- Joined
- Apr 25, 2004
- Messages
- 4
- Purraise
- 0
Hello from Australia! This is my first message and I hope that someone will be able to help me. I have three beautiful cats - Abby, Katie and Jermima. Abby (a boy) and Katie have grown up with each other, and Jermima (a highly strung but beautiful tortoiseshell) is the newcomer. We began to introduce the cats at the beginning of the year. Abby and Jermima made friends immediately, but Katie and Jermima hate each other. I followed the formal introduction process (giving them separate parts of the house and introducing slowly) but things have not worked out. There has been no fighting, but Katie has assumed the position of the aggressor and chases Jermima whenever she moves anywhere in the house. (From what I have read, a classic case of territorial aggression) Consequently, Jermima won't move from the kitchen rug, and we have had to separate them again because I was worried about her stress levels getting too high. She hisses and growls whenever Katie approaches!
After consulting this website and many others, we began a reintroduction/counter-conditioning process two weeks ago. We have separated the girls, and they only meet at mealtimes when they can associate each other with something positive. I have them eating about a foot apart from one another without growling or hissing. Pleased with our progress, yesterday we decided to leave them after mealtime to see how they went - but when Jermima walked off, Katie chased her. I am so disappointed, and would love to hear from anyone who can offer me some advice on how to combat the problem. They are my babies, and while I know they may never be best friends, I would like them to be able to co-exist in the house. Thanks for your help!
Sally.
After consulting this website and many others, we began a reintroduction/counter-conditioning process two weeks ago. We have separated the girls, and they only meet at mealtimes when they can associate each other with something positive. I have them eating about a foot apart from one another without growling or hissing. Pleased with our progress, yesterday we decided to leave them after mealtime to see how they went - but when Jermima walked off, Katie chased her. I am so disappointed, and would love to hear from anyone who can offer me some advice on how to combat the problem. They are my babies, and while I know they may never be best friends, I would like them to be able to co-exist in the house. Thanks for your help!
Sally.