This lets out some Gammas, who are fearful of mayhem and usually too retiring to impose their will on others, and many Alphas, who are usually responsible for the mayhem and see nothing wrong with it.
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A Gamma can radiate disapproval and give a Gamma kitten some pause. An Alpha, certain they will be blamed because of their record, can pantomime horror and discourage another cat from something they know won’t end well. This is helpful cat communication, and goes on, at some level, with any group of cats.
A true Enforcer operates out of internalized rules of the household, and will administer a cuff on the neck when needed. When RJ got too rough with his new kitten, Olwyn, it was Mr. Bond who got out of his chair and rapped RJ on the head a few times.
We can’t really choose or train an Enforcer; this is a role the cat takes on by themselves. As with any independent action, there’s the possibility our Enforcer can sometimes over-react. Help them out by letting them know when chasing and wrestling is okay, and when it is not.
Enforcers also draw distinctions between intervening on a personal and a property level. Some cats come down like a hammer to protect squealing kittens, and let anyone climb the drapes. Others nudge cats away from tabletops or bookcases with delicates in them, but figure cats can handle their own disputes. Some just like peace and quiet, and some are happy as long as everyone else is.
We should treasure and support our Enforcers; they are doing it because they love our house, and want us to be happy in it with them. If they are being too enthused, we can suggest that this or that behavior is okay, and when they get it right, we should thank them and tell the other cats they can learn a lot from the Enforcer.
Because sometimes, they do.
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There’s more about multiple cats in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See more posts on the MULTIPLE CAT ADVANTAGE.
Great post. It is really interesting to watch the enforcers and how they go a about their jobs. I have one that is definitely the enforcer here.
Margaret Elmendorf´s last blog ..Oh those silly donkeys
Interesting, I just found this post even though I know it’s a bit old, so hopefully it is still ok to comment! Anyway, I was thinking that in this household, Nikki (the Security Guard Cat) is probably our resident Enforcer as well. She doesn’t put up with any nonsense, and will grumble emphatically if the youngsters get too rowdy. Sometimes I think she takes her job a bit TOO seriously (as in, she gets annoyed if the youngsters are just playing, or if humans are laughing) but again telling her that I appreciate her services seems to settle her a bit.
The Enforcer/Spokescat roles also make some sense of the fact that Nikki and Shadow (one of the youngsters) are both Betas but have completely different demeanors and attitudes. They’re both fond of the Lassie Move of course but their priorities differ; e.g., Nikki is more apt to let everyone know if there’s a neighbor cat intruding in the yard, whereas Shadow is more apt to announce that it’s dinnertime!
AnneC´s last blog ..Shadow and Cora Meowing