My next good cat (the subject of my article, “How to Teach a Cat to Kiss”) is a five-year-old neutered male crossbreed.
When another cat took refuge in my house, I became anxious because I wasn’t sure how my first cat would react. Will he be happy to have a playmate? Or will he be hostile and jealous if he sees another cat sharing my love and attention? At the introduction, he gave the cat a negative look and then rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the vacuum cleaner. He growled softly whenever the cat approached him. I had to think of a possible solution to a problem that might arise when the time came when the two cats could not get along. It was the furthest thing from my mind to get rid of the kitten because he really charmed my heart. I decided to keep the cat downstairs and let the older cat stay indoors.
I learned two things:
- It is not a good idea to alienate a kitten and an older cat from each other.
- Cat owners should take the initiative to create a friendly atmosphere for the two cats by allowing them both to socialize with each other. But always be on guard to protect the kitten from being bitten or scratched by an older cat.
If you are in the same situation as me, you can observe the behaviors of your cats as they go through the process of getting to know each other and become more than friends in the future.
At first, the older cat will walk away the closer the cat gets. The verb insinuates that the older cat avoids the younger cat because he does not want to harm the cat. It is also a gesture that he can accept the cat’s presence. Then he starts playing with the cat by letting him play with his wagging tail. There may be an example when a cat becomes so excited that it can inadvertently hurt the cat. You can always get his attention but don’t scold an older cat. Instead, let him lick the cat. Then encourage him to play again with the little one. When an older cat licks a cat, a certain character trait is developed in him.
In the case of my good-natured feline, a maternal instinct has developed in him. Take care of the cat and pamper it. Even now, after the kitten is already a mature cat, the older cat is still being pampered.
The experts explained that female behavior develops among castrated male cats because estrogen is the only hormone present in the cat’s body after removing the source of testosterone. It creates a tendency for male cats to act like females. Both estrogen and testosterone are present in humans and animals. In females (both human and animal), estrogen is dominant over testosterone and in males (both human and animal), testosterone is dominant over estrogen.
I was relieved of my fears before the thought of seeing my cat fight. It really is a wonderful experience to see two mature cats that love each other like mother and son. And now I’m jealous that the cat I love so much would prefer his “surrogate mother” to his loving mistress.