I have been around cats long enough to be able to predict their behavior somewhat and not be surprised by behavior I didn’t predict. Of course, predicting behavior and understanding it are two different things and I sometimes think I will never understand why cats behave the way they do.
Chris, for example, will often straddle Puck and hold him down by the neck and then he will wash him like nothing ever happened. It seems like he’s showing his dominance but Puck never challenges Chris’s position so I don’t know why he feels compelled to do what he does. If anything, Frankie is the one that challenges Chris leadership but Chris doesn’t hold him down by the neck although he does whack him from time to time.
Bad Cat Chris 
Ernie tries to dominate Wally by blocking him when they run down the hallway and stairs. Seriously, he will get in front of Wally and try to run him off the road, so to speak.
Sounds like your black and gold cats have reverse roles then ours.
I would be spraying him to stop. Puck doesn’t seem to mind though.
I usually try to get him to stop without making a big fuss because I am not sure about the meaning of what Chris is doing. I know he loves Puck and I don’t think he is hurting him.
That’s actually a mating position – and yes, with two males, a show of dominance. Usually benevolent dominance.
I saw that once with two ducks in the mail was holding the female down like that by the neck. Since our cats are all males I knew that that couldn’t be what was going on.
Yes, that’s clearly dominance. Zorro tried this once with me, but I quickly showed him who was the boss despite my small size. Purrs, Pixie
Maybe you can come visit us Pixie and teach Puck a thing or two. 🙂
Boys will be boys………..tee hee
Hugs, Sammy
Yes, and Chris will be Chris. 🙂
I try this with my dad, but I mostly fail… maybe Chris has some tricks for me?
Chris tries that with me too but he bites my nose instead of neck.
I think that mounting thing happens when one cat is not an alpha. Two Alpha already know their position with each other. I have two alphas, Bobcat and Topper and one who is just sweet and submissive, Lexington and Lex the one who always gets mounted by Bobcat. I’ve never seen Bobcat and Topper do that to each other.
Chris and Frankie are competing Alphas somewhat and even though Chris is more dominant he doesn’t do that to Frankie.
My sister Constance does this to my other sister, Tobias, ALL the time. MOUSES!
Purrs,
Seville
I guess girl is do that too. Interesting.
Seems as if Puck is totally nonplussed by the whole affair. As Mom always says, “Cats are predictably unpredictable.” XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
I love that saying.