Ambush

I have now up to 5 cats...how that happened, I've no clue. But my second to last cat escaped thru a window and toured the neighborhood for 5 days. The middle cat, a girl, who has not been never been a charmer and was always picking on him, was a new loving and affectionate cat while he was gone. (I suspected it was she who pushed him out the window in the first place). Well, when he returned wewere all delighted, except HER!! She is really annoyed that he's back. So much so that she lies in wait to ambush him whenever she can. He is not allowed upstairs. She hides and when he tries to come in our bedroom....well, she's on him. He has to always be looking around to see where she's hiding and what she's up to next. Will they ever get past this....or is he doomed to this treatment. Should I lock her in a room once in awhile so he has more freedom of movement.

He doesnt smell the same to her anymore. He has outside smells. Rub them both with a towel to get her smell back on him again. She will soon recognize him again.

Thanks...but it's been over a week since he's been back. And, you're right, when he first came home they "recognized" him and went up to him and when they got a whiff of him...they hissed and backed off!! Funny to watch. But I shared a towel between them all and all seemed fine. This behavior towards him by her existed before he flew the coop....she's just very territorial as far as he's concerned and he can never do anything right or be in any "right place" without her staking her claim. She's a brat (for want of a better word) and he just tries to stay out of her way. She okay with the other cats, it's just him that gets on her nerves.....

She must have missed him dearly if she became the "new loving and affectionate cat" while he was gone

Like you said its just a "thing" between them and she just doesnt like him. But since she is ambushing him and not allowing him to certain places, you can either just wait for them to work it out between them (which doesnt sound like they have been) or you can try to separate them completely and start reintroducing them to one another, making their meetings a positive thing. Like together when eating or together when playing. Just trying to help her associate him with more positive things.

She may have never liked him or he did something to upset her before .... but whatever it was .... she doesnt like him now. To me, it would have everything to do with how HE is handling it. If he is not nervous and anxious or stressed, then I would let them work it out, but if he is, then I would do the reintroduction techniques.

You can also purchase feliway which mimicks a cats friendly scent they have around thier cheeks and see if that calms him and her.