# Did my cat just protect my other cat?



## keogh (May 10, 2010)

Howdy all,

My old tom cat "Arnie" I have had since last March, he is 3/4 years old and I got him from the Cats Protection League. I got my kitten (well she was) "Pixie" when she was 8 weeks old a few months ago, and at first they didn't get on too well, but they are best of friends now and play together a lot. She is now over 6 months old.

Well Arnie is one of the only boy cats in this area and he is kinda boss and doesn't take any rubbish, and just know I heard cat fighting so went downstairs to see Arnie chasing a neighbouring girl cat out the garden (there was a lot of screaming behind the shed) and then he come strolling back.

I was standing at the back door at this time and just thought they where having a barny, but then I saw below me at the cat flap Pixie sitting there (looking quite scared). So I am assuming this neighbour cat attacked Pixie and Arnie wasn't having none of that and went straight after this other cat.

When he returned after forcing her out he went straight down to Pixie and started rolling on the floor in front of her like saying "Don't worry kiddo, I got your back". This other cat come back from behind the shed then, and I opened the door to let pixie in and as I did Arnie strolled back to this cat and chased he out and attacked her again... this time it was like he was protecting me too 

I just wanna know if that is what happened cos I'm not sure as I only saw the tail end of the show. Do cats protect each other? Even if they aren't related?

Below is a pic of the two of them together:










Just curious to know if he protected her, I'd love to think he did!

ta

Steve


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## colette85 (Jan 5, 2011)

yeah its possible or he was protecting his garden


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## keogh (May 10, 2010)

colette85 said:


> yeah its possible or he was protecting his garden


Doubt he was protecting the garden, him and that cat he chased away are in the garden together quite a lot. They will just sit there together a lot.


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

You shouldn't really let a 6 month cat out yet, bit young... I'm assuming she's spayed?
And yes they do protect each other!
We had a cat when I was younger that was a bit "doolally" we think he was mentally retarded. Some other bully cats came into the garden and then along comes Sandy the supercat - our neighbours cat. Jumps over the wall and hackles go up and starts growling etc. Other cats think "shiiitt" and they ran away haha.

Also VERY cute <3


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## keogh (May 10, 2010)

Shrap said:


> You shouldn't really let a 6 month cat out yet, bit young... I'm assuming she's spayed?
> And yes they do protect each other!
> We had a cat when I was younger that was a bit "doolally" we think he was mentally retarded. Some other bully cats came into the garden and then along comes Sandy the supercat - our neighbours cat. Jumps over the wall and hackles go up and starts growling etc. Other cats think "shiiitt" and they ran away haha.
> 
> Also VERY cute <3


Yeah she is spayed and had all her jabs and what not, same for Arnie (although he is neutered of course). I only let he out during the day and she stays in at night, I think that is perfectly fine tbh, she generally stays in the back garden with Arnie... until he wanders off and does his thing.


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## Ally-Kats (Jan 8, 2009)

The picture of your two reminded me so much of my first two cats, they were about the same age as yours too. Paws was the black one and Gizmo the tabby. They were the same and were always near one another, when Gizmo the younger cat was dying of stomach cancer, Paws laid near him in the garden to protect him from other cats. We used to call them Ronnie and Reggie after the Kray twins :lol: they wouldn't take any nonsense and looked out for each another. I definately think they protect one another. Sadly they been gone a long time now but they were such characters


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## CandyApocalypse (Feb 8, 2011)

In my experience, cats definately do protect each other. I had three cats, my big tom Tanis and later, a tiny kitten called Beep. When she first went out at a year old he shadowed her every step. Whenever Chloe my other cat picked on her, he would soundly cuff her around the ears, and this was normally the most easy going cat on the planet.

One day a dog somehow got into the garden when Beep was outside and she dashed straight up a tree and was terrified. The dog went under the tree and was growling and barking t her. I was obviously going out to get the dog out of my garden, but Tanis decided to beat me to it. All I saw was my (frankly small pony sized tabby) jump straight onto the dog back and strart hissing and ripping chunks out of it. 

I obviously got the dog out etc and back to the neighbour. Tanis then went up the tree, brought Beep back down and took her back inside. Could have been a territory thing, but I always saw it as him protecting her. I honestly think he saw her as his kitten and I know she followed him round every second of the day.

So, I would think your cats are the same, even if territory came into it a bit as well.


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## keogh (May 10, 2010)

CandyApocalypse said:


> In my experience, cats definately do protect each other. I had three cats, my big tom Tanis and later, a tiny kitten called Beep. When she first went out at a year old he shadowed her every step. Whenever Chloe my other cat picked on her, he would soundly cuff her around the ears, and this was normally the most easy going cat on the planet.
> 
> One day a dog somehow got into the garden when Beep was outside and she dashed straight up a tree and was terrified. The dog went under the tree and was growling and barking t her. I was obviously going out to get the dog out of my garden, but Tanis decided to beat me to it. All I saw was my (frankly small pony sized tabby) jump straight onto the dog back and strart hissing and ripping chunks out of it.
> 
> ...


Yeah I sometimes get the impression he thinks she is his kitten (well was his kitten when she was younger). He can groom her (lick her, not pervy type of groom  ) for hours, and she will do the same to him, although she gets bored after a while and wants to play with him. I could watch them both for ages!

@Ally-Kats Sorry to hear about your cats, sounds like they were best of friends!


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

they are both lovely cats and yep sounds like he was protecting her.


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