Jealous Cat? It’s Not About Love, But Territory – Here’s How You Solve It

Do cats get jealous? It may look like it to you. Everything’s fine, and then you bring home a new cat, dog or baby. Or even a new boyfriend or girlfriend. And next thing you know, your cat is acting out — slapping the new pet, hissing at the baby, or peeing on the belongings of your new squeeze.

Since human relationships function from an emotional level, a lot of people are quick to assume their cat is jealous of the newcomer. But that perspective is completely the wrong way to look at it. And it won’t solve your cat’s behavior.

What’s Really Going On

While you may view human jealousy as an irrational, emotional response, what is going on with a cat goes way deeper. It’s about territory and resources — and survival. Yes, it could be that your cat feels their very existence is being threatened by the object you say they are jealous of!

Jealousy in humans is driven by insecurity, anger, and fear that may not have a basis in what is really going on. Someone who has a level of emotional maturity may be able to step back and come to understand that their emotion is irrational. Maybe they won’t figure it out right away, but they will in time.

Cats, on the other hand, depend on their territory and resources to live, and when that is threatened by the presence of someone or something new, their response is much more primal and can’t be approached rationally. After all, reason and being rational is the terrain of human beings, not any other animals.

Here’s some more perspective from Rover.com

Cats Are Territorial Creatures

Once your cat has established themselves in your home, they stake out their territory. That includes prime sleeping, play, and eating spots — and also where ever their litter boxes are. Oh, and you are also part of their territory.

Maybe you weren’t expecting the last part. But yes, you are part of your cat’s territory. You mean home to them, along with the rooms they are living in. In fact, my human uses that as part of the work she does with me as a therapy cat and for travel. She makes sure that no matter where we go, I’m her home base. That way I feel safer no matter where we are.

A cat will see a threat in anything that infringes on their territory.

Cats Are Also Pretty Exacting About Resources

Once a cat gets used to getting a certain amount of food and water, and have their litter box location and routine firmly established, they settle into a level of security. Any changes to these will result in a negative reaction.

Think about it — if your own personal resources suddenly were reduced, how would you feel? Let’s say, someone took away half the food in your refrigerator, and destroyed a bathroom in your house, wouldn’t that be upsetting? Especially if you had no control or say over the matter. And it’s worse for your cat because they have no way of coming up with a solution on their own.

The Approach to Take for a Seemingly Jealous Cat

As you can see, the motivations behind what is going on with a cat are very different from human jealousy. And the solutions need to be on the cat’s level. Before we discuss these, let’s look at some don’ts.

Don’t

Shrug off or laugh at your cat’s behavior.
Your cat is feeling a very real and visceral threat. If they are behaving in ways that are more funny than threatening, be thankful! But don’t ignore them. And definitely don’t laugh about it. It’s not something they’re taking lightly, so neither should you.

Force interaction between the cat and being or thing they are threatened by.
This will only make the stress and the situation worse — for both parties.

Yell at or punish your cat.
While you may consider the threat frivolous or nonexistent, they don’t. Your cat feels their world has been turned upside down — even if that’s nowhere near the truth. Any type of yelling or punishment will only make them feel more threatened. And it could also damage your relationship with your cat

What to Do Instead

How you work with your cat’s behavior depends a lot on the situation, and your cat. Here are some suggestions to put you on the right path.

Prepare your cat for change
If you know you are bringing something new into your cat’s life, you can prepare them. That will lessen the impact of the change and possibly make their reaction more manageable.

If it’s a new pet, make sure your cat’s favorite spots are a sanctuary that is theirs alone — or create one. And don’t just toss the new pet into the mix and expect things to sort themselves out. Keep the animals separate, and practice scent exchanging and slow introductions, while making sure both of them have ample and familiar resources.

If it’s a baby, start getting your cat adjusted months ahead of time. You’ll be setting up a room or area for the baby, and acquiring baby things. Get them used to all these. Get your cat used to the scent of all these items you’ll be using for the new one. If you can bring home something with the baby’s scent before the baby comes home, even better. Introducing your cat to a baby really needs its own post, but this PDF from the Australian site WeAreFamily is helpful.

Keep your cat’s routines as much as possible
Cats are creatures of routine, so the more you can stick to them the better. It will help them feel more secure. If you can anticipate any changes that will come, then you can gradually adjust your cat’s routine ahead of time to better match what they will have later on.

Praise and reward your cat for good behavior
As you already know, cats respond badly to punishment — but rewards, on the other hand, will help loads. So when your cat acts well around the new person or pet, make sure you reward them. Tell them how great they are doing, pet them in their favorite ways. And of course, treats are almost always welcome!

Include the new person in activities your cat enjoys
If you’re bringing a new grownup into your home, have them take part in your cat’s feeding routine. If your cat sees that they are helping supply their needs, they’ll be less likely to view them as a threat. Also including them in playtime will help your cat associate the new person with fun activities.

Don’t be afraid to take up any problems with your vet
Sometimes your cat’s reactions to a new family member or situation are extreme enough that it disrupts your life. If you’ve tried everything and your cat won’t settle down, ask your vet for a referral to a cat behaviorist. And although it’s not an ideal solution, you could also look into anxiety meds if it’s a situation that can’t change (i.e., a new baby).

I hope you’ve found these helpful! Have you ever thought your cat was jealous over a new pet or person? And what happened? Let’s discuss it in the comments.

The post Jealous Cat? It’s Not About Love, But Territory – Here’s How You Solve It appeared first on Summer’s Fabulous Cat Life.