Territorial Aggression, can it be stopped?

About 8 months ago I moved in with my BF and brought my cat, Stella, 5 year old spayed female that previously lived with other cats. He had a cat already, Q, 11 year old spayed female that also lived with other cats. We did a slow 2 month introduction and it seemed to go well, but then territorial aggression started. 

We have been having a gate separate their respected areas during the day, and Stella gets put in the laundry room at night. However, we are now talking about adding a puppy to the mix (both previously lived with dogs as well), so that gate would have to come down.

They can be in the same room together and be fine. If Stella gets too close, Q hisses and Stella backs up. They'll play, eat treats, and lounge 4-5 feet from each other with no issues. However, Q controls the back bedrooms, which are down a long hallway. Stella has never been allowed back there, but will sit at the end of the hallway and stalk Q. She will then chase her and they will growl and swat at each other until one runs away. They've never bitten each other, mostly just sat close and swatted/growled/hissed. 

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to break Q of thinking that area is completely hers, or break Stella of chasing. I'm wondering if adding the dog may break that up at all? They cats have completely separated food/litter boxes on different floors. Neither of them are "up high" cats, and prefer to be under furniture when they get nervous.

Q and Stella have different schedules. Q is basically nocturnal and spends the day sleeping in the closet, while Stella prefers to be out during the day. Stella is on medication so we are still planning on locking her in the laundry room at night, so that she can be fed.

We just need to be able to take that gate down, and I know Stella will immediately check out Q's areas, which then causes the scuffles. They never last very long, not even long enough for me to get back there and break anything up. 

What about supervised times where I bring Stella into the bedroom? Lock them both in there so Stella can check it out, and it won't seem as tempting?

It doesn't sound like they are really super aggressive with each other just a little annoyed. Sometimes it can take many, many months for cats to learn to live peacefully together so don't despair yet!! I think adding a puppy could change the dynamics BUT it could go either way - get worse between them OR the distraction of the dog may take the edge off of the two cats being so territorial and focusing more on the new dog rather than themselves. Again, this could go either way and I have seen both. IF it goes the way we do not want and the cats become even more stressed with each other then you really are going to have issues on top of trying to train a new puppy. If it were me, I would wait to get the new puppy until the cats are getting along a little bit better. It has only been 8 months and believe it or not, sometimes it can take much longer for two adult cats to accept each other.

I would definitely put Stella in Q's area with Q locked up in another part of the house so that Stella can investigate Q's "territory". Q then can investigate Stella's area. I am going to post a very comprehensive article on suggestions and tips for successful introductions plus ways to try to modify problems that come up during the transition. Hope this helps!!

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats

Thank you. I was thinking the puppy could be a distraction for both of them. Funny you mention the room, I'm currently sitting in the bedroom with Stella on the bed and Q in the closet. She only growled twice and then settled down.

Kaitie09 said:

Thank you. I was thinking the puppy could be a distraction for both of them. Funny you mention the room, I'm currently sitting in the bedroom with Stella on the bed and Q in the closet. She only growled twice and then settled down.

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Little by little, with slow and steady supervised interactions, I think they could learn to tolerate each other. Just be super patient with them and I really think you are doing a great job already. Check out that link too. It will really help out. :nod: Surely, someday, I think a puppy addition would be fine but best to wait until the two cats are better acclimated - as best as can be.

That is my hope. I know they'll never be friends, but I really believe they can learn to live with each other. The hallway is the biggest obstacle, it is very long and they each sit at the ends and stare at each other. I ordered a Feliway diffuser that I plan to put in the hallway outlet closest to the back bedrooms, so it will hopefully help Q stop growling and be more relaxed. 

I understand completely. I have two cats. Wendall and Perla. They do not like each other OR should I say the Princess Perla does not like Wendall. They both came into my home within six months of each other as older kittens. Perla a feral kitten and Wendall an abused kitten. Wendall is extremely outgoing and mischievous and impish. Perla is a loner and does not like attention. Wendall tuned into this after a few weeks of them seemingly getting along quite well. They were both about seven months. He persisted to tease her for the last four years. Things happened this year and I won't go into detail but what did seem to help was when I used the Jackson's Galaxy Spirit Essences three times daily on each of them. Perla received the Self Esteem Remedy and Wendall received the Bully AND the Peacemaker remedy. All other cats - three - received the Peacemaker too. Not everyone thinks these remedies work but I really believe it helped with Wendall finally backing off of Perla because she became less upset over his advances. In a way - she became more confident all on her own and Wendall became bored at bothering her because she was not overreacting anymore. Before this though, my Pipsqueak passed, who was Perla's protector. So, part of me wonder's if Perla knew she had to defend and stand up for herself since Pip was gone. There is more to the story but won't bore you.............. I tend to ramble. :lol3:

My point: It can literally take YEARS for two cats to finally come to live together peacefully. Wendall and Perla never, ever got in huge fights so thankfully it was not as bad as some but he would torment her and stalk her. He still does a little bit - but I see her bravery now. Also - she is giving him more attention (meaning being able to look at him and allow him closer) which I think was his wish. Her ignoring him made him nuts because he loves her so. Crazy but true. Now that she is looking at him without going hissy pissy - he seems to be backing off a bit and chilling out. Sometimes, I think the one getting picked on needs to build up inner confidence and change the energy between herself and her bully.

I figure it will take a long time. I've had Stella since she was a week old, bottle raised her entire litter after their mother was hit by a car, She is super friendly, will greet you at the door.  She has some anxiety issues that developed into spraying problems after we replaced all the floors when I lived with my parents, but is on kitty prozac, which has helped tremendously, and we've had no issues since and no personality changes. She loves everyone and will crawl right up into you lap, people comment how they normally don't like cats, but she's okay. 

Q is very different. Behavior wise, she's the perfect cat. Personality is a different story. She lives under the bed or in the closet until it gets dark, and then will only come out if you're sitting down. She bolts as soon as you stand up. She likes to be petted, but freaks when picked up. She honestly should be on some sort of anxiety meds, but is super picky if her food smells even a little weird, and I think I would have to go to the ER if I tried to give her a pill. She grew up with 3 young boys, so that may have caused some stress. 

I just looked at the Ultimate Peacemaker Set from Jackson Galaxy. I think I'll try that if the Feliway doesn't help to calm Q's stress down. Last night I was again back in the bedroom with the two. BF came in and we  would pet each cat where they could clearly see each other. It works out well. I just go back there and turn on Netflix while Stella gets the company she wants and Q deals with the fact Stellas in her space and mingling scents. There have been no fights, just a couple hisses and growls. 

I know Stella is probably the bully, and feeds off of Q's nervousness. Q is not a happy camper and is the vocal one who growls and hisses. Most of the time Stella ignores it, but there are the instance where she charges her down the hallway. Other times they'll both be laying at either end and just ignore each other. 

I sound like a broken record, but I do feel good about the possibility of them cohabiting. 

Kaitie09 said:

I sound like a broken record, but I do feel good about the possibility of them cohabiting. 

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No broken record talking around here :lol3:... It really helps to talk things out and sometimes when doing so you find your answers too! Keep up the great work with Stella and Q. I do think over time they will become more accepting. What a great idea to have them in the same room with you petting one and your BF petting the other. This will help so much when good things happen while in each other's company. Q does sound a little nervous but I am hoping that over time Stella will bring her out of her shell a bit more - once they become closer. They could even eventually bond and become good friends. There is always hope and they are still quite new to this relationship with past history issues. I am sorry about Stella mother :shame: and definitely you have a very deep bond with her now due to the bottle feeding. I am hoping for the best with Q and Stella and think that you and your BF are doing a fantastic job with them. You seem so calm and patient and that is what will help the cats so very much. :bigthumb:

p.s. I found different ways to try to get pills into one of my cats that was extremely picky and couldn't tolerate a pill gun of any sort. I used the soft Whisker Lickins treats and would smoosh the pill in a treat- offer the treat and then quickly give another treat to help wash down the pilled treat. The challenge is finding a soft treat that the cat just goes bonkers for! There is also Stella and Chewy's freeze dried cubes! I would soak a couple in water to rehydrate and then smoosh the pill in the softened cube. This works for my Perla. She loves the Salmon/Chicken cubes. Some days, though, she would decide NO and that was that.

Might be of some help: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-can-i-give-a-pill-to-my-cat

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