I think Giselle has a real issue with being the "alpha-cat" of the house. We had two kittens brought home by my brother. She had a year to get used to them, know they are part of the famiy, etc and she just won't let up. Sadly one of the kittens died, presumably he was hit by a car but we will never know. The other one, Oscar, is lonely and missing his brother but Giselle will not let up. She is always hissing and growling and sometimes attacking Oscar. The funny thing is that Oscar doesn't seem to be phased by it. But who knows, it might be really scary to him and now that Felix is gone, he might be more lonely. I just want to know if it's a meezer thing to have such opposition towards other cats or what. When I brought Giselle home, our other cat was horrible to her, always hissing at her and such but it calmed down over the years. Now I think she is just too old to care but Felix and Oscar were never a target of her anger. Giselle on the other hand just can't let it go. I know meezers are more emotional than other cats and maybe that is why but does anyone have any advice? And do you think she will ever calm down about it?
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Maryland
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, November 30, 2006 - 3:22 AMif you love your cats & I know you do, do not let them go outside............. I do not know how many times i must say this & to how many people! I apologize for being or coming across so harsh, but this is something I truly believe & I have heard far far far too many stories of cats being hit by cars, or mauled outside or cat fights etc etc etc.......... -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, November 30, 2006 - 12:52 PMAbsolutely, I agree 1000%! Coyotes can get them too. Imagine your dear little loved ones succumbing to that sort of fate? ? ? Please keep them indoors!
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, November 30, 2006 - 5:20 PMGeeze! Lay off will ya. How dare you even insinunate that she doesn't love her cats!
Let me guess; being PREACHED at about how you choose to live with your cats is not what you were asking about, no?
My cats are indoor/outdoor because they are free spirits and not my prisoners. I will not judge you on keeping your cats indoors please don't preach at me for choosing not too. I love my cats as much as you love yours.
Now to your actual question. I don't think that's necessarily a meezer thing. I've seen that sort of thing happen with lots of cats. When they've had the house all to themselves for a time, then other cats move in, they just don't like it. Giselle will forever feel that Oscar is trespassing. I don't think there's anything you can do about it. Just be sure to never show favoritism. Always feed them the same amound of the same food at the same time. If one gets treats so should the other... that sort of thing.
Will GIselle ever get you all to herself again? My boyfriend had a similar situation. A roommate moved in with a cat. Ben's cat Hamlet (not a meezer) and the other cat did not get along. They lived together for about 3 years. When Ben and Hamlet moved out... WOW... all I can say. Hamlet is a completely different cat now. He's happy, cuddly, sweet. He was just meant to be an only cat! -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, November 30, 2006 - 6:15 PMAnd after we *both* acknowledged she loves her cats! Ya just can't say anything about this issue without hitting the defense nerve.
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Fri, December 1, 2006 - 5:30 AMBeka
blah blah blah
when your cats come home infected and missing an eye, like I have seen, then complain to me again about being preached to!
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, December 7, 2006 - 9:17 PMIt's hard because Giselle lives with my parents. My apartment is so small that I can't have her here, I feel like it would be unfair plus since I don't trust the neighborhood I don't want her to go outside around here. My boyfriend is allergic to cats but I am too, having them around just made me immune I guess. Anyway I am hoping to just have Giselle sometime when I live in a bigger place, that is if my parents get any more cats, because I don't think she could deal with it very well. Thanks for the advice!
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, November 30, 2006 - 9:33 PMTyler is definitely an alpha-cat. Even the two year old boxer ( a dog that is something like four times Tyler's size) that shares the yard acknowledges this - Tyler holds his own.
It's been my experience that cats, in general, tend to stick to a "first come first served" type of social order. Those that arrive late will accomodate the ones that were there first. I try to make things *better* for the oldsters, but am not always successful. Tyler "rules the roost."
There might be some *social bonding* going on with the cats that us mere mortals don't understand. And, watcing Tyler maneuver his way around the first cat, an elderly tabby by the name of Jerry, my guess is that siamese cats are more aggressive about being top dog, so to speak. I don't know what to say. It seems that cats have a social order that is so alien to us as our (human) social order is to them. It also seems that siamese cats know how to "work the system."
Not that I'm sorry, I love this little seal point of mine. But, he really does wield a heavy wip. -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, November 30, 2006 - 11:34 PMEverything I've read about Siamese suggests they tend to dominate other cats, and I can say even my little black half-meezer demonstrates this to textbook perfection! She is now 8 months old, my other cats are 16 1/2, 14, and approximately 10. . .this little meezerette strode into this place at 7 weeks old and informed the other cats that they would from that day forth answer to her. And they do! I've never seen anything like it. She's the first "meezer" I've ever had. If this is how a meezer cross organises the pride, I can only imagine what my other cats will be in for if I ever bring home a purebred! (And this little one is a real curtain-climbing, shelf-climbing, bookcase-climbing, plant-climbing hellion, too! And smart. She's scary-smart! Oh how I love her!) -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Fri, December 1, 2006 - 12:55 AMFor Briar:
Is your meezer an oriental point? They're beautiful cats! It's a weird dichotomy - Tyler (the seal point siamese) is the most docile when it comes to handling him. I take him to the vet a couple of times a year for something, plus his shots, and he never resists my hold. But, when it comes to which cat has the foot of the bed or which cat sits on my lap when I'm at the computer, Tyler fights his way there.
Does your cat tend to intimidate dogs? (Even larger dogs?)
Maybe Tyler is "weird"...:-( -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Fri, December 1, 2006 - 6:12 AMTyler sounds adorable as does Briars half meezer........
how wonderful
:)
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Fri, December 1, 2006 - 12:46 PMDara's only half meezer, and she's all black. Her mother is a registered chocolate point and I've seen her picture--bad camera angle but looks to be either applehead or a classic--not an extreme wedgehead. Here's where it becomes ambiguous though: I got Dara through a Tribe friend who runs a rescue. When she first posted the arrival of the five kittens, she called them "black Siamese." In a subsequent blog posting she explained that they were half, and she posted links to sites on the Black Oriental Shorthair. Then by the time the kittens were ready for adoption and I got Dara, her first veterinary exam certificate I got along with her had her down as "Oriental Mix." So I know her mother was Siamese, but whether he dad was an Oriental or just a regular good old black neighborhood tom, I guess I'll never know.
Dara has the almond shaped eyes sloping toward the nose, ears that stand just a bit taller in proportion to her triangular face than those of non-Siamese, she leans to the ectomorphic build like a classic meezer, her tail is exceptionally long, and she lacks undercoat--all meezer/Oriental traits. Her eyes are green (Black Orientals' are, too) and she's very smart. But unlike Siamese she doesn't have the "crying baby" yowl and although very affectionate she doesn't seem to have the Siamese need to be with me *all* the time. When she looks at me, she looks me directly in the eye and what I see in the expression of *her* eyes is an understanding and wiliness my other cats don't even approach, wonderful as they are. I am reminded of the cat from the "Puss in Boots" story! She's definitely special, but she'll always be kind of a mystery. As for dogs, she hasn't been around many here--only my friend's collie when they occasionally come to visit. She doesn't seem to be afraid of the dog, but doesn't get overly social with him. I've posted pictures of Dara here and on some of the other cat tribes and my own profile album, and it's time I posted some more, so if you're curious you can see her. -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Sat, December 2, 2006 - 8:43 AMyes, she sounds so cute
i will check her/our profile out
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Thu, December 7, 2006 - 9:22 PMGiselle just intimidates the other cats. She won't even mess with our older cat who was there before her, but when it comes to the newer cat she is meaner than I don't know what. She is only half Siamese (lilac point) but acts and looks the part 100%. Giselle is really docile when she wants to be held, but that is the key. When she does not, watch out! But when she wants attention, someone better be around and ready to give undivided attention to her. And if she has been alone for a while and someone comes in the room they get an earful! -
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Re: Alpha cat syndrome
Sat, December 9, 2006 - 12:49 PMLOL
Caitlin that is soooo funny "And if she has been alone for a while and someone comes in the room they get an earful!"
Ahhh, my mom has atleast 10 cats, I have never had more than 3 cats at a time. It gets hard at times, to turn away a cat that's homeless. Giselle is lucky to have you & I am sure with time, things will work themselves out. Sometimes a cat takes much longer than you could imagine to come around to other cats.
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