Cat problems - need advice plz!

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  • christine5791
    christine5791 Posts: 46 Member
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    They will always hate each other. One will probably decide to move out.

    lol :)
  • Maidofmer
    Maidofmer Posts: 908 Member
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    cats don't like other cats. I've had 7 at once. a mother son combo and seeing each other, they'd puff up and hiss. the rest attack each other one day then cuddle the next. cats are cats. you need to give it more than 24 hours
  • KittenTikka
    KittenTikka Posts: 93
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    Give it time. 1 day is nothing regarding the time cats can take to settle into a new home (it can take MONTHS for cats to "feel at home" in a new place). Your new cat will be feeling insecure as she doesn't know where to run to/hide in her "new" abode. Confine your new cat to one room (so she can get to know the room well - it helps if there's things to hide under or climb up as that helps cats feel a little more secure), whilst allowing your other cat access everywhere else she would normally go. Gradually re-introduce them; i.e. short supervised periods sharing the same area. Don't expect miracles overnight, you may have to string out supervised introductions over weeks rather than days! Female cats can be harder to get to socialise with each other compared to male cats IME, but they can reach a truce given lots of time and space. If you live in a very small house/flat, be aware that they may not settle if they really hate each other....

    This is how we introduced our female kitten to our existing older cat. Existing cat was somewhat miffed to start with, and they still have the occasional non-serious spat (usually instigated by NoLongerKitten) but they have co-existed in our house for over 3yrs now and neither has offered to move out (we have a cat-flap so they can come and go as they please - the option to leave is there if either wants out)!
  • christine5791
    christine5791 Posts: 46 Member
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    Yeah, it's really early... I have heard a 'slow' introduction works well when they seem to be not getting along... they probably just need time but keep an eye on it/them till you know if they are cool with each other :)
  • KittenTikka
    KittenTikka Posts: 93
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    I know this is only anecdotal evidence, so take it with a grain of salt.

    When my sister got her second cat she had the same problem. She got one of these things you plug into an outlet (like a room freshener, lol!) that has cat pheromones or something, and she claims it worked great.

    Feliway or DAP diffusers - another good idea to help your cats settle down together
  • whitneyps7
    whitneyps7 Posts: 409 Member
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    "if your having cat problems i feel bad for you son i got 99 problems but a cat aint one!"
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,354 Member
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    May I suggest something along these lines....

    264093965620226334_k48GB055_c.jpg

    I'm saving this in case I ever accidently have kids.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
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    You should never just plop two cats in a room together. The introduction is going to take time. First, have a room only for the kitten and make sure the kitten has its own litter box, food bowl, water bowl, and some toys. Make sure to spend time with the kitten and your full grown cat. Next, get a sock, and rub it on your kittens fur. Pet the kitten with it, make the kitten play with it, etc... Do the same thing with a different sock on your full grown cat. Then switch the socks. let the kitten play with the other cat's sock and vice versa. They need to get used to each other's scents. Let a day go by. Next day, lock the kitten in its travel cage and let the cat explore "her" room. shut the door to the main cats room and let the kitten explore that room. make sure they DON'T use each other's litter box. switch the toys between the rooms. Let them explore for about 20 mins before brining teh kitten back to her room and shutting the door and making sure the other cat is out. Next day, sit outside the room with the kitten and play with toys that can go under the door. Let both cats play. The kitten is safe in the other room while the older cat can't get in. Next, go in the room with the kitten and stick that same toy under the door for the big cat to play with. Do this repeatedly. Next day. While holding the kitten in her room, let them see each other. They may hiss. have treats and toss to both cats. Do this for two days. Then let her out of the room, but watch them carefully. let her still sleep in her room with the door shut. Do this for another week and let the kitten out more and more to interact with your big cat. In two weeks, you will have two cats who will learn to tolerate each other. It takes patience, but it is worth it.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
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    I have a 2 year old boy cat and I brought home an adult female (age unknown) from the animal shelter. As soon as I got her out of the carrier and the boy saw her, he immediately growled, hissed, and swatted at her. This went on for a few days. It was the boy that was always the aggressor, not the girl. The girl is very laid back and chill. I have now had the girl cat for about 10 months and they do not hiss or growl at each other. However, the boy is very playful and frisky and he likes to "attack" the girl when she is just laying around. I don't believe he's doing it to be vicious, I think he just wants to play with her and she doesn't like to play like that. She will hiss and swat at him in that scenario. They are not friends, but they live together. They have no problems being on the couch or the bed together. Sometimes I catch them snuggling and every once in a great while, I will see the girl grooming the boy. It just takes time. And remember, your first cat was there first so your new cat is the foreign enemy right now.
  • jojo52610
    jojo52610 Posts: 692 Member
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    I have 3 - my first Cat Bella still hisses and growls and the first male has been here 2 years. We just recently brought a kitten in to the house she hissed and growled at him for at least the first 7 to 8 days at him too and still does it once it while when he pisses her off or bugs her..

    They will get used to each other- in the beginning we fed the new guys in a different part of the house - and when the kittens went to sleep in her "favorite" spot - we re-directed them somewhere else to sleep.

    they will get used to each other
    sometimes she'll play with the little guy
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
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    They should just break up. hahah just kidding

    It helps to keep them in separate rooms for a couple days, letting each one out to explore and get used to the others scent. You can then put them together for a little while at a time until they accept one another. Good luck!
  • _happycats_
    _happycats_ Posts: 105 Member
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    Yes it'll get better. Give it time, keep them separated unless you're home for the first little while and gradually introduce them in increasing time intervals. They'll hiss and fight for a while and then settle be things out. Cat play also looks like cat fights, so half of their "fights" may not be that serious. When I got a second cat, I would lock one up if I went out for the first week or so, just to be safe, but it took less than two weeks for them to start getting along. Read the other responses and I think you've got solid advice about giving it time and gradual introduction.
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
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    I read once about smearing both cats in tuna oil and locking them in a bathroom together. Apparently it works. They'll eventually (hopefully) get close to each other, then groom each other, which encourages bonding. :)
  • morielia
    morielia Posts: 169 Member
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    You should never just plop two cats in a room together. The introduction is going to take time. First, have a room only for the kitten and make sure the kitten has its own litter box, food bowl, water bowl, and some toys. Make sure to spend time with the kitten and your full grown cat. Next, get a sock, and rub it on your kittens fur. Pet the kitten with it, make the kitten play with it, etc... Do the same thing with a different sock on your full grown cat. Then switch the socks. let the kitten play with the other cat's sock and vice versa. They need to get used to each other's scents. Let a day go by. Next day, lock the kitten in its travel cage and let the cat explore "her" room. shut the door to the main cats room and let the kitten explore that room. make sure they DON'T use each other's litter box. switch the toys between the rooms. Let them explore for about 20 mins before brining teh kitten back to her room and shutting the door and making sure the other cat is out. Next day, sit outside the room with the kitten and play with toys that can go under the door. Let both cats play. The kitten is safe in the other room while the older cat can't get in. Next, go in the room with the kitten and stick that same toy under the door for the big cat to play with. Do this repeatedly. Next day. While holding the kitten in her room, let them see each other. They may hiss. have treats and toss to both cats. Do this for two days. Then let her out of the room, but watch them carefully. let her still sleep in her room with the door shut. Do this for another week and let the kitten out more and more to interact with your big cat. In two weeks, you will have two cats who will learn to tolerate each other. It takes patience, but it is worth it.

    This. All of this. The introduction takes a lot of time and patience, but it is so important.
  • dancngdolfn
    dancngdolfn Posts: 81 Member
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    It will get better you just have to give them some time. If you can seperate them in different rooms for a couple days we did that with my cats when we got married and I moved in with my husband and he had two cats. They could sniff each other under the door and through the vent and after a couple of days they learned to tolerate each other. Good luck.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
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    Corner kick
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    yep, i agree, it takes time.
  • IamBlackMamba
    IamBlackMamba Posts: 229
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    Let them duke it out.


    ^This is my method of choice.
  • miracole
    miracole Posts: 492 Member
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    they're establishing territory and dominance, let them fight it out, they'll be fine (don't intervene unless fur flies or an injury occurs.)
  • TheLessOfMe
    TheLessOfMe Posts: 71 Member
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    my cats fight all the time, it used to be worse though. They will get used to each other, just give it time :)

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