Male cat attacking my female cat

I'm starting to worry that I will be unable to keep Mallorn. I've had him for a month and a half now, and have been doing all the suggested methods for introductions. Today was my second attempt at them meeting face to face... I had fancy feast on separate plates like before and the plates about 4 feet apart. And once again, Mallorn takes a few bites and then immediately attacks Rowan. He has never showed an ounce of aggressiveness towards my male kitten, and Ro was doing well with her meetings with the kitten. But after this last attack she's growling at me whenever I come into the room and taking pot shots if I try and touch her.

It's insane and has also set back her progess with the kitten. Mallorn came from a multi-cat household where he was sometimes allowed inside. He never had any problems with his 7... male... housemates as far as I've been told. He was mostly outdoors and intact before I got him at age 2. -_-

Please help. I'm fond of him but he's so big and strong and I worry about ever getting them socialised when he won't even go through any intermediary stages of aggression. No hissing, no growling, he just immediately attacks her.

I know how you feel - This is what my 6 month old kitten does to my 8 week old kitten.

I have had my kitten for 8 weeks (bottle fed bub) and still have had no progress whatsoever with my 6 month old....We can only keep trying.

Hopefully someone will be able to give you some advice!

I'm starting to seriously wonder actually if it's because he's being kept indoors. With his previous family, he would only come in for visits because he would spray. He pretty much *lived* outside, was a hunter, and doubtless king of his area as he is a superb fighter. Not a visible scar on him. But I can't have outside cats. Not only because Rowan is declawed, but because I live near 3 very busy streets and don't want to chance either Ro or Burdock, who have not had much outside time in their lives, to get hurt. I would be devistated.

How long has he been indoors for now?

He's been indoor only for... 2 1/2 months. -_-

Hmmm...Could be because he is indoors - Maybe get him a harness so that he can at least go for walks outside - Have a long lead so he can have a bit of a run and then bring him back inside when he is tuckered out. This may get rid of a bit of his frustration.

I had actually thought of that before... but the moment I go to close the harness around him he starts growling and snarling at me.

They will until they get used to it - First you have to put the harness on them and just let them run around the house in it for a while - Because they will spend at least 30 minutes trying every which way to get it off!! Then after just getting them used to the harness for a little bit, you put the lead on and then lead them outside and let them go where they want to go!! They will eventually get used to it!

Is the female spayed?

Yes.

This almost always happens when a new cat comes in.. if it's a male he might attack the 'weakest link' to up himself in the ranking (usually an age thing), and if it's a female, she often ends up being the link herself, as do some of the males. They're all trying to be top cat, and the ones on the bottom will fight for months sometimes. There is no good answer except to maybe separate the female to a safe place, at least when you're not around. She won't necessarily like being segregated, but will be able to relax and feel safe.

I very much have them separated. I was hoping to be able to introduce them to each other, working up through more time together... 5 minutes, ten minutes, a half-hour, etc... but within seconds he'll attack her. He also did that with one of the hospital blood donor cats... took one look and attacked. It makes me wonder if it is indeed an age thing as he never did that to the kitten.

Are all the cats neutered?

They are indeed, though Mallorn was intact until age two. I got him through a local rescue.

This is definitely a case of ranking order establishment. I've had Napoleon since July and he and Cassie still duke it out from time to time. It used to get me upset (especially since Cassie, my little baby girl since she was about 5 weeks old, gets so riled up when he messes with her), but not so much anymore. In fact, we recently moved and although I am away on business now, my BF tells me that they still "bicker" but it's not any better or any worse than it used to be.

I say to keep monitoring their behaviors and interactions. Try to keep them separated when you are not home and only have "supervised" interactions. Sometimes when a good fight breaks out, I will clap twice and yell, "Stop it!" or "Cut it out, you two!!" and then when they run off, I spritz the area with Feliway. Voila -- no more fights in that corner! (Until they find another corner to bicker in!).

They'll be fine. I know it seems a ways off, but six months from now the alpha cat will definitely be determined, with some fights here and there but not nearly the progression they were.