Conflict between cats in multicat households is a leading cause of behavioral problems and chronic stress. Understanding feline social structure helps prevent and manage these welfare problems.
Multicat household conflict causes chronic stress in subordinate cats that is frequently misread as normal behavior or cats "just being cats." The welfare cost of living in chronic fear of a dominant housemate — constant vigilance, restricted access to resources, and stress-related disease — is significant and persistent. Unlike dogs, cats rarely show obvious aggression that triggers owner concern; conflict is more likely to manifest in resource guarding, social avoidance, and stress-related illness. Household design that provides adequate resources, escape routes, and separate territories is both prevention and treatment for this welfare problem.