About 6 months ago I adopted a 2 year old neutered male cat from a shelter. I already had 2 dogs and a 2 year old neutered female cat at home. While we originally attempted slow integration as recommended, a few mishaps resulted in a number of nasty cats fights. The male cat typically chases and corners the significantly smaller female who, in turn, evacuates her bowels and bladder all over the room. The female cat is now extremely skittish , prefers to stay outside all day, and is constantly looking over her shoulder.
We eventually began keeping one cat in our basement and the other upstairs but this is growing increasingly difficult to maintain. For this to work out, we can’t keep this up and I think some drastic measures may be necessary. I’m considering putting the two cats in a bathroom together with me as a sort of referee with a squirt bottle and just sitting with them until they get somewhat desensitized to the other’s proximity. Maybe I’ll spray a little of that cat hormone and add some cat nip to the mix.
Don’t do this, it won’t work and it will just terrify the already scared female even worse. I’d try Feliway diffusers to see if they mellow out the male cat. Beyond that I’m not sure what else you can do aside from getting rid of one of them or keeping them separated all the time.
Good luck to you, the one suggestion I’ve seen on cat websites, is to do gradual acclimation.
You put both cats in a room. Put “Cat A” in a carrier and let “Cat B” roam around at free will.
You do this for a few hours. Then keep them sepearted for the remainder of the day. The next day, put them back in the room and “Cat B” goes in the carrier and “Cat A” gets to roam around the room free.
This way neither will have the advantage. Gradually you increase the time each day spent in the room. This will get them used to each other.
Only slightly tongue in cheek. We had a situation much as yours for a number of years, only genders reversed. After two years of constant catfights and a hiding fraidy cat, we moved to a new apartment and, while they didn’t exactly cuddle, they did mellow out to the point of actually lying on the same queen sized bed. After the second move, they’d actually let their tails touch! :eek:
I think the first cat’s territory was just too firmly established by scent when we brought the second cat in and she, being an ex-alley cat, felt she had to fight him constantly for turf. He, being a pussy, did everything he could to mollify her, but it was never enough. In a new place, they were able to work out a kitty compromise much easier.
