Siamese aggression towards other cats

Hope y'all can help me on this one!

I recently moved into a house with two other people. I have two cats (a male DSH polydactyl that is colored like a Russian Blue) and an American Bobtail, female, both neutered, both about six years old. They have always been indoor cats.

One of my roomies moved in with a two year old siamese female who is not fixed due to 'bladder stones'. This cat had been allowed outside on a leash.

When we were all moving in, I told the other cat owner that we needed to bring the cats in on the same day and detailed the 'introducing' procedure. She chose to disregard my recommendations, bringing her cat in three days before mine and letting her roam freely in the house. The cat immediately peed everywhere she could (whether this was from her 'stones' or from the fact that the place reeked of dog is hard to say).

Since moving in with my cats, there have been ferocious battles between my cats and hers. The siamese will come into my room and attack my American Bobtail (who is extremely shy due to poor socialization) when my cat is trying to eat. The DSH and the siamese lock frequently, and it is no play wrestling. They will fall down the stairs with no regard to anything but killing the other cat. The siamese is always the aggressor.

Squirt bottles are the only thing that break up the fights (yes, I've read the posts about how that is a no-no and will try to find something different to use). The siamese gets timed-out to her room, but the peace never lasts for long once the door is open again.

I've sprayed the place with a full bottle of Feliway to no apparent effect. Have also dosed all water dishes with Rescue Remedy (which has worked on my two in the past) to little or no effect.

The cats are fed separately, with dishes in each bedroom plus two centrally located water dishes. There are three litter boxes (two upstairs, one downstairs). I'm going to add another litter box in a 'public' place (neither my room or the roomie's) but otherwise am at a loss as to what to do.

I've never had trouble like this with cats before. Usually there's some hissing and yowling for a few days, but everyone soon gets over it. These cats have been fighting like they want to kill each other for nearly a month now, and there seems no let-up in the aggression. My roomie doesn't see this as a problem, which doesn't help. Of course, it's not her cat getting all bloody and ripped up.

Any suggestions beyond confirming my need to move again will be greatly appreciated.

What a stinky situation your in! It frustrates me so much when pet owners don't take responsibility! Siamese by their very nature are territorial and easily bored. Are their sufficient toys/climbing things to stimulate the siamese? Perhaps you could suggest that you split the cost of a good strong cat tree as this would distract the siamese (and also be a nice thing for your babys too).

You mentioned the siamese is used to a leash. I think it would be a good idea to not allow the siamese free rain of the house until her behaviour has been corrected. It is NOT acceptable for her to harm and fight with your cats.
I think the siamese ought to be kept in your room mates room and then brought out in the communal area on her leash where you are with your cats (who are playing freely). Your room mate should hold the leash and should reward the siamese when she doesn't display aggression towards your cats when they walk past her. I would start this off slowly (for say 5-10 minutes at first). As she gets a little better, build up the time she spends in the communal area on the leash up (from 10 minutes to 20 minutes). Siamese are incredibly inteligent felines and I would imagin she would take to this. The more accepting the siamese becomes the longer the leash becomes and the more time she gets to spend in the area with every one, the more the cats come and sniff her and she allows it without aggresion the more tasty treats she gets. I would do these introducations daily, so the first day its 10 minutes, if shes good, she gets her treats, she goes back to her room mates room the next day she does 20 minutes leash a little longer. If shes good again your up to 30 minutes. If its not so quick, then ten minutes and ten minutes again until shes calm enough to be there for 20. (You get my drift)?

I completely agree that restricting a siamese (and indeed any cat) to one room is not ideal. She may cry and yowl but be persistant. She can't have free rain of the flat if she is attacking your cats. It is NOT acceptable for her to do that. I would make your room mates room as interesting as possibly for her. Maybe even placing the cat tree (if you buy one) in their until the siamese is spending more time in the flat itself. Fill it with comfy beds. Her food bowl and water bowl. Lots of interesting toys of different textures, shapes, sounds, smells. Maybe some card board boxes things she can hide in and jump out of. Also try placing some things that smells of your cats (some thing they use a lot such as a favourite cushion). Their smell may remind her that her territory is now shared by two other felines.

Try that I'd also maybe buy a diffuser as well to chill her out. (I don't have experience with diffusers but I think they counter act the feramones causing her less stress)!

The fact shes peeing in the flat not in the box seems to suggest stress to me. This situation is not fair on you, your cats, the siamese and the siamese's owner.

This situation could, most probably, be sorted out but you need to get your flat mate on board, if she doesn't try and sort this problem out and work with you then your going to end up leaving her and then shes going to be stuck with the rent (not helpful for her) and a dominant siamese thats used to doing what she wants and getting her own way (that no ones going to want to live with) so she needs to sort this, with a little help from you

Good luck !!

Thanks, Russian Kitten!

The leash is a brilliant idea. The siamese is always on her best behavior when she's on the leash (of course, having mommy on the end of that leash might help, too <g>) I figured the siamese might be bored out of her mind because her owner is almost never here (as if we weren't all stressed enough!) The siamese actually got into my room and dragged out the box of toys that belonged to my cats, and that's when the serious fighting started.

Wish me luck!
M.

IMO, the Siamese being unspayed is most of the problem. An unspayed female is far more likely to be aggressive.

Why can't she be spayed due to the bladder stones?

Her owner said that the vet would not spay the siamese until the bladder stones either went away, or would do some kind of massive surgery on the cat where she would spay her AND take the stones out all at the same time. Then the vet said this would cost around $2000 and oh by the way, they did not allow installment payments, pay up front only.

I can understand a vet not wanting to get stiffed, but I personally would have taken my kitty somewhere for a second opinion.

Her owner thinks this is a 'do it all in one shot or do nothing at all' situation, so she's sticking with the nothing at all, since she doesn't have the money to go forward. (I understand that two surgeries on a cat would be major stress/trauma for the cat, so I've been sympathetic up to the point the siamese started trying to kill my cats.)

I had wondered if the non-neutering might be the problem, as the siamese seemed very frustrated when my boy cat gave her a 'yeah, so?' attitude when she shoved her butt in his face. After that, she seemed to pick on him constantly.

Originally Posted by Mehitabel

Her owner said that the vet would not spay the siamese until the bladder stones either went away, or would do some kind of massive surgery on the cat where she would spay her AND take the stones out all at the same time. Then the vet said this would cost around $2000 and oh by the way, they did not allow installment payments, pay up front only.

I can understand a vet not wanting to get stiffed, but I personally would have taken my kitty somewhere for a second opinion.

Her owner thinks this is a 'do it all in one shot or do nothing at all' situation, so she's sticking with the nothing at all, since she doesn't have the money to go forward. (I understand that two surgeries on a cat would be major stress/trauma for the cat, so I've been sympathetic up to the point the siamese started trying to kill my cats.)

I had wondered if the non-neutering might be the problem, as the siamese seemed very frustrated when my boy cat gave her a 'yeah, so?' attitude when she shoved her butt in his face. After that, she seemed to pick on him constantly.

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I think your roommate is giving you a story. It just doesn't sound right to me.

I am also a little suspicious of not being able to get the cat spayed. All of the vets I have dealt with are doing all they can to convince people to get their pets altered not putting up roadblocks to keep it from getting it done