Existing female cat bullying new female cat.

RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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I have an existing short haired cat who is nearly 10 years old (currently on heat). I have taken in a 2 year old long haired cat (doctored). Both are house cats.

I though it would be ok with them both being females. The long haired one is a lot bigger, but is being bullied by the short haired one. Eg growling/hissing at her everytime she moves. I read that cats are generally ok if resources are plenty, so always leave plenty of food and water down. There is no problem with the new one eating and drinking, not too much of a problem now with the new one sitting on my knee (after about 8 days!) but all hell breaks loose whenever the new cat uses the litter tray. I have just had to physically hold down my existing cat to stop it attacking the other going to the toilet. I am afraid that this will put her off using the litter tray and that she will start using elsewhere.

Does anyone know why this is so and how to stop this unpleasentness. Many thanks.

Comments

  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    I would separate them completely into different bits of the house for now (so two sets of everything), and get the older cat spayed as soon as she is out of heat. Unneutered females can be very queen bee, getting them neutered reduces this. That will give you and them a bit of breathing space - a couple of weeks or so. That will give you plenty of time to read the relevent FAB publications and think about how to do it differently when you let them meet again.

    http://www.fabcats.org/behaviour/introducing/index.php
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    Many thanks :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,124
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    How many litter trays have you got its supposed to be one per cat plus a spare one
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    Really? I've just got the one. I intended them to share it and clean it more often, but after the above advice will be buying another at the weekend.

    In a way it's quite fascinating seeing my old cat turning from a soft cuddly being into a spitting, growling wild animal! I think she could be secretly enjoying the situation.

    The trouble is, I don't want the new cat to be miserable or frightened.

    What I don't understand is that the new cat is a lot younger and larger than my old cat, yet seems to be doing as it's told in the main. Perhaps it's cat manners to be polite in "someone else's" home!
  • missfrizzymissfrizzy Posts: 7,536
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    Richard, we have a very territorial male cat that we had from a rescue. After a couple of years we decided to take in another rescue cat, a younger female. We got them separate litter trays (although the new cat was cheeky and used our little man's).
    He hated her on sight and bullied her all weekend. In the end I had to return her to the rescue people as I felt it was too traumatising for her (it certainly was for me). Keep an eye on them, give it a week or two, try to keep them separate for a while and if it doesnt work out you may need to return the second one. Its a shame, but some cats like other cats and some really don't.:(
  • pixiebootspixieboots Posts: 3,762
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    In a way it's quite fascinating seeing my old cat turning from a soft cuddly being into a spitting, growling wild animal! I think she could be secretly enjoying the situation.

    The trouble is, I don't want the new cat to be miserable or frightened.

    What I don't understand is that the new cat is a lot younger and larger than my old cat, yet seems to be doing as it's told in the main. Perhaps it's cat manners to be polite in "someone else's" home!

    Your old cat is really not enjoying it, its stressful and thats making her aggressive(it would be like you waking up to a stranger living with you using your loo), separate them and reintroduce the new cat gradually, in a carrier at first and build up the time they spend in the same room, then short bursts where they're both together. Cats can get UTIs and all sorts from stress so you really need to minimise it to save yourself a trip to the vets.

    Feliway plug in would help too. The litter feud is your old cat stopping the new one from marking the tray with her scent so separate ones will work, we have 4 trays for 4 cats but they all use each others now, there is a favourite one that gets used the most and typically of cats its the smallest one.
    Your new cat is probably scared of her surroundings and can get the old cats scent everywhere, if you do it gradually they will get used to each other, they might be mates, they might not but they can learn to get along without scrapping if they are not forced to confront each other at first.
  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    pixieboots wrote: »
    ...
    Feliway plug in would help too. The litter feud is your old cat stopping the new one from marking the tray with her scent so separate ones will work
    ...

    Nothing is guaranteed - Feliway plugins, litter trays all over the place.

    However the fact the older cat is unneutered and also calling really will not help. I am puzzled as to why the OP never got her neutered - repeated calling can be pretty hard to live with especially if the cat starts spraying, and some do. I am pretty sure that getting the older cat neutered will be a bit help.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    I never bothered getting her neutered as I never intended to get another cat (but the new one is a female too, so no chance of kittens).

    Also, after what happened to my last one I decided that she wasn't going to be allowed outside.

    Oddly enough, it has only been these last 2/3 years that she has been calling (I don't even think she actually came on heat either!)

    Is it normal for a cat to not start to be on heat for the first 7/8 years? (or at least be on heat but not make the calling noise)?

    Is it worth the risk/trauma of having her done at the age of 10 years?

    I am also wondering if my existing cat is realising there is a "shortage of toms" as she never gets to meet one and, if she is aware the other is a female, she is thinking that the new one is more female competition when there is a shortage, hence this could be part of the resentment :confused:
  • alienpandaalienpanda Posts: 9,444
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    A good tip is to try and get them to bond together and play together. If they are playful cats, get one of these (or something similar)

    http://www.petworldshop.com/pictures/toyshoppe-fishing-rod-amp-reel-cat-toy.jpg

    And start a game off with both of them involved - and make sure you include them equally. If the bullying starts - chastise the bullying cat.... if they play nice together, reward them both with a cat treat (like a cat chocolate drop. or a cat fishy biscuit)

    Try this every day for a week or two and it should improve things slowly.....
  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    It is definitely worth getting her neutered unless there is an underlying medical reason not to. An unneutered cat will keep coming into call (possibly silently) and is risk of pyometria, which is almost unknown in neutered females. Females in call also often turn into furry Houdinis and it's not at all unknown for them to give their owners the slip and come back pregnant. She will be aware the other cat is a neutered female, but I doubt she has 'shortage of toms' in her mind at least not as clearly as that. However she may well be sexually frustrated.

    Please go and discuss this with your vets.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    Thanks for the further advice. Do you know roughly how much it costs to neuture a female cat?

    Another thing, the new cat has started sitting on me and suckling on my shirt! It's as if she's a kitten suckling milk.

    Does this mean she has accepted me as her "mother", or is it a worrying sign that she is distressed and seeking comfort?

    I used to have a tom cat that would do this, but not as vigouresly and he used to suckle the my finger too.

    I know he wasn't distressed as he was brought up with his brother. I just put it down to maybe being taken away from his mother before he was ready (even though we took him at the appropriate time).
  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    Cats that suck their owners clothing were often taken from their mothers too young - but not always!

    Tomorrow is Monday, your older cat should be coming out of call, a good day to ring the vets and find out how much getting her neutered will cost - it can vary wildly.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    Thanks for that.

    She DOES seem to have stopped being on heat!! How did you know? Do cats stop being on heat after the weekend :D

    Incidentally, I say "on heat" as opposed to "calling" as she hasn't been making the noise this time, just exposing her rear end etc. I wonder why this is :confused:

    I am going to contact the local vets later today :)
  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    Let us know the outcome at the vets.
  • station31station31 Posts: 3,276
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    My parents and I had disagreements on this. Was a two cats household to start with, older one died after sometime, a much younger more full of life cat was introduced as apposed to Amber who couldn't really be arsed most times.

    The younger one thought everyone should be his mate and would quite often attempt to play, sometimes roughly with the other one.

    I used the apraoch of unless its really voilent, leave em to it, they'll sort out with themselves the "Alfa Cat" role, give equal attention to them both, parents dragged them apart and the first hint of trouble.

    It took 6 months for the older one to atleast tolerate the young one
  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    My own view is it's unfair to expect an old cat to accept a playful young one. Better to either get two young cats that can play with each other or wait until the older one has gone.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    I know of two ladies in our town who take in strays and keep them until they are rehomed. I wonder how they manage with different cats all the time, especially with their actual own cats that live there permanently :confused:

    My niece works as an animal rescue helper, maybe she will know, but she is more into rabbits.

    The new cat is long haired (i've never had one before). There are "deposits" left on her fur at the back from when she has been using the litter tray. What's the best way to deal with this?
  • cats_fivecats_five Posts: 1,182
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    Trim the fur round her bottom. And what happened when you spoke to the vet about getting the 1st cat neutered? It protects against breast cancer as well as pyometria though since she's 10 and unneutered not as well as if she'd been done at 6 months or so.
  • RichardcoulterRichardcoulter Posts: 30,155
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    I didn't know cats could get breast cancer :eek: I've never heard of that before.

    Trimming the fur sounds a good idea, I will try that. I have some more vets to contact before deciding which to use.
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