Here's the situation:
A few weeks ago I saw on Petfinder there was a 7 year old, white female cat with one blue eye and one green eye. Knowing she was deaf, or at least half deaf, I decided to adopt her. I already had a 5 year old grey and white male kitty who's a bit of a wimp. As far as pecking order goes, I knew he wouldn't care, he's so extremely laid back, so I figured even if the new cat (who is twice his size) wanted to be alpha, that would be okay. A few smacks in the face and all would be well.
I spoke with the woman who was fostering her, who has about 5 cats of her own, and it sounded like Andromeda (the deaf kitty) would want to be in charge, but would settle into the house and be okay. She had been put in a room with a declawed cat and never once attacked. So after meeting her, and realizing she was the sweetest snuggliest cat ever, I decided to take her home.
She first went to my parents house, and I had them bring her over a few hours later after I was with Cailan (my 5 year old kitty) for a few hours. He went over to the carrier and imediately they sniffed and poofed and hissed but for the most part, ignored one another. I did a lot of reading about introducing them, and so I set up a spare room, put her toy in there, a litter box and food and water. The door has a 2" ish gap at the bottom and I've fed them treats at the same time on either side of the door.
While I'm home, and not during the night, I'd let her out of the room to sniff around the house and get used to the other cat. There were a few chases, but my cat would just sit on top of the ridge and watch her as she walked around and sniffed.
This went on this way for about a week. I've brushed the both of them with the same brush, swapped out toys and things they sleep on to get the scent over the house, and I've played with them both. They're very playful.
Then two nights ago, I was sitting in the hallway petting her outside her room when Cailan wandered up, they sniffed at one another but didn't poof or growl. She laid down, purred, did the slow-mo blink and I petted her. Cailan laid down and just purred near the two of us. All of a sudden, without Andromeda using her usual tells (quick breathing, dilated eyes and a hard twitch to the tail) she attacked. There was yelling, and scratching, and now both Cailan and myself have scratches. I don't know if he scratched me when he tried to defend himself, or if she did, but I have two long scratches in my palm, and Cailan has a scratch on his nose.
I put Meda in her room and shut the door then made sure both me and Cailan were okay. We were, thankfully.
I have NO Idea where this attack came from.
Then I was in Meda's room, and Cailan pushed his paw under the door. She again, without warning attacked, claws out, trying to get under the door growling and poofed.
She doesn't attack me, even when I put a hand on her. I'm very careful not to sneak up on her, and if Cailan starts to creep up on her, I make sure she sees him before he gets to close.
She does get scared easily.
So... now I'm trying to figure out what I can do to stop her from attacking him. He doesn't seem to tramatized. When she's not in the room he's his usual playful self, howling and playing with the laser pointer and his toys. When she's in the room, he stays up high and watches her, but if he gets down, she'll pounce.
I have to get her to stop doing that. I can't have her terrorizing him, and I don't want to give her back. I hate people who do that, however my first duty is to Cailan, I can't have him terrified in his own home.
So, please. I have read a LOT of things, I've talked to the vet, she just had a check up this Saturday and is healthy, but just likes to attack Cailan. I need ideas to get her to stop. I've read that cat's can't be displined that their brains aren't wired that way, but that you can teach them BEFORE they pounce that what they're about to do is wrong. I know people here (and the sticky) says not to use the waterbottle, but other sites say that's a very good deterrent.
So now my question is: Who's right and what can I do to keep her from attacking?
I don't mind putting in the time, but I need Cailan safe while I do it.
(PS: sorry for the novel)
A few weeks ago I saw on Petfinder there was a 7 year old, white female cat with one blue eye and one green eye. Knowing she was deaf, or at least half deaf, I decided to adopt her. I already had a 5 year old grey and white male kitty who's a bit of a wimp. As far as pecking order goes, I knew he wouldn't care, he's so extremely laid back, so I figured even if the new cat (who is twice his size) wanted to be alpha, that would be okay. A few smacks in the face and all would be well.
I spoke with the woman who was fostering her, who has about 5 cats of her own, and it sounded like Andromeda (the deaf kitty) would want to be in charge, but would settle into the house and be okay. She had been put in a room with a declawed cat and never once attacked. So after meeting her, and realizing she was the sweetest snuggliest cat ever, I decided to take her home.
She first went to my parents house, and I had them bring her over a few hours later after I was with Cailan (my 5 year old kitty) for a few hours. He went over to the carrier and imediately they sniffed and poofed and hissed but for the most part, ignored one another. I did a lot of reading about introducing them, and so I set up a spare room, put her toy in there, a litter box and food and water. The door has a 2" ish gap at the bottom and I've fed them treats at the same time on either side of the door.
While I'm home, and not during the night, I'd let her out of the room to sniff around the house and get used to the other cat. There were a few chases, but my cat would just sit on top of the ridge and watch her as she walked around and sniffed.
This went on this way for about a week. I've brushed the both of them with the same brush, swapped out toys and things they sleep on to get the scent over the house, and I've played with them both. They're very playful.
Then two nights ago, I was sitting in the hallway petting her outside her room when Cailan wandered up, they sniffed at one another but didn't poof or growl. She laid down, purred, did the slow-mo blink and I petted her. Cailan laid down and just purred near the two of us. All of a sudden, without Andromeda using her usual tells (quick breathing, dilated eyes and a hard twitch to the tail) she attacked. There was yelling, and scratching, and now both Cailan and myself have scratches. I don't know if he scratched me when he tried to defend himself, or if she did, but I have two long scratches in my palm, and Cailan has a scratch on his nose.
I put Meda in her room and shut the door then made sure both me and Cailan were okay. We were, thankfully.
I have NO Idea where this attack came from.
Then I was in Meda's room, and Cailan pushed his paw under the door. She again, without warning attacked, claws out, trying to get under the door growling and poofed.
She doesn't attack me, even when I put a hand on her. I'm very careful not to sneak up on her, and if Cailan starts to creep up on her, I make sure she sees him before he gets to close.
She does get scared easily.
So... now I'm trying to figure out what I can do to stop her from attacking him. He doesn't seem to tramatized. When she's not in the room he's his usual playful self, howling and playing with the laser pointer and his toys. When she's in the room, he stays up high and watches her, but if he gets down, she'll pounce.
I have to get her to stop doing that. I can't have her terrorizing him, and I don't want to give her back. I hate people who do that, however my first duty is to Cailan, I can't have him terrified in his own home.
So, please. I have read a LOT of things, I've talked to the vet, she just had a check up this Saturday and is healthy, but just likes to attack Cailan. I need ideas to get her to stop. I've read that cat's can't be displined that their brains aren't wired that way, but that you can teach them BEFORE they pounce that what they're about to do is wrong. I know people here (and the sticky) says not to use the waterbottle, but other sites say that's a very good deterrent.
So now my question is: Who's right and what can I do to keep her from attacking?
I don't mind putting in the time, but I need Cailan safe while I do it.
(PS: sorry for the novel)
