I posted a few months ago about a stray mama cat with severe maternal aggression toward our other cats. It was pretty ugly and nothing I had ever experienced.
I tried some of the advice from the forum (thank-you all), keeping them separated, feeding near each other, Feliway, etc. but eventually, we just allowed everyone to be out in the house all the time.
After the kittens were adopted and Mama Catss was spayed, she settled down quite a bit. My big boy Drama still steps mighty lightly around her, but now she sniffs at his tail, chirps at him and they both sleep on our bed (as far apart as possible.) Fights are pretty rare, as long as he defers to her majesty.
The problem is, there has been really no improvement with her and our other cat, our insanely shy girl, Mostly Feral. The aggression is now almost as bad on Mostly's part as it was on Mama's, out of fear, I'm assuming (and both being girls?)
For the past month since we started allowing Mama out, Mostly has been holed up in the basement and rarely comes out. We go down and love on her but we feel guilty the new cat has basically usurped her place. Mama goes downstairs sometimes and if she does, they usually fight. But it is certainly more peaceful now, at Mostly's expense poor girl.
Should we leave well enough alone for now? Or try to get Mostly to spend time upstairs?
P.S. Mama was spayed 11-25-14. So it hasn't been that long. It seems like it though.
P.S.S. I've never gotten a cat on purpose, how three happened is beyond me. They keep showing up. (:
Photos: Top to bottom, Drama, Mama Catss and Mostly Feral.
I tried some of the advice from the forum (thank-you all), keeping them separated, feeding near each other, Feliway, etc. but eventually, we just allowed everyone to be out in the house all the time.
After the kittens were adopted and Mama Catss was spayed, she settled down quite a bit. My big boy Drama still steps mighty lightly around her, but now she sniffs at his tail, chirps at him and they both sleep on our bed (as far apart as possible.) Fights are pretty rare, as long as he defers to her majesty.
The problem is, there has been really no improvement with her and our other cat, our insanely shy girl, Mostly Feral. The aggression is now almost as bad on Mostly's part as it was on Mama's, out of fear, I'm assuming (and both being girls?)
For the past month since we started allowing Mama out, Mostly has been holed up in the basement and rarely comes out. We go down and love on her but we feel guilty the new cat has basically usurped her place. Mama goes downstairs sometimes and if she does, they usually fight. But it is certainly more peaceful now, at Mostly's expense poor girl.
Should we leave well enough alone for now? Or try to get Mostly to spend time upstairs?
P.S. Mama was spayed 11-25-14. So it hasn't been that long. It seems like it though.
P.S.S. I've never gotten a cat on purpose, how three happened is beyond me. They keep showing up. (:
Photos: Top to bottom, Drama, Mama Catss and Mostly Feral.