Managing aggression in multi-cat households requires understanding feline social behaviour, resource management, and when professional behaviour support is needed to protect individual cat welfare.
Unmanaged intercat aggression causes prolonged suffering for subordinate cats who have no means of escape. Unlike dogs, cats in conflict cannot negotiate or signal clear submission to reliably end confrontations - persecutory behaviour in dominant cats may continue indefinitely regardless of the subordinate cat's signalling. Welfare assessment of affected cats should include health screening (eliminating pain as a trigger), environmental audit, and behavioural history. In severe cases where quality of life for one or both cats is significantly compromised despite management, rehoming one cat may represent the most ethical outcome. The welfare of each individual cat must be assessed independently rather than prioritising household maintenance.