Inter-cat aggression in multi-cat households causes chronic stress for subordinate cats that may go unrecognised by owners.
Multi-cat household welfare problems are chronically underrecognised because the signs of inter-cat stress are subtle. Cats do not typically fight openly — they engage in passive aggression including staring, blocking access to resources, and proximity control. Subordinate cats may eat less, use litter trays less frequently, hide more, and over-groom as stress indicators. These signs are often attributed to other causes. Providing sufficient resources, space, and vertical territory allows cats in multi-cat homes to manage their social relationships with less chronic stress.