One Cat Chasing Other Cat

Hi everyone. I just found this website and I hope you all can help me. I have owned cats before, but never 2 at once, so this is slightly new territory.

On Saturday my husband and I adopted a 2 year old male cat and a 4 year old female. The shelter had them in a play room together, so told us they knew they got along and could be adopted as a pair. What they didn't tell us until after we did the paperwork is that they had only been together for 1 day. They are spayed/neutered and are indoor only. We have a spacious 2 bedroom apt.

We brought them home and released them into the bedroom together. They weren't fond of one another, but didn't have any big issues. Just gave each other a lot of space, some minor hissing if one got too close to the other.

Now we're at the point where they are getting comfortable enough in our home to play with us, but not each other. The younger male cat, keeps chasing or pouncing near the older female cat and it freaks her out. She runs away into a corner and hisses at him. She has very defensive posture during this. He, on the other hand, just runs after her then sits and stares at her like nothing is wrong. His posture isn't agressive, he just sits. He won't really leave though, even if she hisses and growls.

This started Tuesday night and has happened 3 or 4 times since and it's only Wednesday morning.

The older male doesn't really like to play by himself. We have been playing with him in the morning and at night, but it doesn't seem like enough.

Is this a new phase in them getting to know one another? Should I be worried? We've only had them a few days, but I worry their behavior is escalating, even though it doesn't seem like the male has bad intentions. I guess I'm just worried. Any suggestions or advice? Thank you.

Welcome to the site and thank you for giving these cats a home and for caring about them.

Given what you have written I would not worry too much. It sounds like the younger male just has a lot of energy and wants to play. The older female is a little cautious at this time. It doesn't sound like either is mean or wants to hurt the other one.

Part of me wants to start the introduction process from scratch but part of me says it isn't really necessary. I am leaning to the later given what you have written.

They are just feeling each other out. There has been a lot of change so the older female might just be a bit more cautious given the new home etc. I would like to try to get the older female comfortable with her new home. There are a number of things that will help. Food and play are very important as are places to go high like cat trees (and nice comfy beds). And of course a lot of love. When a cat feels loved they are more confident. Even if it is just talking to them. If they rub on you or head butt you then that is great and you can try to slowly try to pet them. But be careful and watch their body language (I am not sure how friendly they are so err on the side of caution and let them proceed at their own pace in touching).

So you really want the older female to get comfortable and confident. Try to play with her and then feed her. Give her places to go high and/or escape when the male starts to go towards her. If you see the male go towards her distract him with play or food/treats. When she realizes he doesn't want to hurt her she'll be fine. We want her to own the territory. Does she seem confident walking around? Tail up?

Try to play with the younger male as much as possible to tire him out. After play give food (or treats). If you can get him to play in front of the older female that would be great. At some point the older female might join in as well which would be great.

We always want to associate each cat with something good. So if they can eat somewhat close that would be helpful. Start a little ways away and move it closer. Feed with each cat in view of the other. If one starts focusing on the other try to distract with the food. Same with play eventually. If you are playing with one cat it would be wonderful if the other could see the cat playing (especially from a high up position).

And of course give a lot of attention to each. Let them know they are loved and wanted.

Personally, I don't think you are in a bad spot. But we don't want things to get worse. So building each cats confidence with food, play, height and love will be very helpful. What you are experiencing is very normal and once they realize that the younger male just wants to play and the older female just wants to relax they'll find harmony.  

I hope this makes sense and helps. Please keep us up on how things are going and please feel free to ask anything. Thank you so much for adopting these two cats and giving them a wonderful and safe future.

Thank you so much. Your advice was very reassuring. I know it's only been a few days and they need time. I just want them both to be comfortable.

They are both very affectionate with my husband and I. Either one is always cuddling one of us. The only space they'll share is the craft room and bedroom though. The younger male won't go in the living room if the older female is, and I worry he's not getting enough affection, since my husband and I spend lots of time in that room.

They share a food bowl and water bowl. They take turns and don't scare the other away in that area. We feed them their wet food near one another, and it's mostly fine. The male pushes the bowl around when he eats and it scoots up on the female, which makes her hiss.

We play with the male as much as possible, but he won't play if she's in the room. He just stares at her.

They share space well, though, overall. We're working on getting more cat treats and finding where each likes to be in each room. I'm probably just worried too much.

Anyways, thank you so much for your answer. I feel much better about it.

You are welcome.

Keep working on getting the young male into the living room. Use food and play. He does go in there when she isn't in there, correct?

It is great they don't scare each other away near the food. Also great they eat wet food together. 

Keep trying to play with the male in the female's presence. Try to play with the female and let the male watch (or even get involved). 

If the male wants to come in the living room and the female is impeding that entry try to distract the female with food or play.

Can the male go up high in the living room? Are there multiple escape routes or places to move around or is it one way only?

I am guessing just time is needed. It sounds like things are very normal. Play and food will help as will just basic attention (call the male and try to keep the female from stalking the male or hissing at him etc).

Hang in there, things should like they will work out. I'll be here to answer any question.

Hi, its been exactly a week sinxe we brough them home.

So now it's kind of flipped. The male follows the female around almost all the time. She hisses at him, she growls at him, she's hit him and he doesn't care.

He's even ignoring me trying to play with him in lieu of following her.

He now follows her to the litter box, and she gets stuck in there, hissing at him. He just stares.

He also tries to jump towards her and play with her, but she's having none of it.

I'm worried him stalking her so much is making her jumpy. And I'm really worried him trapping her in litter boxes will make her eliminate inappropriately.

Does this still sound normal? Idk why he's so obsessed with her, but she does not return the sentiment.

@greenqueen I would consider going through the introductions systematically if you thing this is escalating.

Have a look through this article.. it's really comprehensive,

 [article="32680"]How To Successfully Introduce Cats The Ultimate Guide​[/article]  

You mention things have flipped. I thought the young male was following the older female before as well. How have things flipped? I may have misunderstood.

Mani gives good advice, if you think things are escalating maybe going back will help to move forward.

Has the young male been following etc more than he was a few days ago?

Maybe I am not understanding the whole picture. I see a young male that seems to be very interested and enjoys the older female. And the older female being older and maybe liking her alone time wants to be more alone. It sounds to me like he wants to win over her affection and once she accepts him then things will be fine. She is just taking a little more time to warm up to him. But maybe I do not see the true whole picture.

Do you think he doesn't want her in "his" territory? Or is it that he just wants a friend?

I am a little surprised he hasn't gotten the hint to back off after the hiss and then swat. Usually they take the hint and back off and wait to play a little later.

I don't like that he is bothering her near the litter box. Does she use the litter box and then get stuck or does she not use the box while he is there? Personally I would try to distract him with play or food and I would tell him "no" and if that doesn't work you can always use a site blocker like a part of a box to block his site of her (but use this as more of a last resort). I am not the biggest fan of using something that might be misinterpreted by the cat. Usually the other cat will get the other cat to understand that they do not want to be bothered. That is where confidence of a cat comes in. The more confident the more they can handle that type of behavior.

If there is anyway to distract him or tire him out that would be best. Just to give her a break in his attention. She may have to step up her way of saying no as well.

How many litter boxes do you have? Can you have the litter boxes in place that have multiple exit routes so she can "get away" from him?

It sounds like there hasn't been any danger to any of the cats, correct? I am assuming it is not aggression and no injury, correct?

About 2 years ago I brought in a female feral and introduced her to the existing cats. The new cat did exactly what you are talking about to a female that was 2 years older than her. Very persistent, following everywhere etc. The older female would hiss then step it up to swat and the younger female (new cat) would still follow but would be a bit less forceful. I did the things I mention in this, play food, distract when needed etc. Eventually the older existing cat finally warmed up to the new one and a month or two later they were sleeping together, grooming each other etc. They are best friends. Now mine did not trap in a litter box. But I used play, food, "no" in a firm voice, gave a lot of love to each letting them know they are safe and wanted. 

Sometimes some cats are more codependent than others. Some are more loners and some need other cats. I have some of each. And some have changed from loner to friendly.

I am not too worried but will know more after your next post. It sounds like both cats are nice cats and don't want to hurt each other. I hope that is correct. 

Yes, he follows all the time. He hasn't trapped her in a litterbox, while i've been around for a few days.

Now we're having to feed them seperately since he will eat all of their food. She takes about 5 times as long to eat as he does, and she takes breaks. So he'll swoop in and the foods all gone. And we can't put him in a closed room as he'll freak out. If we put her in a closed room, he freaks out trying to get to her.

But then she keeps trying to rub her head on him, but he meows at her and leaves when she tries. He even swatted at her yesterday when she tried to rub her head on his.

I'm not really sure what's going on with him.

We took him to the vet and he's fine, though he did have a tapeworm. We're treating him for that. I'm hoping that will help him eat less, once he's well again.

It's hard to get him to play, because if she comes in the room (which she does, cause she wants to play), he'll stop. He also just had a hard time focusing on th toys for any given period. Nothing really gets him going for long. We usually have to play for an hour with shifts of multiple toys and he's still not tired by the end. He also a won't play with anything by himself.

They are baffling to me.

Hopefully getting rid of the tapeworms will help curb his appetite. It should.  It would be wonderful if they can eat together.

It is great that he hasn't trapped her in the litter box for a few days, Maybe they worked that out. Fingers crossed.

GREAT that she wants to rub on him. That her saying "I want to be friends". Not the response from him I was expecting though. Hmmmmmm. Myabe the following is a domination thing. Not sure.

She is more interesting to him than toys. Not too surprising and that is not that bad of a thing. Keep trying to play with him though. An hour is pretty good but for him for now it is not enough.

How is his body language when he follows her? How is his tail, how are his ears, his eyes? How are hers?

I think they are moving forward pretty normally. Do you feel a little better? I suspect we'll see him accept the rubbing soon. I think they are figuring each other out but I do sense some progress.

Please keep me up on what is going. Hang in there I think it is on a good path even though it is bumpy so far.