[aniela26]

I have 2 cats, Cosmo (7) and Zoe (3). They mostly co-exist peacefully although they have never been the best of friends. No hissing, they eat together and can generally be in close proximity without issue. Cosmo is the typical, confident boy and Zoe is much more timid and shy. I brought Zoe into the house at 6 months old and took over a month to introduce the two cats.

Once in a while, usually in the evenings, Zoe will be sleeping in her bed or just lounging on the floor. Cosmo will come down from the couch or where ever he just was, walk over to Zoe and just start biting her. Completely unprovoked! Obviously Zoe hates this and runs away into the other room.

Any ideas on how to stop this?

 

[catloverami]

How bothered by attacks is Zoe? Does she hiss and fight back? This is normal behavior my two do this as well, my boy Zuba is always trying to knock Alkee off her throne. He wants to be the dominant one. But she goes after him about a third of the time. Neither have had a bad fight with fur flying and bad scratches or vicious biting. I wouldn't interfere if that's all that's going on. Sounds like Cosmo is bored, and decides it's "beat up Zoe time". You could try more interactive play with them with a fishing pole type of toy like "Da Bird". If Zoe is showing a lot of fear and hiding away, not wanting to eat, afraid to move around, then that's another thing. In that case I would try and intervene when you see Cosmo start to go after her, with a distraction......shake a can of pennies, toss a paper ball somewhere, or stomp your foot on the floor.

 

[spirite]

Have Cosmo and Zoe always had this kind of relationship? I have a bully too, and the bullied one is totally timid and never asserts herself. But they've lived like this for over 10 years and seem to have just agreed that this is the dynamic between them. I'd love for them to get along better, but there have never been any serious fights.

 

[aniela26]

Thank you both for your responses. Cosmo and Zoe have always had this sort of relationship, I just feel so bad for poor Zoe sometimes. She fights back but once in a while Cosmo catches her off guard. There have never been any serious fights and I figured Cosmo was just bored. I do my best to distract him, I'll just have to find some new techniques! Thanks again!

 

[librarychick]

My boys do this to eachother all the time. With them it's usually because one of them (the 'attacker') want's to play and the other is napping. Usually the napping boy rolls over and they start grooming, then move into wrestling. Occasionally whichever one was napping gets upset and whaps his brother hard on the head...then gets left alone.

Neither of my boys do this to the girls when they're sleeping, but they do try and pounce the girls when they're sitting still watching something, or just lazing around. That never ends well.

I know both my boys do it out of boredom. If I see it coming then I'll distract with a toy for a minute, or get them to come cuddle me. Usually mum-cuddles trump bugging their siblings.