I have two cats. A male 1 1/2 and a female 3 1/2. they don't physically fight - they seem like they just play, but they never groom each other, they never lie near each other. Whenever I play with the male, the female will come from whatever room she's in - and he always runs away. I spend as a result more time with her. He was my first cat. He was about 8 months when I got her and she was about 2. Is there anyway to make them get along better? They are spade and neutered and both healthy. They are rarely by themselves as I work from home. I would like to be able to play with the two of them together without feeling that I am neglecting the one. Can you please help?
Can anyone help with this? I have a 5 month old kitten that lived with my girlfriend for awhile, but around the same time that we moved the kitten to my house (She can't keep him at her apartments) I got a new roommate who had an older cat. We tried introducing them after a couple of days and they were not pleased. They both growled and hissed at each other, but then the next day I found that my kitten had gotten out of my room and the two cats had fought.
Now if we try to introduce them, they'll both just stare at one another and the kitten will growl, but if he tries to walk away the older cat attacks him. I am going to try the towel thing, but me and my roommates have all agreed that the kitten is terrified of the older cat, so I'm worried that this will make it much harder for them to get along.
We have 4 cats, Buddy is the oldest male(3.5 yo), Dudu is the oldest female (3yo), Toby Joe is the baby boy (2.5yo), and Anni is the baby girl (2.5yo). The first three got along FANTASTIC with each other, however, when Anni came along, our oldest female Dudu would have nothing to do with her. They don't fight, but they will not play, sleep within 5 feet of each other, or groom the other. Which we found extremely odd because Dudu is the most lovable, sweetest cat, always wants to cuddle, and sleeps on either my husband's or my chest EVERY night.
If Anni comes along near Dudu, she will hiss at Anni, bat at her, and let her know she is not wanted around. After talking it over with professionals and reading up on the subject, we concluded that Dudu (the older, more established female in our home) considered herself top cat because of the sleeping situation. She slept right on/next to Mom and Dad, well when Anni came into the picture, she liked to sleep on Mom, too(still doesn't sleep on my husband, much to his frustration :o) ).
This is what ticked Dudu off. And still to this day, they've been living with each other for 2 years, Dudu won't give Anni the time of day. But, we were given the advice to give them their own sleeping areas outside of our master bedroom and to close our door and let neither of them sleep with us. Maybe, if your older cat sleeps with you, this could be tried?
We have 2 cats. a six yr old female who was here alone until 2 yrs ago. Then to the door arrived a little black female. The older lives in the house, except when on the patio. The younger lives in the garage and outside, coming in only at night or early AM, when miss nasty is out on the patio. Any time the older can get a chance she will chase or beat up on the younger. IS there any hope? I so would like them to both be able to stay in all the time. I would be happy if the older would just tolerate the younger. Any thought or help?
I have a bully Siamese mix, my other cat brought her home. I've had her since she was 6 weeks old. (she is fixed he is not) She is horrible, she bites him hard enough to break skin pushes him out of his sleeping spots, and he just takes it and will snuggle up next to her and clean her ears. It got to to the point she wouldn't let him eat. I've always done the one bowl thing and the same brushes, too cheap to buy two of everything.
So I put her a cage in front of the food bowl and feed him the yummiest wet foodIi could find. I made sure I only gave him what he could eat in one setting. So she only got to lick the plate. I did this every day at the same time. At first she was even meaner to him, but she got sprayed with the water bottle and put in her cage. It took her about 3 months but she got the point that I wanted him to be top cat. As long as I keep on top of it and make sure she knows the pecking order, she does very well.
She is a lot calmer for it and he will stand up for himself. Now they just love each other.
do you see the picture included of three cats? well those are mine.. the orange tabby and the tortoise are brother and sister. boomer is the oldest of the three and she is the tiger on the end.. anyway.. i re-read all of the posts again, and have to agree.. try using the same brush on all your cats.. feed out of the 'same' plate (not bowl) use a large plate if you have to... their scent will be on the plate no matter what... also if they fight.. use a spray bottle.. its always hard on you, when there is a 'bully'.. but it is a dominant thing.. the 'alpha' attitudes going on.. LOL you also might have to either live with what you have, if you cannot find any other solutions, or find another home where they can find some peace and happiness.. that is the hardest and last resort.. good luck!!!
Well, of the oldest females in my home, she does not play nor ever has played with the other two cats (brother and sister). Although on occasion I will catch them chasing one another down the hall. That's about it. But my small dog will do the same.
The brother and sister sleep and groom one another and of course Mr. C will be a pain to Neka as well and bug her until she hisses at him to leave her alone. I guess in time they will adjust. As Neka I have caught grooming Boomber (the oldest female) but Neka will groom my big dog also! She is a groomer, talkative, loveable cat. Boomer is a skittish female, and Mr. C well he is a man cat! LOL, it all takes time.. as all my cats are now 7 yrs old!
I have 4 Persian Himilayans. I started out with a white Persian himmei and then got a bluepoint male and decided to mate them. The mother had 4 kittens and all died except for one male so I kept the male. The mother then had 4 more kittens and I kept a blue female out of that litter and sold the rest. Now the father and son are not getting along, initially they were best buds but now the father constantly stalks the son and the mother being a mother beats the father for fighting/stalking the son. It's a real cat fight everyday in my house. Please help, any ideas?
I hope someone here can help me. I've had a girl and boy Siamese for 8 years. All of the sudden and out of the blue my girl is hissing at her brother and hasn't stopped in two days. What could have happened to her?
I have two neutered male cats who have been living together in my house for over 3 years. Before the second one moved in, it belonged to my neighbor, so they cats have 'known' each other for several years, but have only been house-mates for 3 years. They have never gotten along...my big male has always picked on the younger one, even when the younger one lived at my neighbor's house. It has been a slow process, but they are now able to be in the same room without the big one whipping the young one's a**. The thing that seemed to work best with mine was to feed them in the same room..that way, they identify meal time with being around each other. They have tangled several times in the last 3 years, but it's gotten so much better. I have also tried to admonish the big cat when he starts his 'death stalk' toward the little one. Good luck. Sometimes they just do not get along with each other....like people, I guess.
Another thought: Since we are a 6-cat household, and they span different ages/sexes, we have had to put in another litter box. Cats don't have the same preferences for litter, and a crabby constipated cat won't get along as easily with others as a "regular" cat.
I have six cats. My solution to any problem with cats is the same, because it always works: Grooming, grooming, and more grooming. Have combs and brushes in every room, that you can reach for. This is such immense pleasure for the cats that it overcomes any other desires. It is SO healthy and bonding for them. My solution is grooming as much as you can and more. Let others who are in your household do the same. The cats will be much happier and healthier.
Sabrina, that could have been almost my own story, so similar was my experience. I think you have to accept that for some cats 'tolerating' is the best they can do. I had for one year, a very fiesty grey female cat.. then came along a lovely ginger male (a stray) now they've both have been here with me for six years. She has never bonded with him. She doesn't hiss or attack him, but they never groom each other, sleep together, or so on. they just travel their own paths. Although I would like to see them cuddled up together, it's not going to happen and it's their choice.
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Request: Helping Two Cats Get Along
Archived on 08/14/2007
Any advice on helping two cats get along would be appreciated. We got married and both came with cats. I moved into his house. His cat is part Siamese female; my cat is a curly-tailed cream tabby with La Perm on her tummy. His cat is sleek and puma like, and laid back, she's 16. My cat is frisky, 7-years-old, high spirited. His cat is pretty much terrorizing my cat, and keeping her outside quite a lot. His cat is basically ruling the roost.
Cubangirl from Seattle, WA
Answers:
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
When I bring a new cat home when there is already one (or 2) here, I keep the new one in the pet taxi during the day so they can check each other out safely. The new cats litter box and food, etc. are in the bathroom for awhile and the cat is safe locked in there at night so it can run around some. It doesn't usually take long. (I now have 3... 2 males and a young female and they are great together.) (06/30/2007)
We got a second cat and our first is not too keen on her yet, but it is coming along quite a bit. First, never leave them alone. If the first cat gets aggressive, we scruff his neck like his mother would do (not to hurt him, just to have him recall his mother's displeasure) and tell him "NO!". A big plus that we have found is to pet them at the same time and make sure that they have plenty of good things happening when both of them are together so that they associate good things with the new cat. Your first cat (and ours) is basically having his territory invaded and once he realizes that he is not really being threatened, he should calm down. Also, if they are both spayed, this can cut down on aggressiveness, I believe.
Best wishes! (06/30/2007)
By Nancy
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
They might get along eventually, but it's harder to get two females to get along than two males. This is where we get the expression "she's being catty" from. (07/02/2007)
Hello! I agree with the spaying comment; if they aren't spayed already, it can definitely cut down on aggression.
I don't read aggression in the 7 year old from your description though... just high spirits and desire to play.
You might (I know, of all things!) get another, younger cat or kitten to distract the younger one. I would recommend a young neutered male. A male would transition the most smoothly with both females. Then the younger cat would have someone who is equally interested in high jinks.
Another thing that I noticed when I moved with my large feline brood was that in the new house, the territory was new, and no one cat felt it was his/ hers. You could also try moving into a new house together.
(07/02/2007)
By Janet
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
Hi Cubangirl,
I just reread your post and realized it is the older one ruling over the younger one. My second suggestion would still apply though!
(07/02/2007)
By Janet
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
My daughter taught me this when one of two cats got left out all night. Lots of hissing and growling happened when he came back inside. Take a small hand towel and rub over the more aggressive one's fur and then wipe it on the less dominate one. It works for us! Try it more then once if its not working at first. Can use their hairbrush also. They need that scent to relax. (07/02/2007)
By Momma 2
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
It sometimes takes a while but they will learn to co-exist. They may never really like each other and one will be the top cat but they will find their distances from each other and learn to coexist. When one is terrorizing the other, put her in a room by herself so the other one can feel at ease for a while. Keep telling them to be nice and hiss at the terrorizer, letting her know that you are the boss. It works with my cats. I agree with petting them at the same time and comingling their scents and taking them by the scruff of the neck so they know that you are the Mom.
(07/02/2007)
Cats are very territorial creatures, when the new cat comes in the house put her in a cat carrier so the 2 can sniff each other and get use to each other do this for about a week and then let the new cat out and hopefully they will get along.. also introduce something new for the cats that neither one had before. Siamese cats are really hard to live with and they are a one person and one home cat.. I hope you will have luck with the 2... Try feeding them together at the same time different bowls..
Good Luck... (07/02/2007)
All I can say is Good Luck. Our female Tabby cat was 4 years old, when we got a all white male kitten only a few weeks old. We kept the kitten in the carrier for several months, unless we were with it, as the female cat would not accept him at all. They are now 9 years old and 5 years old and the female cat will still hiss at him. He can hold his own with her and they do not fight, but do not like each other. We tried all the suggestions that were written in the other messages and none would work. They even have different litter boxes and food dishes.
Pat in GA (07/02/2007)
Cats are like people they have personalities. Some folk they like and some they would just as easily wish to shoot, LOL. I have three Siamese inside and I can tell you they are loud and sometimes difficult with new cats who come through since we do cat rescue. I believe keeping one (new kitty) crated in a large crate for a week or so works best. That way they can touch noses- size up the competition and adjust - if they are ever going to. 99 times out of a 100 they will make up. Best wishes. (07/03/2007)
To integrate new cats into our home we used baby powder. Yes, baby powder to be sure all the cats smelled the same. It really did help. When they become fiesty we sprinkle them with the baby powder again. Your cats will become friends, eventually. Give the baby powder a go - it could work for you! (07/09/2007)
By SATellite88
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
MY WORD!! I never thought of it in million years! A baby powder?! Using same brush from one cat to another? Huh! That's definitely make sense! I'll try mine. I just got a new nine weeks old female kitten home from the shelter and I already have two six months old female kittens. One of six months old kitten was trying to attack nine weeks old kitten but I caught her in time and she bit me and scratched me but stills I didn't let her go because that nine weeks old kitten is tiny compare to six months old kitten's size! Good grief! (i)(/i) (07/28/2007)
By Three kittens
RE: Helping Two Cats Get Along
We had kitty intervention and it went well. The Siamese was relaxed but the new cat, the Cream Tabby, was tense and growling. It helped though. Now Cream Tabby actually eats in front of Siamese - a breakthrough. After three days of having them in the same room (albeit for only a few minutes each time), without them fussing, we ignored them for a minute this morning and there was a cat fight. My husband broke it up, admonished Siamese, and put her outside. Cream Tabby wants to get out but I won't let her, I think she should go to sleep in here... she was outside all night... We want her to get used to it here. I won't let Siamese in for the rest of the morning.
These cats are driving me nuts... (07/29/2007)
I wouldn't advise using baby powder because the cats will have to lick it off eventually. You might get upset at the problematic cat, but you don't want to feed it a potentially toxic substance. (08/01/2007)
