I need some advice about how to get my cats to get along

[schmuls]

I have two cats, Lucy and Pierre, both about 5 years old. They are fixed and have claws. They have hissing and boxing episodes occasionally, but no one gets hurt. Occasionally they groom each others heads. Other than that they both go their own ways. Recently, my roommate saw the woman next door, who is divorcing her husband, (still living there) run out to her car after an argument, and put one of her cats out on the street. My roommate brought the cat inside, to live in her bedroom until she moved out at the end of the month. During this time, the cat was extremely terrified and hid all the time. The roommate would try to socialize with the cat every day but Georgie Boy was very resistant. The roommate moved out and I continued to take care of Georgie until my roommate had the cash to pay the pet deposit. Well, one day she comes over with a dog, a husky and border collie mix. She let it slip out that the dog had been brought back twice for chasing cats. Later she called me and said that her dog comes first and she wouldn't be taking the cat after all. So I still have the cat. The shelters have so many cats needing homes, I didn't have the heart to bring him to one or try to rehome him in the classifieds. (Sorry for the long story, but I wanted to get the facts in. ) The cat has gone from being terrified to thinking he owns the place. He is very affectionate with me, but is not getting along with the other cats. He growls, hisses and tries to swat the other cats when they get into his general area. At night the Pierre and he run all over the house growling and chasing each other. So far the only injury is that Pierre has a scratch across his nose. Pierre and Lucie are both very affectionate cats and pretty mellow, and I don't want them to become nervous and aggressive over him. He is fixed by the way. Again, sorry for the long post. If anyone knows any way I can get them adjusted to each other, please let me know. It would be nice if everyone became friends, but just existing peacefully would be enough. (I should say that the husband doesn't want anything to do with the cat.) Thank you.

[spooky3]

1. You might want to try Feliway

You plug it in and it is supposed to calm kitties. It works within the first few days or not at all (every cat is different).

http://www.feliway.com/us

The volunteer organization where I adopted a cat, and a relative who fosters, recommended it. It did seem to work for us.

[badgerpup]

8. Will it work...

...for kitties who used to be friends but now aren't?

I posted about this in another thread...Riktor and Wimsey used to be buddies, but now Riktor treats Wimsey like a trespasser on HIS territory. They can't be in the house at the same time.

I'm holding off on panicking, since I think the trigger is the kitten (with whom they both get along fairly well), who will join the 'confirmed bachelor brigade' next month.

This procedure on the latest addition to the clowder has usually put an end to whatever behavioral issues the OTHER cats were having...go figure.

I tell them there's no call to be jealous; the kid doesn't get to keep his harbls either...but they don't seem to understand.:shrug:

[spooky3]

9. I can't give you any first hand experience because I tried it only with

a newcomer, a second newcomer, and a friendly long term pet. You might want to contact SPCA or other volunteer orgs. in your area and see what their experience has been.

I suspect you are right about the kitten, though it wouldn't hurt to try the Feliway.

A relative who has adopted a lot of cats that no one else would take sometimes experiences what you're describing when a newcomer is added. She is lucky to have a large house and will put those who are currently getting along well in one room, those who suddenly aren't friendly any more in a different room, etc. But this seems to be a permanent solution with some of the cats, and I wouldn't want to have to do this in my small house.

[hamsterjill]

2. One small suggestion

I'm not sure that this would work at THIS stage of the game, but when introducing a new cat to an existing group of cats, we put the new one in a wire crate (big enough for a pet taxi, a litter box, and we use bird cups for food and water that connect off the crate) for about two weeks to introduce its smells and sounds, etc. To begin with, we cover the entire crate with a sheet or blanket to help the newby feel safe. The newby can also escape the peering eyes and paws of the existing cats by going into the pet taxi provided within the wire crate.

By giving them time to become accustomed to one another safe within (and without) the protection of the crate, when it's time to allow the new one to roam freely, they are generally used to one another and the introduction goes without much incident.

If you have the capability of doing this, you might try this. You have to do it for a period of time before it is effective, and the indicator that it's time for the new one to come out of the crate is when none of the cats are paying particular attention to one another.

I wish you good luck and I thank you kindly for helping this kitty.

[Lisa0825]

4. We do almost the same thing at the shelter.

Instead of the pet taxi, we use a milk crate strapped to the top of the cage with plastic ties. We put a little fleece bed in "the loft,"secured to the milk crate with duct tape. The loft gives the kitty a place to retreat and since it hangs over the space where the litter box sits, it makes up for that use of space.

[hamsterjill]

7. Kewl idea!!!

I'm going to try that!

[goddess40]

3. a leash and a cement block - not what you think

when I got married we had to introduce our cats to each other. One (Thor) kept attacking the other (Twit) so he got hooked up to a cement block with a leash that was long enough to allow him to roam around the room. Twit would come in and wander around the room just out of reach of the Thor. I would sit on the floor between the two, with Thor at the end of his leash and hand feed them both chicken too.
I also had to sleep on the floor with Thor for the first month our my marriage as he was a Siamese and would cry all night if left alone.
The things we do for our pets.

[Lisa0825]

5. How long has it been since they met?

First thought... is anyone staying in your ex-roommate's old room? Maybe you could separate Georgie Boy from Lucy and Pierre for parts of the day, especially at night if that is when most of the action is going on? Maybe start by isolating GB, and then letting him out until a fight occurs, and isolating him each time it occurs for a while?

Second thought... cat squabbles (not really fights if they aren't doing damage!) probably bother US way more than them. Depending on how long it has been, you might just be patient and let them work it out. They are trying to decide territorial/hierarchical issues, and while we might be able to ease such a transition, we can't really draw up the treaty for them :)

[grasswire]

6. the only way I found to solve a serious cat squabble was to move.

Once we moved, there were no territorial issues. They were all noobies again. It really worked.

[ginnyinWI]

10. yeah hissing and growling is just normal cat politics.

My policy with my three is to just ignore it, unless someone is actually taking a serious swipe at another one and someone ends up with a scratched nose. But even then, they usually figure it out, and the "scratch-ee" learns what to do to avoid another incident.

You have to be patient with introducing new ones--give it about four months and things will look a lot better. You might need to separate them when you are gone from the house.

[Warpy]

12. That's the advice I was going to give

The cats are sorting out a pecking order and will do so in their own time. Since there have been no real injuries, you can pretty much assume it's all noisy posturing.

You might stick George in the ex roomie's room at night, just so you can get some sleep.

A few months from now, they'll have mostly sorted it out. There will still be half hearted swipes and a hiss when they get a little too close, but that should be the extent of it.

Unless there are serious fights, that's the best way to handle it. A squirt gun also comes in handy when you've had enough drama for one day.

If the fights turn serious, then Georgie Boy needs a new home. The ex wife might actually turn up on your doorstep some day when her own life is more stable and want her kitty back. If she threw him outdoors, I have to wonder if her ex was threatening him or abusing him to get to her.

The world sure is full of jerks. Thank you for not being one of them.

[david13]

11. It takes time. But the natural state of a cat is fighting. They are like

prize fighters, in a way.
I hope you know cats are more important that a spouse. If you have a spouse that doesn't approve of the cat, you know who goes.
They fight, and after a while they come to a temporary truce. Then later they fight again.
dc