Older cat wants to kill newbie in my house....

[catmama21]

~~I need help ...I got our new cat Nina (she's 2yrs old), and she has lost all fear of the house, she's out running around, playing and a happy cat, but she's confined to the bedroom. My other cat Burrlioze (he was here first and hes 1 1/2 yrs old)  tries to attack her every time she gets near him, she tries to play with him but he wants none of it. I always separate them before he hurts her, but is he just trying to establish dominance? Should I just let them have it out? He never growls or goes into a crazy whirlwind, he just focuses so intently on her, and tries to bite the back of her neck and pin her. I have no idea what to do, in 20 years of having cats I have never had this problem. I have never had 2 cats just despise each other to no end!! I mean Burrlioze was here first, he's my baby boy, but there is just something off about him!! He attacks my husband, he attacked my poor mother in law & my dad, and another friends face....and when he sees Nina he goes into this mode ive never seen in any other cat before, you cannot distract him with toys, laser, cat nip, tuna...nothing!!! When Nina moves he tries to bite her, shes so small and hes so stinkin big i just don't want him to hurt her, my uncle who's a vet and a couple others suggested he be put on Prozac because he's just not normal. Im the only one he won't attack just really frustrating because i love them both so much!! I did the whole scent thing, letting each other smell in a cage, food on opposite sides of the door, switching blankets with each others scent...nothing is working. we have a small one bedroom apartment and having to keep the 2 apart is pure hell. is there like natural remedies to try to calm him? Prozac meds? I mean help me lol any advice would be helpful.

 

[ritz]

Sorry you're having trouble. I know what you mean by loving the two cats and just wishing and wishing they could get along.
You know the way I figure is, what have you got to lose by putting the cat on Prozac or similar medication. Do know it may take a few weeks to notice an improvement. And sometimes a combination of two drugs--or a different anti-anxiety medication--might be needed.
Have you tried Feliway plug ins. Or Rescue Remedy? L-Theanine might also help.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I brought a stray cat into the house in late May.  He was completely separated from my resident cat who is 5 years old for 2 months.  I started introductions and did it very slowly.  When they finally started hanging out face to face everything was fine for about a week.  First the hissing and growling started, then the chasing and all out fighting started.  It was awful.  I was a wreck.  It was very hard.  I had to completely separate the cats and have them take turns being out of a closed room.  I started using liquid Composure Max.  It is a natural calming remedy.  Composure also sells feline treats, but I found the liquid Max to work more quickly, last longer and it really did help.  You can order it on Amazon.  Just make sure you get the Liquid Max.  I gave 1/2 t. in their morning food and 1/4 t. in their evening food.  I did this for well over a month and it helped take the edge of both cats.  I don't believe they will ever be buddies, but they have learned to coexist in the house.  I had to completely redo introductions and it really helped as well.  Here is a link http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats  I also instead of a gate used a cheap ($20) screen door from Lowes.  I put it over the door frame and attached it with cheap ($4) tension rods.  This way the cats could see and smell each other, but not get at each other.  It was a bit of a hassle to move the screen door to get into the room, but it was better than defacing the door and door frame.  I have a picture of my set up if you want to see just let me know.

Cats can take a really long time to adjust to each other.  It has required me so much patience and time.  The new stray still sleeps in a room of his own by himself with the door closed all night.  When no one is home, one of the cats gets put away.  They are just not ready to be left alone.  Yet, things continue to improve each week.

 

[jazzygemmy]

First of all, how long ago did you introduce her into the household? It sounds like you are very experienced with cats, so I am sure that you introduced them correctly, I was just curious what methods you used?

 

[catmama21]

Thank you guys for the input, I hadn't tried that natural stuff, I will for sure give it a shot, Im ready to try anything! I love them both so much, I understand they may never be lovey buddies but I cant have them trying to eat each other! And it's been a few weeks I cant exactly remember, I know its still early I am just so stressed out.

 

[shadowsrescue]

 
Thank you guys for the input, I hadn't tried that natural stuff, I will for sure give it a shot, Im ready to try anything! I love them both so much, I understand they may never be lovey buddies but I cant have them trying to eat each other! And it's been a few weeks I cant exactly remember, I know its still early I am just so stressed out.

I thought I would go crazy when the cats weren't getting along.  It was very stressful.  Someone had to keep an eye on them at all times.  I realized that by just letting them continue their behavior nothing was going to change.  The separation was the key.  I started with scent swapping.  I would wipe one cat down with a towel and then put that scent on the other cat.  I also would used a towel with the other cats scent under food bowls.  The cats were separated at all times.  I made sure each cat received play time and attention.  After 5-7 days of separation, I put the screen door back up and allowed some face to face sniffing time.  Once again only when supervised.  After a few days more I started feeding them together on either side of the screen door.  As long as there was no hissing or growling I could move to the next step.  My boys loved cooked plain chicken.  I used it every chance I had.  Next I moved to a large dog cage.  I put one cat inside and covered it with a sheet on 3 sides.  We would play string and give yummy chicken rewards.  I did this activity 3x a day for a week.  Then it was time for some out together time that was very supervised.  Chicken again was my friend.  All of these steps ensured that the cats felt ok with each other.  I have not had a fight since the end of October!  There is still an occasional hiss, but no chasing or fighting.  I still give one of the cats the composure.  I chose to dose them both since one was aggressive and the other one scared.  It helped to calm them both. 

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[catmama21]

**UPDATE** 12/30/2013**

We have *almost* happy kitties!! We went away on vacation for about a week and took my old cat with us, and let Miss Nina run around the house all week so she would have the entire time to get used to the house and get her scent on everything. Well we came home and started the intro process all over again and now we are able to leave the doors open and have them both explore while supervised There is still a little hissing and biting, nothing to hard tho, nobody has screamed. Its mostly my male trying to bite Nina on the back of the neck...I don't know if that's normal or what lol, all I know is its getting better and we are very happy

 

[catwoman707]

Sounds like your male cat is trying to mate with your female.

This aggression will not stop until he is neutered, about 3 weeks after his hormones adjust.

 

[GemsGem]

Sounds like your male cat is trying to mate with your female.
This aggression will not stop until he is neutered, about 3 weeks after his hormones adjust.

Agree totally if a male is grabbing a female around the neck and trying to pin her. He is definitely trying to mate her ! You need to get him neutered straight away

 

[catmama21]

He is neutered...

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I have heard of neutered males trying to mount females.  I think it's more common for dogs to use it as a dominance thing; but not unheard of for cats.  I can't speak from personal experience on that one though; I've only had one male cat and I can't recall him ever trying anything like that. 

It sounds like great progress even with that!  It really can take a few months for cats to accept each other.  So hopefully you are on the way to a much happier cat family!

 

[catmama21]

**Update** 3/16/2013

Sorry it's been a while but we officially have a happy kitty family It took the better part of 2 1/2 months but my cats are now completely happy with each other, eat out of the same food bowl and sleep side by side!! Happy kitties = Happy life!!

 

[shadowsrescue]

Such good news!!!  Happy kitty families are always the best.