by Shar
(Sandy Hook, CT)

QUESTION:

My husband and I care for 2 neighborhood cats. BooBoo Kitty came into our lives about 2 years ago and she rules. Pekoe came into our lives a few months ago. We feed them and, where Boo would stay the night, now they both stay the night although in different rooms. Pekoe is male, Boo is a neutered male. The ironic thing is that they can lie within a foot of each other and are perfectly comfortable but sometimes Boo becomes territorial and starts hissing and screeching. The other irony is that wherever Pekoe goes, Boo is 3 feet in back of him. Tonight I watched the most precious thing -- Pekoe was asleep on the sofa and Boo, very softly walked up to him, lifted both paws onto the sofa and gently sniffed him. When Boo saw me watching, he came to me and I picked him up and hugged and scratched him. When Pekoe woke up, Boo went back to hissing and moaning. What's happening with these two?




Dear Shar:

One is neutered. The other isn't. They are both males. They are cats and sometimes cats are warm with each other and then the next minute a hiss or other sign of the territorialism that is genetic for them surfaces. There's nothing so strange or unusual going on here. If they were both neutered, things would improve. If they were both there all the time and given the same amount of attention, it would help. Also, catnip can help as can Feliway plug-in's and spray.

Make sure you don't react negatively when it happens. The more you react, the worse it will become. Let them work it out on their own. Be positive and encouraging and calm at all times.

Thank you,
Dr. Neely