Eliza, we have three and had four when this one turned up (one has since died). I've had cats most of my life and my mother's had cats all of her 75 years. We are quite used to one cat putting another in its place and pecking orders... but we have not known a situation like this before (Snotcat can lie in wait, Oeidipus can sneak around in terror, etc.). Of course the OPs problem may be a bit different.