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==Introduction==

==Introduction==

The [[Feline Territorial Behaviour|feline territory]] is divided into '''three zones'''. The '''central core territory''', needs to be safe and secure, but the '''home range''' may be traversed by other cats as they go between different parts of their own territory. The larger '''hunting range''' is also shared by larger numbers of cats in the local vicinity. The sharing of access to territory means that time share systems are important in avoiding conflict. Conflict is most likely in the home range when cat densities are high. Dawn and dusk are high risk times in terms of aggression and this may be due to the fact that prey is most active at these times, and there is increased competition for this important resource, or simply a consequence of the increased chance of feline encounters because many cats are out and about at these times.  

Aggression between cats in a neighbourhood will be minimal if they are able to successfully maintain and control territorial boundaries and thereby avoid face to face confrontations. However, in urban areas the population density of cats may be very high, and cats are forced to traverse each other's territory in order to gain access to the resources that they need.

Invasion of core territories and threat to resources within homes increases competition within the home and can increase the risk of conflict. When a [[Feline Social Behaviour#Social Structure|feline despot]] is present within a neighbourhood, aggressive encounters between cats increase significantly. These despotic cats not only show intensely territorial behaviour but also make regular and repeated attempts to take over the territory of other cats, including their core territory or home range. They may enter the homes of other cats to attack or intimidate them, or to leave urine marks, leading to misdiagnosis of inter-cat aggression or [[Indoor Marking - Cat|indoor marking problems]] within the homes they are targeting. Entire male cats are more likely to be despotic, which is why stray males should be caught and neutered. However, there is '''no exclusive correlation between reproductive status and despotism''', and other cats can behave in this way. Despotic cats are often most active at dawn and dusk and their behaviour is often a source of tension between human and feline neighbours throughout the potentially very large area that the despot attempts to control.

Invasion of core territories and threat to resources within homes increases competition within the home and can increase the risk of conflict. When a [[Feline Social Behaviour#Social Structure|feline despot]] is present within a neighbourhood, aggressive encounters between cats increase significantly. These despotic cats not only show intensely territorial behaviour but also make regular and repeated attempts to take over the territory of other cats, including their core territory or home range. They may enter the homes of other cats to attack or intimidate them, or to leave urine marks, leading to misdiagnosis of inter-cat aggression or [[Indoor Marking - Cat|indoor marking problems]] within the homes they are targeting. Entire male cats are more likely to be despotic, which is why stray males should be caught and neutered. However, there is '''no exclusive correlation between reproductive status and despotism''', and other cats can behave in this way. Despotic cats are often most active at dawn and dusk and their behaviour is often a source of tension between human and feline neighbours throughout the potentially very large area that the despot attempts to control.