The general rule of thumb is that you should have one litter box per cat, plus one. For example, if you have two cats, you should try to have three litter boxes in your home. You should also make sure that the litter boxes are cleaned regularly. Try cleaning the litter boxes more frequently than you normally do to see if this helps the behavior. If you don’t clean the litter boxes frequently, your cats will naturally gravitate toward the cleaner box. A dominant cat will try to protect the cleanest boxy, making it difficult for the other cats to access it. This can lead to accidents.
Try adding perches to window sills so your cats can look out the window. Or you might put a kitty climbing tower in the corner.
Consider letting your cats self-feed out of a larger food dispenser to alleviate some of the tension. Only do this if your cats are not overweight. Try placing the bowls in opposite ends of your house. This will limit traffic among your cats.
Try throwing a toy mouse around for your cat to chase. Or use a string toy to get your cat to run around following it. Use a feather toy to entice your cat to jump up and grab it. Any active game is good for expending excess energy. If it is safe, try to facilitate positive playtime for all the cats in your house. If they can’t play safely, go back to individual playtime.
Try using one fine grain litter, one clumping litter, one larger grain litter. See which one your cats prefer. Not which litter your cats like better. If they all prefer one kind, change all the litter to their preferred choice so that there is no competition for the favored box.
Make sure you still take some time each day to hang out and play with each cat. Don’t just isolate them.
Don’t give your cat a treat every single time, as this could contribute to a weight problem. Never use negative reinforcement. Don’t yell at or hit your cat when you see it acting aggressively. This will only perpetuate the problem. Instead, try to distract the aggressive cat with something more interesting (attention from you, play time, etc. ) and then reward the behavior with praise or (occasionally) a treat.
A trained professional can also make observations about your cat’s specific behaviors and give you advice that is tailored specifically for your cat’s issues.
Your vet will also be able to check to see if there is any underlying medical condition causing the aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior can sometimes be linked to medical conditions that cause pain for your cat – like arthritis or dental diseases – or to central nervous system conditions such as hyperthyroidism. [10] X Research source
This option should only be considered in extreme circumstances once you have attempted to alter the behavior in other ways. These kinds of medication can have a sedating effect on the cat, which is normal. But you may need to change the dosage if your cat seems too sedated.
