Cat Hierarchy: Who is the “top cat” in your home?
Cats are known for their independent nature and their love for lounging around the house. However, despite their laid-back exterior, domestic cats can actually have a well-defined hierarchy within their social groups. Understanding the social dynamics of cats can help pet owners provide a better living environment for their furry friends. In this blog post, we’ll explore the domestic cat hierarchy in detail.
The Domestic Cat Hierarchy
In the wild, cats have often been thought of as solitary animals that only come together to mate (in reality, groups of females often live together to raise children and young males will roam together in small packs). Domestic cats have adapted to living in social groups, perhaps because humans have provided them with food, shelter, and companionship. Within these groups, cats sometimes establish a hierarchy, or pecking order, to maintain social and territorial order.
The hierarchy is based on a number of factors, including age, sex, and personality. Typically, adult cats are at the top of the hierarchy, followed by juveniles, and finally, kittens.
The top cat, or dominant cat, is the one that controls the resources within the group. You may see your top cat eat first (as seen in the video above), take the best and highest perches, and decide when play starts and stops. Top cats may also control access to the litter box and toys, and they may decide when and where the group will play or rest. Top cats generally will also groom the other cats in the pack in order to distribute their smell to the entire group, thereby creating a common smell and claiming the cats as “theirs.” In the same way, your cat(s) may often bunt against your leg, letting you know that you are loved AND higher up in the chain than they are.
The other cats within the group will defer to the alpha cat and allow it to eat first or take the best sleeping spot. This is not always a peaceful process, however. Cats will sometimes engage in aggressive behaviors, such as hissing, growling, or swatting, to establish their place in the hierarchy.
It’s important to note that not all cats within a social group will have a clear position in the hierarchy. Some cats are more laid-back and content to let others take the lead, while others may be more assertive and try to challenge the top cat.
Implications for Pet Owners
Understanding the domestic cat hierarchy can be helpful for pet owners in a number of ways. For example, if you have multiple cats in your home, it’s important to provide enough resources, such as food bowls and litter boxes, to avoid competition and conflicts. It’s also important to provide separate sleeping areas, so each cat can have its own preferred spot.
If you notice aggressive behaviors among your cats, such as hissing, growling, or fighting, it’s important to intervene and separate the cats to prevent injury. You may also want to consult with a veterinarian or animal behaviorist (hi!) to help you address the underlying causes of the conflict. Feel free to make an appointment to discuss!
Additionally, providing plenty of opportunities for play and exercise can help reduce tension and stress within the group. Interactive toys, such as feather wands and other flirt toys, can be particularly effective for engaging cats in playtime and redirecting their energy.
Lastly, a fun project for those in multi-cat households is to try and draw out a diagram of what you think your household’s hierarchy looks like. Who is at the top? Who is the vice president? See if you can figure out this puzzle through observing your cats’ behaviors. :)