bopping with paws

[Nina]

Ah yes, the paw bopping :).  My sister calls the posturing "He's touching me, he's touching me!".  Whenever I see those raised paws, I'll tell them to cut it out in a firm voice.  If they persist in testing each other, I'll hiss!  (Usually they do that to test who's top cat, whoever moves out of position first, loses).  My hiss usually sends them scattering, I happen to be the biggest cat here!  You may need to get up off your chair the first couple of times to let them know you mean it.  Assuming they respect your authority, they will start to listen.  You don't have to be angry, or loud, just firm.  When they knock it off, I always tell them how much I appreciate their good citizenship.  I've had kitties come to me for protection, getting me in between them and whoever's giving them a problem.  Like I said, everybody has to get along, and they know the rules :). N Dudes wrote: Hi Nina: Cotton is mixed with all the others.  He's only been with us for about 3 months.  My established cats are: Miss-oldest female Myca-big male, but very sensitive Cricket-youngest smallest female, but very feisty.   Miss and Myca tolerate Cotton's lack of manners but Cricket is the only one who stalks him to terrorize him.  She will wait until she finds Cotton in a corner, and then she will jump him.   He's starting to fight back a bit, because he's gotten quite a bit bigger lately.  They don't seem like serious fights, just a lot of head-bopping with paws.   Sandy