Territorial Issues

As Djoser gets older he is getting more territorial and possessive.
Even though he gets along well with Robin, he thinks Robin's territory
is Jeff's room. And Sheba belongs in the kitchen/dining/office room.
She has taken to sleeping in my chair at night; but often sneaks onto
the bed beside my head after Djoser goes to sleep. Sometimes Robin
sleeps against/on my feet and legs. Djoser gets mad about it; but
there is no moving Robin wants he puts down roots. So Djoser tolerates
him as long as he himself is secure in his own prime spot against my
belly.

Djoser works hard every evening herding the other cats, trying to keep
them out of the bedroom. But sometimes he gets caught up in getting
scritches. Then the other cats can sneak in the bedroom.

One night Djoser was working hard at keeping Sheba in the kitchen. He
got too close to her and she slapped and snarled at him. In her
territory, she will do that. Elsewhere, she runs from him. So he
backed off and kept guard.

In the meantime, unbeknownst to Djoser, Robin had gone to the bedroom
and settled down in the middle of the bed, In Djoser's Spot! I finally
went to bed and snuggled with Robin.

About half hour later, Djoser quit watching Sheba and came to the
bedroom. It was dark in there. He jumped on the bed at the foot and
walked up my body, stopping at my waist, preparing to step down into
his spot. He stepped on Robin, instead of the bed. Boy was he mad!

There was a tenor scream of outrage, and then the bed shook from a
bout of fisticuffs. Well, territory rights shifted with possession;
plus Robin is bigger, younger, and Was Not Moving From His Warm Spot!
Djoser ran off, complaining.

After awhile, he came back, crawling up on the pillows. He started to
burrow under the bedspread to make a warm nest beside my chest. but
his nose didn't get far under; there was a Robin holding the spread
down! Djoser snarled and slapped the obstruction through the spread,
and then turned and ran off, cursing. Robin woke up and looked around
and didn't see anything to disturb him and fell asleep again.

Djoser was so mad he went to the front door and worked at it for a
long time and finally got it open. He went onto the very cold enclosed
porch and settled on the little couch out there. Eventually, the cold
draft reached the bedroom.

So I reluctantly left my warm spot in the bed and went to close the
door. Robin accompanied me as far as the sight of Jeff's bed. Then he
turned right and burrowed into the crevice between Jeff and Shasta,
who growled. Robin didn't pay any attention. He just settled down and
went back to sleep.

I went to the open door and Djoser met me, begging for scritches.
After closing the door, we went back to bed and Djoser got his prime
property back, already warmed up for him. Territorial rights have been
restored.

--
CATherine

CATherine wrote:
I went to the open door and Djoser met me, begging for scritches.
After closing the door, we went back to bed and Djoser got his prime
property back, already warmed up for him. Territorial rights have been
restored.

Aww. So glad Djoser got to sleep with his meowmie in the end.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi
Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 07:05:28 +0200, Marina
wrote:

CATherine wrote:
I went to the open door and Djoser met me, begging for scritches.
After closing the door, we went back to bed and Djoser got his prime
property back, already warmed up for him. Territorial rights have been
restored.

Aww. So glad Djoser got to sleep with his meowmie in the end.

He is such a loving momma's boy.

--
CATherine

CATherine wrote:
As Djoser gets older he is getting more territorial and possessive.
Even though he gets along well with Robin, he thinks Robin's territory
is Jeff's room. And Sheba belongs in the kitchen/dining/office room.
She has taken to sleeping in my chair at night; but often sneaks onto
the bed beside my head after Djoser goes to sleep. Sometimes Robin
sleeps against/on my feet and legs. Djoser gets mad about it; but
there is no moving Robin wants he puts down roots. So Djoser tolerates
him as long as he himself is secure in his own prime spot against my
belly.

What dynamics! Everyone involved has so much personality. Is it the
normal state of affairs for cats in a multi-cat household to carve up
the house into separate territories?

Takayuki wrote:

What dynamics! Everyone involved has so much personality. Is it the
normal state of affairs for cats in a multi-cat household to carve up
the house into separate territories?

I think so -- at least if the cats are not real close pals.
With my two, it's more "comfort zones" than fiercely defended
territories. Each has what are mutually recognized "home" zones
which the other will only spend time in when he or she is in a
mood to push the limits. My room is a comfort zone for Will;
Heidi enters with a little diffidence and is less apt to spend
time up on the bed with me, even though she clearly enjoys doing
so when she gets her courage up.

--

Wayne M
(indulged by Will and Heidi)

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:56:42 -0500, Takayuki
wrote:

CATherine wrote:
As Djoser gets older he is getting more territorial and possessive.
Even though he gets along well with Robin, he thinks Robin's territory
is Jeff's room. And Sheba belongs in the kitchen/dining/office room.
She has taken to sleeping in my chair at night; but often sneaks onto
the bed beside my head after Djoser goes to sleep. Sometimes Robin
sleeps against/on my feet and legs. Djoser gets mad about it; but
there is no moving Robin wants he puts down roots. So Djoser tolerates
him as long as he himself is secure in his own prime spot against my
belly.

What dynamics! Everyone involved has so much personality. Is it the
normal state of affairs for cats in a multi-cat household to carve up
the house into separate territories?

All the cats i have ever had have been this way; especially possessive
of me. But I read about other people's cats and see pictures where
multiple cats are lovey-dovey. Although that could be the result of
being adopted together at an early age. The natural order for Felis is
to be territorial.

--
CATherine

CATherine wrote:
All the cats i have ever had have been this way; especially possessive
of me. But I read about other people's cats and see pictures where
multiple cats are lovey-dovey. Although that could be the result of
being adopted together at an early age. The natural order for Felis is
to be territorial.

None of your kitties are lovey-dovey with each other, but just with
you? I guess sometimes they get along, and sometimes they don't, and
we have no idea why.