Resident cat trying to kill new cat - LONG

10 days since we got our 2nd cat, and I can truly say an upsetting experience so far.

OK... a bit of background: Puppy (resident cat) has been alone with us since February. She came to us a sick 4 month old who was rescued from the streets of West Virginia. She was shipped to NJ and we adopted her a few weeks later. She was very scared at first, but eventually became MY cat. She will tolerate my husband, but will go near no one else. She is a puuurfectly behaved and a tidy cat as well. She only scratches her posts and boxes, uses her litter box and is very patient. In short, I love puppy... she is my little spoiled baby!


I recently felt like Puppy is alone too much and was kind of sad about it. I looked for a kitten to adopt every day at our local Petsmart every day, but none caught my heart. Yet each day, I saw an adult (1.5 year old) gray male. He began to know me and would run to the front of the cage to visit with me and let me pet him. I soon took Buddy home. Both cats are altered and have been given 100% scores for health by our vet. Puppy has the herpes virus, but no symptoms at this time.


Since Buddy came, he is in his seperate room. He is super friendly and so loving. He wants to get out so badly, however, Puppy tries to attack him and, in my opinion, kill him. I have gone by all the rules and suggestion that are posted on this site and others, but Puppy even tried to attack Buddy while Buddy was in his carrier. Puppy also will not go in her room upstairs, play with anything that he has touched. Puppy will hear Buddy crying from under the door, but she will not even stop or turn her head.

Puppy is about 2/3 the size of Buddy.

So my question is .... can I let Buddy out of his room? ever???

You have only had the new cat less than two weeks. It takes time, you let the cats set the pace and don't expect them to conform to what you really want to happen. If there is someway that you can take away a solid door between them- stack up baby gates, put up a cat proof screen that will help immensely. Feed them both at the entry of the door so while they are enjoying the feast they are also surrounded by each others smell.

It is doubtful that Puppy is trying to kill Buddy, more than likely Puppy is alpha and the alpha is dominant, aggressive and protective. They usually find their way with each other it just takes time and you don't want to lift up Buddy in your arms anytime that puppy is nearby- that puts Buddy as alpha and makes him more of a threat.

On ONE hand there is what Mary Anne says and on the other ---- I had a resident cat. She was my baby for 12 years when I adopted Kotton. Kotton tried to kill her and never stopped trying to oust her. NOW Kotton tries to kill Missy and wants HER out.

It MAY work out OR one cat will be dominant and never accept the other. A LOT of cats prefer to be alone!

Thank you - I will try t o get the baby gates now. I hope they become friends - that was the whole point.

Originally Posted by MyBabies

On ONE hand there is what Mary Anne says and on the other ---- I had a resident cat. She was my baby for 12 years when I adopted Kotton. Kotton tried to kill her and never stopped trying to oust her. NOW Kotton tries to kill Missy and wants HER out.

It MAY work out OR one cat will be dominant and never accept the other. A LOT of cats prefer to be alone!

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OH NO!!! But should I let him out at all? What do you guys think?

The baby gates are a wonderful idea, when I rescused a mommy cat with 5 kittens I put them in an upstairs room with the door shut untill I took mommy away from them to be spayed and such, then I stacked the baby gates up the doorway, I have 4 cats of my own and a Basset hound female, and they all got used to each other that way. Then when I took babies to the vet for there spaying and all the other things I started letting them out upstairs in the bonus room alone with myself.Then there was no way to keep them upstairs but by then everyone was used to each other and I haven't had a minutes problem. Probably would be better if they can see each other, smell each other but not really get hurt, Good Luck I hope it works out for you.

And by the way the gates should be around $10.00 a piece, unless you have friends that have them, I would borrow if I could, I now have 7 baby gates And no kids in site, and won't be having any myself or grandkids, I have 5 of those already.But maybe I'll have baby basset hounds some day

I can tell you what I do, and I sometimes have some mighty fierce kittens and cats over here. Mike made a portable door. He took pvc pipe and made a frame, then took small mesh chicken wire, covered the frame, secured the wire with cable ties, added hinges and this is our introduction door. The cats can see each other, charge each other, hiss, spit, swat and get it all out of their system before they actually meet face to face. When they do meet I don't make a big deal of it, just "accidentally" leave the door open a crack one day and let the cats figure out that escape is at hand. It works out really well for us and for the cats, and although it is true that some cats prefer to be alone, that is why it is always a good idea to understand that cats don't share the same emotions that we do- they are driven by instinct and nothing else-most of the time, they will find their way with each other without much bloodshed.

Originally Posted by hissy

I can tell you what I do, and I sometimes have some mighty fierce kittens and cats over here. Mike made a portable door. He took pvc pipe and made a frame, then took small mesh chicken wire, covered the frame, secured the wire with cable ties, added hinges and this is our introduction door. The cats can see each other, charge each other, hiss, spit, swat and get it all out of their system before they actually meet face to face. When they do meet I don't make a big deal of it, just "accidentally" leave the door open a crack one day and let the cats figure out that escape is at hand. It works out really well for us and for the cats, and although it is true that some cats prefer to be alone, that is why it is always a good idea to understand that cats don't share the same emotions that we do- they are driven by instinct and nothing else-most of the time, they will find their way with each other without much bloodshed.

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Gee Hissy, I think you and I are pretty darn lucky My hubby has made me everything also, from the enclouser and 2 weeks later I ask him can you make it bigger to 2 drop traps to like a come a long, all I have to say is do you think you can make me something like this and he will go
" I Guess" , and that's because he knows how much I cared about getting those Cats out of that parking lot.Plus I'd have to call him from the parking lot and ask him to come help me, I'm sitting on the drop trap I need help getting them into the carriers, Men can't live with them, can't live without them

Hi, thanks for all of the great advice. I got the gates and Puppy has to pass by Buddy to get to her litter box. She hisses and swats every time. Buddy just looks at her like "Are u done yet?". I will not rush them. Thanks for everything and I will let you know what happens.

good luck tara. i have no advice but just to say ur not alone! lol
i got an 8 week old male the other day...hes so tiny. and my cat zeus who i have had for a year weighs 20 lbs. so poor kitten wont stand a chance
i havnt had them out in the same room together but have been swapping scents for 2 days.
i wish more then anything they can be good buds soon
patience is key good luck
Jamie,Zeus and baby Zephyr

Hi, I had the same problem. I rescued a very skittish cat from the shelter I was volunteering at. Isolated her at first, but when I tried to intergrate her she would attack my other cats. She was quick as lightning and got right at them, very aggressive. I had my husband by a cheap screen door from home depot, we reinforced one side with heavy duty wire (regular screening seemed to flimsy) and replaced Polly's door. Now it took her living in the spare room with the screen door for many months, until finally my littlest cat asked to be let in, and seemed okay with Polly. Her and Polly had the most trouble getting along previously. Anyway, I let Polly have her freedom on July 5th and she is doing very well. I was amazed at how well the screen door worked.

Best of luck and don't forget this could take some time....but it is really worth it!

Laura

Just want to echo what others have said - be patient and give it time.
It's been almost seven months since I brought Peter home and it's only been within the past few weeks that we've managed to go a day without Gracie hissing or wacking him on the head with her paw for no apparent reason.
This weekend they actually sat within close proximity of each other for a good half an hour. Progress!