I think some do yes. Years ago our cats were all in the garden (we had six at the same) and a dog somehow got round the back of our house. Our eldest at the time - Lewis - charged over and sent the dog running away with its tails between its legs. He was also the same if other cats came to the house. He was a very grumpy cat and would regularly bash our cats about if they tried to eat before him or play with him, but he seemed very protective of them against cats or dogs that he didn't know, which was sweet.
Do cats help each other when they go outside?
2 of 2
We got a couple of kittens a few years back. After we'd tried to get them acclimated to the outdoors, we noticed that one of our older cats (totally unrelated to these) would always follow them around when they were in the garden, as if he was trying to keep them out of trouble
My two girls didn't they hated each other with a passion they were more likely to chase each other away than a strange cat. They both found different boy cats who followed them around like love sick puppies and each would chase off the others 'boyfriend'.
Originally Posted by Richardcoulter:
“Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences of this.
It seems that cats DO tend to look out for each other from the same social group, even if they don't ordinarily get on.
It seems that cats can also miss other cats, even if they didn't get on. To me that shows that there was some underlying affection for the cat, even if this was never made public
”
“Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences of this.
It seems that cats DO tend to look out for each other from the same social group, even if they don't ordinarily get on.
It seems that cats can also miss other cats, even if they didn't get on. To me that shows that there was some underlying affection for the cat, even if this was never made public
”
I remember when our really old gent of a cat took a turn for the worse (he had the vet appointment the next day), our younger cat didn't leave his side all night. She slept in the kitchen next to him which was so out of the ordinary for her. She was just the young interloper who had replaced his sister and they had never really been close but she obviously sensed that something was wrong. Then after her own sister died a few years later she went round the house looking for her crying.
Originally Posted by Richardcoulter:
“Do males tend to protect females?
I wonder because I've just taken in a 6 month old big male, he is a lot bigger than my three year old female cat!
After only living with us for a week or so, when a threatening cat sound was heard, he ran and sat straight by her side 💕
Also, does anybody know what age cats stop growing?
At six months my kitten is huge- bigger than the average adult cat.
It's not obesity, obviously I don't want him to become overweight, but as a (larger than normal) growing kitten, I don't want to underfeed him either
”
“Do males tend to protect females?
I wonder because I've just taken in a 6 month old big male, he is a lot bigger than my three year old female cat!
After only living with us for a week or so, when a threatening cat sound was heard, he ran and sat straight by her side 💕
Also, does anybody know what age cats stop growing?
At six months my kitten is huge- bigger than the average adult cat.
It's not obesity, obviously I don't want him to become overweight, but as a (larger than normal) growing kitten, I don't want to underfeed him either
”
It would also depend on the breed of your male cat too, even if he is a moggy, he could have a larger breed's genes. Plus males tend to be larger than females.
Originally Posted by Richardcoulter:
“Many thanks- I'll use this method to check
The adult cat has Whiskas in cans, so I've been feeding the kitten Whiskas kitten pouches.
These work out to be terribly expensive, so I've started using Sainsbury's own brand kitten pouches.
I must admit that I used to think that special wet food for kittens was a marketing money making ploy, but my research has shown that kittens should eat kitten food to help them grow and that it's not very good for adult cats. Conversely, food intended for adult cats is not very good for kittens.
The problem I have is that the adult and kitten eat each other's food, I hope this isn't harming them.”
“Many thanks- I'll use this method to check
The adult cat has Whiskas in cans, so I've been feeding the kitten Whiskas kitten pouches.
These work out to be terribly expensive, so I've started using Sainsbury's own brand kitten pouches.
I must admit that I used to think that special wet food for kittens was a marketing money making ploy, but my research has shown that kittens should eat kitten food to help them grow and that it's not very good for adult cats. Conversely, food intended for adult cats is not very good for kittens.
The problem I have is that the adult and kitten eat each other's food, I hope this isn't harming them.”
Kitten food is a fairly new thing. Kittens fed on adult cat food years ago, before the invention of kitten food, survived very well. I gave my boy kitten food, but stopped at 6 months because he didn't like it preferring the older cats food, she ate the kitten food. He is 17 months now and a big healthy boy.
The kitten I got aged 3 months never had kitten food she is now 11 months, and very healthy. I feed mainly Felix varieties and Purina dry food.
Originally Posted by Richardcoulter:
“Does anybody know if cats that live together in the home (I think they call this a 'social group'), will help each other in a fight or dispute with other cats when the are outside?
Or, is it every cat for him/herself?
Thanks.”
“Does anybody know if cats that live together in the home (I think they call this a 'social group'), will help each other in a fight or dispute with other cats when the are outside?
Or, is it every cat for him/herself?
Thanks.”
I think if there's a common threat, they do.
Originally Posted by elliecat:
“I remember when our really old gent of a cat took a turn for the worse (he had the vet appointment the next day), our younger cat didn't leave his side all night. She slept in the kitchen next to him which was so out of the ordinary for her. She was just the young interloper who had replaced his sister and they had never really been close but she obviously sensed that something was wrong. Then after her own sister died a few years later she went round the house looking for her crying.”
“I remember when our really old gent of a cat took a turn for the worse (he had the vet appointment the next day), our younger cat didn't leave his side all night. She slept in the kitchen next to him which was so out of the ordinary for her. She was just the young interloper who had replaced his sister and they had never really been close but she obviously sensed that something was wrong. Then after her own sister died a few years later she went round the house looking for her crying.”
Awwww x
Originally Posted by Heartache:
“It would also depend on the breed of your male cat too, even if he is a moggy, he could have a larger breed's genes. Plus males tend to be larger than females.”
“It would also depend on the breed of your male cat too, even if he is a moggy, he could have a larger breed's genes. Plus males tend to be larger than females.”
That's true.
I'm beginning to feel like Jack with his beanstalk, every day that cat gets bigger.
What will I do it it doesn't stop!
Originally Posted by yoko ono:
“Kitten food is a fairly new thing. Kittens fed on adult cat food years ago, before the invention of kitten food, survived very well. I gave my boy kitten food, but stopped at 6 months because he didn't like it preferring the older cats food, she ate the kitten food. He is 17 months now and a big healthy boy.
The kitten I got aged 3 months never had kitten food she is now 11 months, and very healthy. I feed mainly Felix varieties and Purina dry food.”
“Kitten food is a fairly new thing. Kittens fed on adult cat food years ago, before the invention of kitten food, survived very well. I gave my boy kitten food, but stopped at 6 months because he didn't like it preferring the older cats food, she ate the kitten food. He is 17 months now and a big healthy boy.
The kitten I got aged 3 months never had kitten food she is now 11 months, and very healthy. I feed mainly Felix varieties and Purina dry food.”
I must admit, I thought that the (more expensive) kitten food was just a marketing ploy, but when I looked into it on independent websites, it said that they both contain different things that the cat needs at different stages of it's life.
I think it said that kitten food had more fat in it.
You're right though, before this was invented, kittens survived!
Maybe the experts would say that a kitten brought up on cat food doesn't grow to it's full potential (stunted growth)
2 of 2
