Do Cats Get Jealous?

Can cats exhibit jealousy? The answer is yes, cats can get jealous. Cat are sentient beings who can feel all the emotions that we do. Jealousy is one of those emotions that cats not only feel but, as a result, can cause a host of different reactions. This is an issue that I am dealing with at the moment. Bodie has always been very attached to me. We found him at a rest stop as a kitten and he quickly bonded with me. Because of that he tends to get jealous anytime I show extra affection to any of the other cats. Since The Gremlin Kittens have come into the picture, Bodie has been showing extra signs of jealousy. Figuring out what is causing this jealousy will help me figure out what I can do to help Bodie deal with his jealousy.

Bodie’s Jealousy

Why is Bodie jealous of the other cats. Well, there are different reasons that a cat can become jealous of other cats. A threat to hierarchical status is one reason. Cats establish their position in the hierarchy of your household. There is the top cat who runs things. All the other cats acknowledge and abide by this. When you bring a new cat into your house, they are unaware of the standing hierarchy, thus creating issues as roles may change. The kittens have definitely disrupted the hierarchy in our house. They are kittens and will do as kittens will do. Whatever they want when they want. Bodie is not a fan of their spastic kitten energy, at all.

Another reason for jealousy is a threat to their resources. Our cats still have their instincts of their big cat cousins. They know that resources are extremely important to their survival. And even though, we provide all of these resources for our babies, they can still worry that these resources may deplete over time. When a new cat enters the home, the threat of their resources diminishing becomes real. Will there be enough food? Or treats? Will they have to defend their favorite sleeping spot or toy?

I am seeing this with Bodie. He has a favorite toy, one that only he plays with. That was until, Lily came into the house. She was quickly interested in Bodie’s toy and played with it a lot. Bodie was not impressed with this AT ALL! So, he started marking it. Anytime that Lily played with “his” toy, Bodie would pee on it that night. He was trying to tell her that this toy was his and he was not willing to share it.

Cats will demonstrate their jealousy in different ways. Bodie was using marking and inappropriate urination to show that he was jealous of Lily playing with his favorite toy. Sometimes, cat will use aggression as a way to deal with their jealousy. They will attack the cat, or cats, that they perceive as a threat. The cause of their jealousy. Bodie has always been this way with Emmet. He did not like the special attention that Emmet would get when he was sick. He became very jealous over any extra attention that Emmet was receiving. In turn, Bodie would attack Emmet, causing tension between the two that still happens to this day.

Curb the Green-Eyed Monster

What can you do if your cat is experiencing jealousy? The main thing you can do is be gentle with your cat. They are dealing with an emotion that we are all familiar with. Cats are so energetically connected that they feel on a greater level. We need to take care when we are dealing with feelings of jealousy. If left untreated, it can lead to aggression or depression (yes, cats can become depressed). There are things that you can do to help your cat overcome his jealousy.

Be sure to provide your cat with enough resources. Adding an extra litter box can help with inappropriate bathroom issues. Providing enough cat trees and vertical spaces can help your jealous cat have a place to get away from it all. A space that they, hopefully, will not have to share. The most important thing that you can do is to spend time with them. Try to give them individual and undivided attention. This will help them to deal with their jealousy the most. Especially if they have been jealous about the time you have been spending with your other cats.

And this is exactly what I have been doing with Bodie. He was already jealous of Emmet and the attention that I would give him. Then, Lily and Cactus came into the picture. And, of course, they have been getting lots of attention. I mean, they are kittens! Once I realized what was happening with Bodie, I quickly started to ease his green-eyed monster. The first thing that I did was pull out some herbs from Naturally Cats and let him self-select what herbs he needed. We started having daily play sessions, just him and I. This was difficult with all of the other cats, but I found a way and time to just give Bodie some one-on-one time. It has started to work, although his jealousy still shows itself at times. I will continue to provide him with what he needs to feel secure and loved.

“In a cat’s eye, all things belong to cats.” – English Proverb