Pet parents across the world may agree that cats share some emotional traits just as humans. One such behavior that you may notice in cats is jealousy. If you are a new cat owner, then you might think that this an aloof feline. But by observing the pattern over the years and studying various reports on cats’ emotional behavior, we now understand that cats can get jealous easily. It might be confusing for you as they display the emotion by being more competitive, aggressive, and sometimes self-harming.
Every jealous cat craves attention. Suddenly, when they see you showing empathy to any pets, carry or feed them, it hurts your cat badly. Some owners have experienced that cats do not stop meowing or whining until you move away from the other pet. These signs prove that cats take this emotion very seriously, which stays with them as healthy behavior. Are you still not convinced?
Read the following article that will touch upon various essential aspects of this jealous behavior in cats. It will help you to discover new ideas for removing the insecurities in your cat’s mind. Also, you can freely play and introduce other new pets at home.
Defining Jealousy in Cat terms
It’s a long history of finding whether your pets experience all the emotions we do or not. However, many studies have been conducted to find out how they feel about different instances. Starting from Charles Darwin, even the scientists of today are in the continuous loop to find out the truth about animals’ emotions. In recent times, empirical research states that “Even though animal emotions are not studies directly does not mean we can deny their existence.” The pet parents who spend most of the time can easily find out the change in expression. Their eyes, body posture, wagging tails, and almost every move is how they feel at the present moment only.
When we talk about cats specifically, they are always being considered one of the pet animals that establish strong emotions even if not jealousy otherwise. They even tend to experience the feeling of their owners well. If you are sad or happy, the cats tend to respond, respectively. It might be a mysterious state of mind. But as an owner, you can sense them pretty well. Some owners have reported that their cat starts behaving strangely from the very moment when they play with another pet cat.
They knock your hands off, push the furniture, scratch any fabric vigorously, and even try to disturb your time with other cats. It has been commonly observed, and it can be experienced by the people who spend the most time with the pet cat. They do not bother if anybody else does the same thing. If the pet is known and introduced in the past, they do not show such reflex actions. Hence it is understandable that your cats do have the jealousy gut feeling in them, and it’s involuntary.
What makes your cat jealous?
There are three critical situations where the cats can get jealous of their masters:
New Baby at home
Some of the critical factors make the cat envious of the arrival of a new cat. All the months, you have been cuddling and playing your whole time with the pet cat. But immediately, when the baby comes in, your attention changes. It changes the circumstances at home. Most of the things become unfamiliar to your cat. New smells and sounds, especially, do bother your cat. There are no predictable hours for playing with the cat. Since the doctors would have suggested the pet allergies, you also tend to shoo the cats away.
All of this makes the cat feel like the baby is a problem. Cat is almost like a son or daughter to you. At least they think that you are the parent. Hence, when you don’t devote any resources continuously, the cat becomes arrogant and makes many mischiefs that you wouldn’t have imagined.
Other pets
You may think or are convinced about having a new company for your pet cat at home. Naturally, it affects your existing cat in so many ways. When you bring pets like a puppy, they feel intimidated by arrival. At the same time, when you get home a hamster, it becomes highly sophisticated and dominated. You can instantly see that there are many conflicts created by your pet cat. It is in the owner’s hands to establish a balance of time between all the pets equally. However, starting from a different kind of food to the play toys, it affects them emotionally when everything changes.
Similarly, when you bring another kitten home, your old cat does have a problem, but only until it feels that the other is a company. That’s why it is always recommended that you bring a new kitten home from the same breed or adjustable age. That’s how the insecurity in your kitty can be reduced, and it can safely get along well.
Humans
Maybe this may sound funny in your mind. But usually, cats do get offended when their master is close to other humans. However, in such situations, they do not show that deliberately. Yet, no factual information or study is confirming the fact. Many pet parents have personally experienced when cats intrude between conversations. It can be called jealousy or possessiveness. But it’s revealing that they don’t like it much. When the doors are closed, they try to scratch the door or stand outside the room longer for the master to come out. They even tend to ignore the newcomer to the family, thinking it is the way to protect their masters.
What behavior do the cats show when they feel jealous?
Despite whether they are jealous of new guests, baby, or any other pet home, the cats show some unhealthy signs to make you understand that they are jealous.
The following table describes the actions during such circumstances.
Cat’s Behaviour |
What do cats do? |
| Aggressive | The first thing they do when they get aggressive is to bite you. See under what instance they are biting or nibbling. Some young cats tend to even bite the other cat too. However, most of them show aggression on their owners only. |
| Going to the Indoors | Even though cats can emote, they are unable to express their thoughts well. Instead, they show in different actions like staying indoor, going to a closed space. Some owners have experienced that their cats voluntarily pee or poop inside the home when you seem to engage with other pets. |
| Pushing for attention | When cats see that their owner is comforting the other cat, they try coming in between. They insert themselves and try to get all your attention. With the presence of another cat at home, the old cat gets very pushy and does not try to leave your sight. It comes around you all time. |
| Growling & Hissing | From first, if you have a multiple pet household, then you may witness your cat is growling and hissing a lot. Cats naturally become competitive with each other, assuming that their resources will be taken away from them. |
| Scaring off | You can see this behavior in adult cats. When they become aggressive and jealous, they start scaring off new guests or strangers. The cats must feel that good connection with everybody. If they don’t feel the vibe, they normally tend not to be with you. |
| Crowding the space | When they have newcomers, they tend to acquire a lot of space. They lie around and spread things across all the space. It is a way of communicating that they don’t want to share their spaces with anybody. The cats don’t want anyone to use the space that they have been using. |
| Withdrawing | Voluntarily, the cats will come behind and try to get all your attention. But if anything does not work, they withdraw themselves from you. They will not have any emotional connection. They are in the closet, become lazy, hide from strangers, etc. |
Isn’t it fascinating to know that your cat shows all these emotions? We are sure you must have noticed but not understood where it is coming from. Now the above table would have given you some outline of your cat’s feeling towards you, do not trigger their emotions by ignoring them when you are with new pets. Because over a period, they start to behave strangely and might affect them psychologically. They start biting people, bathroom habit changes, either overeat or do not eat all. Hence, it is recommended that you don’t make the cat feel overwhelmed. The vets and even the behavior analysts say that it is essential that you must have dedicated pet time so that they do not feel left or alone at home.
There are three fundamental ways through that one can stop the jealousy behavior of the cats. The following table will help you understand these factors clearly.
Tips for Tackling Jealousy Cats |
How to do it? |
| Understanding the triggers | The first and foremost thing is to see what things provoke your cat the most. You can address the problem by asking a certain question to yourself. Did someone new come to your home? Is the new baby or pet bothering? Do you have enough time to spend with your cat? Is there any favorite spot of your cat that you have been disturbed by anybody or anything? Once you understand the determining factor, you can make your kitty calm down and help it to overcome easily. |
| Spend Equal time with your cat | One of the easiest ways to decrease the jealousy behavior of your cat is to spend more time with your cat. The more you give the time, the more cat will be obedient and follow good behavior. You may check out some of the interactive toys that will help them to become friendlier even when other pets come in. Interactive Robotic Cat toy is a brilliant invention for the cats that spend most time lonely. It has feathers, laser lights, and rotating balls. |
| Don’t disturb the personal space | For some cats what’s most important is not to disturb their personal space. You may bring home multiple pets, but unless they don’t disturb the space of the existing one, it is always fine with that. Many cats feel space as the territory & they feel emotionally connected to that space. When you bring in an intruder, they change the personality and cause any trouble to you and the home. |
The above three are manageable and easy tips that you can follow. The cats are animals that you can train and put them in the routine. So, it is easy for you to convince them. Even though cats are known for being naughty, mischiefs, training them can save you from many hustles later.
Some of the daily routines you can do to make sure that your cat does not feel jealous are as follows.
- Always receive your cat when they seek out you. Even when you are busy, you can acknowledge their presence, and that is all is required. When you come home from the office or outside, spend your 5 minutes with them to make them feel comfortable.
- Cuddles with your pets simultaneously. It gives them a sense of confidence that other pets are not taking their space. It is also a sign of undivided attention for all the pets.
- Offer them treats when the cats behave appropriately with each other. Make it a routine so that they tend to normalize with the situation.
Cats are always unique, and they love being acknowledged as special. Your time is the most valuable thing that can save them from jealousy feeling. You can teach them to be with each other by sharing toys, feeding them simultaneously, taking them on walks, and having playtimes together. Jealousy is a reflex emotion for the cats, and it can be easily overcome with the support of the pet parents.
