Cats and Fence Fighting

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

20 Jan 2009 10:11 AM

I've talked about "fence fighting" before. Also known as redirected aggression, it is a scuffle that breaks out between pets when they see something on the other side of a window or fence. Basically, the dog or cat can't get to the thing they want to attack, so they turn on the next nearest animal.

Moose and Lally sometimes do this when another dog is walking past the apartment. One moment, they'll be barking at the patio door; the next, they're barking at each other.

Dogs aren't the only ones who can turn to fence fighting. Cats can do it, too! It may be set off by the sight of a squirrel, bird, dog, another cat, or any number of things. But it works the same way. The cats can't get to the thing they want to attack, so they turn on each other.

What can you do to prevent feline fence fighting?

• Keep each cat in a separate room so they don't have access to each other. This is pretty impractical, but it would definitely stop redirected aggression! If you worry about your cats getting into scuffles when you aren't home, this might be a good temporary solution.
• Block the views from the windows. Most cats are clever enough to climb behind shades or blinds, so you might have to actually put something on the window itself. You can find window clings that block the view but not the sunlight -- I have some pretty watercolor window clings in shades of blue and green. They block the view but not the light, as advertised!
• Restrict access to areas where they can see other pets. If your neighbors have a dog in the yard, and the sight of the dog upsets your pets, keep the cats away from windows that face in that direction. Window clings might come in handy here, too.
• Try to prevent other animals from entering your yard so the cats won't get upset. A motion-activated light or sprinkler might help deter visitors. Try to remove things that encourage visits.
• If the sound of animals outside brings your pets running for the windows, you might find relief with white noise. A radio set to static or soft instrumental music might be enough to drown out noises from outside and keep your kitties more relaxed.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger