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5 Tips to Stop Cats from Fighting

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Nobody likes a cat fight -- the hissing, the yowling, the potential for real harm to one or both cats. Yet tiffs among felines are more common than you might think. Nancy Peterson, cat programs manager with The Humane Society of the United States, says a recent survey by the American Pet Products Association shows American cat owners had 2.45 cats per household as of 2008, up from 2.3 just a few years prior. When there are two or more cats in a home, fighting is always a possibility.

There are numerous reasons your cat might pick a fight with another furry feline, even if it's his normally beloved littermate. But if you learn to read the signals your cat is sending, you'll be able to minimize the chance of a squabble occurring, or stop a fight that's brewing.

Here are some ways to do just that.