Post-Feral With Resident Cats

Maybe this should go into behavior forum, but I was hoping that someone with feral experience may have run into this situation before.

I have a 13 (?) month old feral female who had a litter of kittens under my house. Over the five or six months of caring for the kittens, she decided to stop attacking me. Now she loves me. And, really - the most affectionate cat ever. Hates everyone else. Not aggressive, just afraid. I adopted out all of her kittens through a no-kill rescue society. She abandoned 2 when they were 5 days old and I bottle-fed them and kept them (now almost 6 months old).

I socialized mother outside for all of this time - still will not allow human contact with anyone other than me. She was getting attacked almost nightly by other ferals coming into the yard trying to get her food. Two weeks ago, she was really ruffed up, so I brought her inside. She's now a housecat - and really liking being inside. She allows me to pick her up briefly, she went to vet for spay, shots, etc.

I have six resident cats (17yo F, 14yo M and F - littermates, 6yo M and her 2 kittens). Yeah, lots of cats - have a really good vet, though.

All resident cats have done well with stranger cats in the past. Semi-feral mother is afraid of the two 14yo's and hisses at them - which really makes them mad. The two 14yo's "stalk" the mother and attack whenever they see her. They have NEVER displayed aggression toward another animal before. They don't hiss back, they don't growl, they just see her, stalk her and attack her. Not a typical, "don't mess with me" attack, but a "I want you dead" attack.

Semi-feral mother has her own room - sunroom with lots of views of outside. Gates at both entrances - she can jump in and out, the older cats can't make it over the gate and they don't even try. So she can run back to her room if chased. And, I only let her out with everyone for brief supervised periods - but the attacks happen so quickly, sometimes I can't stop them.

This is week 2 of her being inside and it's getting worse, not better. I've tried doing the "shared can of tuna" thing with her and one of the 14yo's and that didn't end well.

Anyone have any guidance?

The 14yo female has also started to act aggressively toward the kittens. She previously loved them.

She does the same thing - she'll walk up to them, snif them, then pin them to the floor and try to bite them. All of this behavior is NEW. And, she doesn't make a sound - no growl, no hiss, no overt sign that she's upset. Just walks over and attacks.

This non signalling is not good. They are not somebody to negotiate with, they are prey / enemies... You dont negotiate and signal with prey....
Tough.

You can always try with a Feliway-diffuser. Cant harm but may help...
Also set on soft, calming music. Harp music is best.

One more thing. CAN it be she has some physical issue? Have pains somewhere? Cats in pains dont have the same patience as otherwise, and thus - are teaching whenever it is necessary or not. As you do have a good vet, a visit to him??


Hope others will fill in.


Good luck!

The 14yo F became deaf about 2 years ago (she's a pure white DSH, I hear that's common). The music is good idea, though - it may help the post-feral mother.

Everyone just had a physical exam six weeks ago; she's had a full CBC panel within the last 6 months. I discussed this with my vet last night. The 14yo M was hospitalized last night with urethra blockage. He had a cystotomy 2 weeks ago, but some stones couldn't be removed and it looks like he's reobstructed.

I'll try the Feliaway.

Any behavior-mod ideas?