Cats are naturally territorial animals. Even in a multi-cat household, you may notice your cats have their preferred areas that they’re reluctant to share. Rather than fighting your territorial kitten, we recommend working alongside them to find an arrangement that works for you both.
You may notice an increase in territorial behaviors when there are changes in your home, such as a new child, new pet, new furniture or an entire new home. Sometimes you may notice more territorial behaviors if one pet leaves the home for a bit, such as for a veterinary appointment, and then returns home. Territorial behaviors will also increase if your kitten is not spayed or neutered and is developing interest in cats of the opposite sex.
Behaviors you could see include:
- Resistance to being touched
- Excessive hiding
- Increased scratching of furniture
- Urinating or defecating outside of the litter box
- Rapid eating or possessiveness of food when around other pets
- Aggression towards other pets or people in the home
Follow these tips to respect your kitten’s natural behavior while mitigating undesired behaviors:
- Create a safe space for your kitten that is isolated from other pets and children. Make sure the space includes access to vertical space by incorporating window perches or cat trees.
- Provide ample scratching surfaces. Cats mark their spaces by scratching. We recommend providing both vertical surfaces (scratching posts) and horizontal surfaces (scratching pads).
- Provide several litter boxes in your home, especially if you have multiple cats. The general recommendation is to have one more litter box than the number of cats.
- If your kitten is getting possessive of food, feed them away from other pets and children.
- Provide spaces for your kitten to hide when they’re uncomfortable. Hiding is normal for cats who are in a stressful or new situation.
- Respect your kitten’s preferences for physical touch. The usual preferred areas are the head and neck.
- Use cat pheromone sprays or diffusers to help calm your anxious kitten.
- Familiarize yourself with cat body language so you know when your kitten may be stressed or overstimulated.
- When a change occurs, acclimate your kitten to the new situation slowly. Keep introductions to new pets or children short and safe.
If behavior changes are sudden, unexpected or severe, speak with your VCA care team to determine if medical intervention is needed.
