fine. What I need to know is, do you think this is inevitable behaviour? We don't want to go through it all again.

[louis]

Sorry to butt in on question for Christine but I have kept cats for the last 30 years and have at present got 10. I have three sets of brothers and brothers and sisters. I think that it was just the nature of your male, as in humans we don't always like our siblings do we? Sometimes my lot bicker a bit but in general get on really well. Don't be put off by your past experience as the new ones will probably love each others company.

Best of luck

[Christine Animal]

I agree, they will probably love each other's company.  We had to get four in last year, born outside.  The mother was coming to feed where we put food out for other homeless cats and then brought her kittens!  They were of course only half tame, we couldn't touch them, though they knew us well.  So we waited until they were about six months old, trapped them one by one, took them straight to the vet to be neutered and identified and tested for Felv and Fiv, luckily all negative, and then put them with the others.  We also got the mother in.

So, to cut a long story short, they all get on fine together.   [:D]

You were probably unlucky before as it's certainly not general.

 

[Judie]

I also have a large number of cats (13), two dogs and three chickens and everyone gets on very well. As louis says, sometimes there are a few disagreements, but there is a pecking order and everyone understands that. Each time a new one is introduced, there is a period of adjustment, but everyone shakes down pretty well together, and I have a lovely row of 10 feeding dishes (for the ones who eat inside) lined up in my kitchen. My mother, who lives with us, brought her 3 adult female cats with her and has just introduced two tiny white female sisters. After a month, all is reasonably peaceful.

I'm sure it will go well for you.

[Cluzo]

I had brother /sister kittens and the male bullied his sister so the next time I tried brother /brother  but they must have had different fathers ( maine coone and tiny) and one was twice the size of the other and bullied him almost into a nervous breakdown . But sadly when he was 2 the big one got IFA and had to be put down - he was my favorite cos he was so and stupid .  The little one then went from strenth to strenth  - confident and lovable and small and slim.  In fact the girlies at the vets hold him up as a model of what every cat should be like . ( this is in the UK where loads of cats are obese) .

I think as people say -give it a go - all cats are different   - also Ive just thought -on both occasions I was out at work all day so iIwasnt there to mediate . 

[Jo]

I have kept a half brother and sister couple ( same Dad ) and currently have a full brother and sister pair all neutered, in both sets the male was twice the size of the females and apart from a few spats ( no injuries, just a bit of a smack! ) I have had no problems with bullying at all[:)]