Conference misery::feline_v1

Neutering may change things, or it may not...kitty jealousy seems to be
at least partially personality and mood things.  Hannah is very possessive
of not only her person (me), but also of her places (my bathroom, my
waterbed, and my bedroom window sill) and will really raise cain when she
sees other cats invading...unless of course, she feels like sharing and
then its all just fine.

However, our cats did seem to go through the "sorting out what's mine"
period when young, and they settle down after they are neutered and become
non-breeding adults.

Just for the record:  Tabby threw her teddy bear in the toilet repeatedly
until I took the hint and confiscated it....seems she felt it was taking
her place with Marge (Tabby's main person).  At first, I really did think
it was a mistake, but after 4 times in the toilet, I got the hint.

    ..you guys..
    
    I can't help it--I'm STILL laughing about the teddies!!!  I KNOW
    it must not be funny if it happens to you, but I can't stop giggling
    at the idea of the cats having their own teddies.
    
    I would say that neutering WILL help, and age will help the rest.
    I've had Billie for 10 years, and even being an "only" cat, she
    always was jealous of my time--until SHE wanted to be left alone.
    
    I would just go with the flow, and try to just keep peace.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Jane
    

    
    
     My cat has a doll that she's very much attached to.  She cuddles
     with it every day when it's time to nap.
    
     It's a companion during the day when we're at work.  Now she
     has her litter (born yesterday) of 5 to keep her busy. 
    
     Yes, I chuckled about the teddies!
                  
                                  Shelly

    In defense of teddies:
    
    	Mind you, the teddy that Milo so abused was not of the caliber
    of the rest of the stuffed menagerie.  I would no sooner give a
    seven-month-old macho kitten a Gund than I would give my two-year-old
    niece a Steiff.  But he he kept dragging Paddington and Chocolate
    Truffle and Snowdrop and especially the Steiff fox out to jump up
    and down on.  Stupid mom thought this might indicate a desire for
    one of his own [after all Aslan -- of blessed memory -- was devoted
    to a Cookie Monster which he thought was a she-cookie-monster].
    The litter box routine let me know that I was sadly mistaken.
    
    Nope, Milo is just jealous.
    
    Maggie doesn't like me to do needlework or read because, as she
    puts it, 'these activities don't pet the cat.' [Tapping of velvet
    paws to be heard here]
    
    Milo doesn't care _what_ I do so long as it doesn't involve an animate
    creature [or likeness thereof] other than his own self.
    
    He is, for the most part, scrupulously polite in my presence emitting
    a series of churples, meeps, and the occasional meow to indicate
    his concern. However, this abusing what can't fight back the minute
    I leave isn't gentlemanly at all. [yes, for now I have put the stuffed
    menagerie in an out of the way place]
    
    Ann

    My canine kid ruined a $65.00 hand made stuffed cat when he came
    to live with me and was jealous of Corkie (my Persian).  He figured
    he couldn't beat up on her so he'd tear up the stuffed cat.  Talk
    about mad.  It was so far gone, I tucked it under his collar and
    made him wear it for a few hours.  He's never touched another stuffed
    toy since.  Corkie is real jealous of Rocky though.  She went through
    a stage where she was a real jerk.  Super mean kitty.  Now she's
    figured out that the more attention she pays to me, the more it
    ticks Rocky off.  Now she's real loving and always wants to be
    on me which of course is where the dog wants to be.  He knows she
    can take his face off in one swipe so he doesn't mess with her,
    but he'll dig up her litter box and spread it all over the bathroom
    floor to get even.  You just can't win.
    
    Pat
    
    

    
    re: .0
    
    I've been having this exact problem since I brought home Rocco a
    month or so ago.  T.C. (my oldest) has finally explained the situation
    to me ....
    
       I brought the new kitty home for T.C. to play with (T.C was correct
       on this point) so therefore I should leave his toy alone.  Since
       the new kitty was given to him, it is his responsibility to 
       establish the rules and enforce them.  Rule #1 (according to
       T.C.): The human belongs to T.C!  
    
    I'm sure the situation is the same in your home and you just don't
    understand yet.  Regardless, T.C. forgot my first rule which is
    the human IS boss.  So around our house I play with Rocco the same
    as T.C. which usually sends T.C. off to the corner from which he
    watches intently.  It's taken a few weeks of scolding T.C. when
    he bullies Rocco but he's kind of given in to the situation.
    I hope in the future I can play with both of them at the same time.
    
    
    Donna
    
    
    P.S. T.C. has his own stuffed puppy which has kind of been tossed
         aside since Rocco showed up.
    

    re.7  actually our situations are reversed...
    
    Milo, my jealous baby boy, is the NEW cat.  Maggie is almost 13
    and has been my darling girl all the while, and she's not jealous.
    
    Milo's jealousy extends beyond being territorial about me, although
    he seems to view me as his primary possession [slightly ahead of
    his prized collection of champagne corks]. If he's playing with
    Maggie or my husband and I approach he exhibits very aggressive
    behaviour toward me -- in effect 'chasing me off' so he can have
    _their_ undivided attention.
    
    I suppose like all little boys, Milo views himself as the center
    of the universe and is rejecting anything that contradicts this
    view.  Being a cat, of course, compounds this egocentric world concept.
    
    All things considered, I have nothing to complain of.  Maggie is
    asserting herself again and often plays with the boy.  Milo is properly
    respectful when Maggie will NOT play.  Except for the stuffed animals,
    there have been no violent episodes.  And despite the jealousy,
    Milo is undeniably the _happiest_ cat I've ever known.
    
      Annie
    
    [but I've _got_ to stop laughing at him...6 pounds of offended machismo
    just makes it worse...]

    Re: .9
    
    Dazdee won't let me get near him either, except for the few
    times he lets me pet him when I get home.  He too, is such
    a softie at these times, but if Little Whicket comes in, he
    has to jump down and pretend to be a toughie..........
    
    MEN!!!!!
    
    
    
    
    
      ;^>  just kidding    
    
    Katie