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Let's get back to the thread topic. Can anyone give me insight into the following cat behavior?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopes
Aren't cats supposed to be social? She keeps herself separate from the colony. She always hung out in my next door neighbor's yard, but she also spent time with her colony across the street. Is she keeping herself separate because she is nursing a kitten? Or is she lavishing in the fact she has found her own food source that she doesn't have to share with the rest of the colony?
Aren't cats supposed to be social? She keeps herself separate from the colony. She always hung out in my next door neighbor's yard, but she also spent time with her colony across the street. Is she keeping herself separate because she is nursing a kitten? Or is she lavishing in the fact she has found her own food source that she doesn't have to share with the rest of the colony?
Weird thing about cats is that if it was a perfect world each would want to be the only cat in existence. However, they're smart enough to realize it isn't a perfect world and they adapt as they see fit, each one making individual choices on how much or little to adapt. Some cats decide to hang out closely with others, some hang out a distance, and some keep themselves removed completely. Over time they can even change their minds and make a different choice depending on age and circumstance.
Colonies occur because of the desire for safety (safety in numbers) and access to food (a common-to-all location that none can claim for itself). Each generation learns from the previous.
To answer your question "aren't cats supposed to be social?", no, they're not. They're not as solitary as tigers, but they don't desire a pride like lions. Colonies are not like lion prides, but many cats do learn that being social has great benefits, and so they adapt. For those with multiple-cat households, it's easy to see all the different choices made. Some cats are velcroed to humans or other cats and others are more aloof, coming by our legs to say "hey thanks for food and shelter and yeah you can rub my head once, but I'm off to take a nap on the other side of the house."
I guess I thought they were social because everyone here is always telling me that Bobbles needs a second cat for a friend. I have a suspicion that Bobbles would prefer to be the only cat in the house.
I guess I thought they were social because everyone here is always telling me that Bobbles needs a second cat for a friend. I have a suspicion that Bobbles would prefer to be the only cat in the house.
Maybe, and maybe not. It depends on Bobbles, and I don't think there is a way to know for sure other than bringing in another cat and seeing how it goes. It's a crap shoot. I have 1 male and 4 females (used to be 5 females). All the girls like & are friendly with the male, but not each other. If each female were the only cat in the house, they would be perfectly fine with that. The only thing they might miss being an only cat would be the fun they have pushing each others' buttons.
I guess I thought they were social because everyone here is always telling me that Bobbles needs a second cat for a friend. I have a suspicion that Bobbles would prefer to be the only cat in the house.
I agree with your suspicion, and as catdadx7 said, it's always a crap shoot bringing another cat into the house!
(Bobbles sounds like such a cool cat!!)
As for your outside mama kitty, her life has been so full of changes that perhaps she's adoring sunning herself on "her" trampoline and enjoying the relaxing peace and quiet with no responsibilities and stresses of seeking food nor having to be constantly in protection mode. She may have always preferred to be more aloof from the group. And the kitten probably self-weaned (the four I rescued did), and is now doing what some cats do very well - staying invisible.
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