Had to make one of the HARDEST decisions....

I think the scent is vanilla. If I remember you put it under their noses and on the base of their tails, but double check that.

I agree that 6 weeks really isn't that long, and you really should try again from the beginning. They may never be friend, but I'm sure caging the older cats and letting the newer cats run loose could be causing some of the problems right now. I'm interested in hearing about how many other animals you have and how they all get along.

Hang in there!

I know I'm a noob here but I agree with the others. I think its gotta be a jealousy issue. It sounds like you brought the new ones in and completely turned the older cats worlds around because of it.

Suddenly, not only were there intruders in their house, sleeping in their owners bed (did Tigger and Prue sleep with you before?) But then they get caged, and probably yelled at a lot for fighting. They are REALLY jealous of these new cats and are blaming them for all the bad things that are happening.

And the new cats run crying to you and get sympathy and pets while your old cats get yelled at and recaged.

Its pretty obvious why your old cats go at them everytime.

My family never had to introduce adults to adults but we brought 3 new kittens into our house in 2 years, and our older cats did not like it. But they learned to deal with it and we were VERY careful not to change the way we acted toward the old cats - to avoid jealousy issues. They were fed first if eating other food was a problem. They got first dibs on beds, etc. etc. etc.

I think if you restart from scratch and instead of caging Prue and Tigger cage the new cats, and remember to treat your old cats EXACTLY as you did before - without giving all "unfair" benefits to the new cats - I think you'll find Prue and Tigger accept them much better.

You basically brought two new cats in and made them alpha cats of the house by default (because you caged your other two). Everytime you let the old kitties out they're just trying to clear up the dominance rankings. Cage the others to let your old kitties know they're still the top cats. Make sure the newbies know it too, and I think you'll find the fighting stops.

That was well-said. Except that I don't think you can get by with just treating the resident kitties the same as before -- I think you're gonna have to pamper them like royalty! The way they see it, you've done 'em wrong, and it's probably going to take a whole lotta warm KMR and ogranically-grown catnip to get back into their good graces.

One of the things that Kerry suggested was when they fight, to take the cats involved and don't say anything to them, don't yell at them, don't squirt them, or anything, but to put them in seperate rooms by themselves, without talking to them or anything, for half an hour after the fight, and then let them out. If I remember correctly, she was saying that they often do it for the attention they're getting, but I think she was also saying that it gives them their own space and also shows that when they fight they get NO attention at all from the humans.

i didnt cage Prue and tigger till the fighting started. i had Uno and Sace in the spare bathroom at first, and things were fine. i never treated T&P any different, nor did i favor sace and Uno.

If the one that told me to dump the new guys for the resident ones would read, the reason i thought T&P would be better off is because THEY were the ones attacking NOT the new guys.

Right now in my home is Tigger ( 1 year old, nutuered) Prue( 2 years old, spayed) Kali ( 1 year old sis of tigger, spayed). Tess ( 8 weeks), Bear ( 8 weeks, male) Dugan ( 10 weeks male) and Uno and sace, 5 &6 years old, nuetered.

everyone gets along fine except for Tigger and Prue. Thats what i dont get. I thought with going into the huge kennels, that after all this time of sniffing each other and stuff they would be fine, so i let them out daily when i clean the kennels. But every time no matter how i treat them, they still make a BEELINE for Sace and UNo, and thats not fair either.

i am wondering why now i shared, cause it seems like no matter how i explain it, i am being told i am wrong for how i feel :cry: I try to support eveyone here, and now i need some.

I'm sorry this hasn't been easy for you. It appears that the easier tricks like the Feliway and the vanilla aren't working. This is going to attract some lightening from some, but have you considered medicating the two aggressive ones for awhile (Prozac, etc) and see if that help?. Also, have you tried Rescue Remedy which is a homeopathic solution that many have had success with?

Originally Posted by katachtig

I'm sorry this hasn't been easy for you. It appears that the easier tricks like the Feliway and the vanilla aren't working. This is going to attract some lightening from some, but have you considered medicating the two aggressive ones for awhile (Prozac, etc) and see if that help?. Also, have you tried Rescue Remedy which is a homeopathic solution that many have had success with?

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im am thinkin that is going to be me next try/last resort. Its not like i made this decision lightly, ya know? Its killing me, but i am trying to do whats right for them. If drugs will help, i will try it!!!

These are your three statements on this theard:

Every since i took in Sace and Uno, they have done nothing but fight with them.

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but every time i let them out, they go for sace or uno and fight.

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the reason i am opting for the two resident cats is because they are the ones that dont get along, and the new adopties get along fine with the rest of the gang.

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From what I read these are the 2 newest cats that Prue and Tigger are not getting along with. I have not read that they are fighting with all the cats just the 2 newest guys. I honestly feel that putting Prue and Tigger in the kennel is not gonna help matters. Uno and Sace should be the ones kenneled until Prue and Tigger accept them. And if they never do Uno and Sace are the ones IMO that should be rehomed not the two resident cats that were there before.

I know its a hard decision but I don't feel its right to the resident cats to be rehomed because they do not like the new guys.

Originally Posted by Ping

These are your three statements on this theard:







From what I read these are the 2 newest cats that Prue and Tigger are not getting along with. I have not read that they are fighting with all the cats just the 2 newest guys. I honestly feel that putting Prue and Tigger in the kennel is not gonna help matters. Uno and Sace should be the ones kenneled until Prue and Tigger accept them. And if they never do Uno and Sace are the ones IMO that should be rehomed not the two resident cats that were there before.

I know its a hard decision but I don't feel its right to the resident cats to be rehomed because they do not like the new guys.

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well then, if you have answers on how to get everyone to get along, i would love to hear it, if you just want to berate me, please dont, i dont need it. I was looking for help, nothing else. this is supossed to be a place of support, last i knew.

I honestly think the newer cats are the ones that need to be kenneled or put into a spare room until Prue and Tigger accept them.

Can you put yourself in Prue and Tiggers place. Imagine mom brings to new cats home. Yeah she put them in a spare room for a few days or a few weeks but I don't like these new cats. And because I don't like them mom locks us in a kennel to make us get along. And while I am in this cage the new guys get to wonder around and take my place. Well I will get the new guys as soon as mom lets me out because this is not right.

Because I bet you thats how Prue and Tigger feel. Uno and Sace need to be the ones put into a spare area until they are accepted by all. If that never happens or the are continual fights Uno and Sace need to be rehomed.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67321

Never mind I see they are.

I know this hasn't been easy for you, and no one here is trying to attack you. We're just trying to figure out a way for you to keep everyone.

Think of it from the cats point of view. Prue and Tigger were the oldest (I know Kali is the same age as Tigger, but she is female so she may not be as territorial and therefore not as aggressive). Suddenly, you bring 2 older cats into the picture. Yes, there are going to be fights, especially if Prue and Tigger were the alpha cats before. The kittens don't count because for the most part, any new cat is a new playmate to them. Add caging them because they are just trying to show that they are in charge is adding to the aggression.

From my experience, sometimes you just have to let cats work it out on their own. Personally, I've never done the slow introduction thing. Yes, theres howling, hissing, fighting, but as long as no blood is drawn, it's just the feline way of setting up the "pecking order".

Some cats just never like each other, but will learn to stay clear of each other, but they need time together to figure that out. Just my opinion.

I agree with the others, getting rid of the resident cats is wrong.

You've been given all the reasons.

Originally Posted by mschauer

I agree with the others, getting rid of the resident cats is wrong.

You've been given all the reasons.

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But if they don't get along maybe it's good for them, after all she's not doing it because of a bad reason, dont you think?

Originally Posted by calico2222

I know this hasn't been easy for you, and no one here is trying to attack you. We're just trying to figure out a way for you to keep everyone.

Think of it from the cats point of view. Prue and Tigger were the oldest (I know Kali is the same age as Tigger, but she is female so she may not be as territorial and therefore not as aggressive). Suddenly, you bring 2 older cats into the picture. Yes, there are going to be fights, especially if Prue and Tigger were the alpha cats before. The kittens don't count because for the most part, any new cat is a new playmate to them. Add caging them because they are just trying to show that they are in charge is adding to the aggression.

From my experience, sometimes you just have to let cats work it out on their own. Personally, I've never done the slow introduction thing. Yes, theres howling, hissing, fighting, but as long as no blood is drawn, it's just the feline way of setting up the "pecking order".

Some cats just never like each other, but will learn to stay clear of each other, but they need time together to figure that out. Just my opinion.

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the main reason Prue went into the kennel was because she was attackin to the point that she swiped off some of sace's hair, and she got a nice mohawk with a small scratch on her head, so i thought it was safer. maybe i should jsut let her go, and see what happens? I mean, if they hiss and spit and do their thing, maybe it will be a agression release, and they will calm down, i dont know, i just need some help.

Originally Posted by Liza24

the main reason Prue went into the kennel was because she was attackin to the point that she swiped off some of sace's hair, and she got a nice mohawk with a small scratch on her head, so i thought it was safer. maybe i should jsut let her go, and see what happens? I mean, if they hiss and spit and do their thing, maybe it will be a agression release, and they will calm down, i dont know, i just need some help.

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I linked a thread on intro for cats. Have you already read it. I think you need to start from scratch and do things real slow.



arie85: IMO when intros don't work and the resident cats are not gonna get along with the new guys the new guys need a new home not the resident cats. To me thats whats fair.

FWIW, my vet tells us that during the first two month of introductions, the old pets are always right and the newbies are always wrong. The old pets know the family/house rules and will correct the newbies - just not always the way we would.
Cute kitties and puppies make you want to rescue them, but you are just making them into brats if they don't have rules to follow.

We are helping train/socialize my son's puppy. The dogs and cat let the puppy get away with a lot more than you'd believe, but they do set limits. The pup is a strong alpha, so we are really working on the training. She wants to play with my cat and my son's shy cat, so my cat is having to teach her the correct signals. It is going pretty well at this point.

Originally Posted by Ping

arie85: IMO when intros don't work and the resident cats are not gonna get along with the new guys the new guys need a new home not the resident cats. To me thats whats fair.

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But that's a black & white decision, what's wrong with compromise?
You don't find it as a better solution?

Originally Posted by arie85

But if they don't get along maybe it's good for them, after all she's not doing it because of a bad reason, dont you think?

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thank-you, least you understand.


Ping,
if i had a huge house, and a few extra bedrooms to use for this, i would try over again. but i only have the small bathroom right now, wont have the house till jan or so. so i am tryin to do what i can with what i have. I have spent alot of money and time trying to help them like each other, but its not seeming to work. maybe letting prue out and let them decide pecking order with supervision is something to try.

as i said, i am open to HELP, but if you cant help, please dont post about how im wrong for my feelings.

As corny as this is gonna sound I did read it here and tried it. And that is talking to Prue and Tigger. When not in the heat of the moment pick Tigger or Prue up and walk with them to a quiet room and explain things to them. Tell them why you brought the new cats home and that Prue and/or Tigger are still your babies and the alphas but you need them to get along with the new guys. I did this with Ping a few times since Pong got here and it worked well for us. They understand more than we give them credit for.

Also try this as long as you don't have aggressive stoners. Put some nip down. I found catnip was a great ice breaker. Pong didn't react. But Ping got hyper ran around and then just laid around stone hehe. Then he allowed Pong to get real close to him with little issue.