Which cat is the alpha cat?

Question

I have a merged household of 7 cats. They have all lived together for a year and a half. In April, one of my cats, who was clearly the alpha died. Before we merged households, our cats were fairly peaceful, besides occassional spats between Lily and Zephyr (the cat who passed away). All cats in my household are fixed. I'm trying to figure out who is tha alpha between two cats. Lily is a spayed female. She's very clingy to her people and likes to sleep at the top of her cat tree in the kitchen or on a chair near the front door. She gets along with all of the other cats besides one, who she has begun chasing whenever she sees her. Cattywampus (the chasee) is going to be 2 in October, so I think Lily may not like her because she's finally matured. We ended up having to separate the two, so Catty has her own room now. My other candidate for alpha is my 20lb Van-alike. He's a neutered male, and wanders the house freely. He gets along with all the cats of the household easily, and is usually the first cat a visitor or stranger sees. He plays with the other cats but is never aggressive. He is the first to get to the food in the morning, but is never pushy about it, he just saunters up and nobody gets in his way. Who is more likely to be alpha? And as a second question, why is Lily so aggressive with Cattywampus and fine with everyone else?

Answer 1

Sounds like Lily is the alpha, and she is aggressive with Cattywampus because she simply doesnt like her.

Answer 2

It's very apparent to me that Lily is your alpha cat for several reasons. Your alpha cat will most often take up residence in the highest places they can get to. Now, whether this is so they can watch over everyone else, or to make sure that nobody is infringing on (most often) HER territory, I don't know. In a mixed household such as yours, most often a female will be your alpha cat. Hey, I'm sorry guys, but the males (and I've had 3 and currently have one) are LAZY, they don't want the job unless it comes down to male-against-male. Even in the big cat world: lions, tigers, leopards, etc., it's the females who do the major hunting while the male stays behind with the pride and waits for mama to "bring home the bacon". Lily is your alpha cat.  I don't even wanna go here, but......this doesn't say much about the political world, does it? lol

Answer 3

Second cat.  Usually it is an alpha male.  Also, if the cats know to stay out of his way for feeding time, that is a sure sign.  Pretty much the alpha will be the strongest and toughest.

Also, just like humans, some cats just don't get along with other cats.  Just like you have people you like and people you can't stand.  

It's natural.  It can be fixed in time.  Let them work it out.  It may also be because the second one is younger and more... annoying.. more playful.  

Answer 4

Lily is older and probably feels like she should be in charge of her people. Lil Catty may seem an usurper in her eyes, because as you rightly say she's finally matured. It could be some else entirely, something only these 2 cats will ever know. Dear Van-alike stonks about unchallenged but even if he was I have a feeling he'd shrug it off anyway. He sounds secure in himself.

Cats are very like people. We all have our own take on life. Get on with some. Not with others. Some want to be boss, others don't.

My dear old 20 year old cat still gives my others a pretence at a telling off. They know she's no real threat but still acquiesce.

Answer 5

I would say that Van-alike is the alpha male.  I say this because he is the first one to eat and that is usally the alpha.  None of the other cats get in the way because they know he's the top cat!  Some cats just don't care for one another.  This seems to be the case with Lily and Cattywampus.  I had the same situation with two of my cats (one of which has now passed).  Kitty (the male that passed away) would always chase my poor tortie female named Koko.  I have 4 cats now  (2 I just got this year) but I lost 2 cats in the past couple of years due to old age.  I love cats and I love to study their behavior!  It sounds like you do to.  Do you ever watch nature specials on wild cats especiallys ones on lion prides?  It's amazing how much our cats behavior is similar to theirs.  You know how when your cat smells something and makes like a funny face with its mouth open?  Lions do that do and they are smelling the scent of another cat.  Maybe Lily will stop chasing Catty.  I'd keep trying to get them to atleast tolerate one another.  Good luck.

Answer 6

The female more likely. Females are usually the dominant and it sounds like shes reminding the other female of this. You can also tell if she goes in the litter box and doesn't cover it up. Dominant cats will do this to force the other cats to do it for them as an assertion of their dominance.