Need some help/advice please!

I have 2 boy cats, brothers, been here since 8 weeks together, now 3. Both neutered at 6 mos. boy 1 dissappeared for 6 months, returning occasionally to eat his brothers dinner, but generally never seen ( I presume he'd found another home, but couldn't find him). He returned for good (so far) early dec. boy 2 never goes far, is a very homely cat.

Since cat 1 has returned, he has bullied cat 1 mercilessly, there have been vicious, blood drawing, fur ripping fights, and he's taken to laying under the window, growling, so cat 2 can't get out or in, resulting in cat 2 being out in the cold for a few nights, when he's in, he sits trembling on the bed cat 1 even blocks the litter trays (the have one each, in seperate areas), and cat 2 peed (it was a puddle, so obviously desperate, not a spray for territory) in the middle of the floor.

It's a nightmare, we have tried feliway (still trying) and seperate, beds, feeds, rooms etc. nothing worked, moved cat 2 to my mums (figured he'd fit in best, as he's a calmer cat), where she has a dog and cat (female) of her own. All was going ok, he was unsure of the dog as he's bigger than ours, but was eating etc, then he attacks mums cat, resulting in her needing stitches, and her getting so stressed she we'd all over mums bed (she's a stress wee'er!). So now mum says I have to take him back or rehome him I've convinced her to try a few more days (it's been less than a week) as since the fight they've all been quite calm, but if it happens again, he's out.

What can I do? If I bring him back he gets attacked, leave him there, the female gets upset?

I will not, under any circumstances put him in a shelter, and I don't know anyone that I would rehome him too, it was hard enough sending him to mums

Ay advice welcome.sorry for the essay!

Oh blimey - not an easy one! Backtracking a little - cat 1 has recently returned after a protracted absence and is bullying cat 2. You have tried rehoming cat 2 with your mother and he attacked her cat?

Good for you for not thinking about permanently rehoming either of them btw. In which case - the question is how to deal with the first cat - so he isn't attacking and bullying the second, who has been resident with you throughout. Do I have it right?

I absolutely hate the idea of rehoming any cats - and really hope you manage to sort out the power struggle. But if worse comes to worse - would it be cat 1 - the absentee one? Just asking - and hope others have some solutions.

Yes, that sums it up Susan! Sorry for the ramble, was trying to get the facts down! I sent cat 2 to mums as we thought he'd be better with her cat (who is an old lady who is a bit stress, but has lived with boy cats before), but we were obviously wrong! Like I said he's on probation there at the moment!

I wouldn't want to get rid of either, so haven't thought about which one I'd send away forever! It's like choosing between your children!

Rehoming is the not the end of the world IMO, so long as it's done properly.
Though I'd be rehoming the cat that disappeared, maybe to a more rural home where he could come and go safely as he pleased if that's his nature.

I suppose you could reintroduce them right from scratch, ie. keep the inside in seperate rooms to begin with etc etc.

JMHO, not a cat person

No, I'm not against rehoming as such, but I'd feel guilty, and definatley wouldn't put one into a shelter, they are too full as it is. I don't know anyone that I'd be happy rehoming one to either, all my friends have other animals.

The rural suggestion is good, but I live about as rural as you can get, he still wanders, but returns nightly, so presume whoever was feeding him had moved or stopped for some reason, leaving him to grace us with his presence again!

I think Muze's suggestion about slowly re-introducing is very sensible if cat 2 can't get on at your mums.
The cats will have forgotten each other during cat 1's absence, they are strangers now and need to be treated as you would introducing a new cat to your home.
Sadly they may never 'get on' again so rehoming may be necessary or maybe cat 1 could be an entirely outdoor cat with a comfortable heated outhouse to live in? Not ideal but you cant let cat 2 be so badly beaten so often
You can get chip registered cat flaps that can restrict entry to just certain cats to help regulate their movement.

You really do have a problem - unlike some posts here! (including mine).
Your absentee cat has been back for almost two months and his bully tactics seems to be a deliberate campaign to force the other one out. Blocking his litter tray?

I had two siblings who fought for most of their lives - but nothing like this.

Sadly - if it continues, it may be one of the rare times that you might need to find a new home for Cat 1. Perhaps advertising locally - asking at your vets? He would probably be ideally suited to an older owner with no other animals.

Have you seen any improvement or is it getting worse?

Thanks guys, I have no idea why they suddenly started fighting, it's strange, I've had multi cat house holds before and never had these issues. Cat 1 is a lovely people cat, but he's a cat thug! I'd laugh if it wasn't happening to me!

Update: cat 2 still at mums, all 3 aniamls (cat 2, mums cat and dog) left alone for most of the day, and there appears to have been no fighting or upset, mms cat seems happier too. Cat 2 has worked out the cat flap though, and was in the garden when I went round to put him to 'bed' for the evening (he's being fed seperately), he seemed content, pottering but didn't want to come in (he was on the fence, responded when I cAlled but gave me a look of 'whatever' when I called him in!), so I left him out, I wanted to keep him in a little longer, but he's obviously got other plans. So hoping hell come back on his own, and all will be ok at mums.

Thanks for the update bazaar. Perhaps if Cat2 settles at your mums - it may be the solution. Out of interest - how is cat1 (aka Thug!) behaving now he is the only cat in your house? Is it B & B - visiting for food and warmth - or is he showing affection?

Well cat 2 has not been seen since last night he's not come back.

Cat 1 has always been very affectionate (they both have), even when he was treating the house like a hostel! He's picked a few fights with the dog, but the dog is too stupid to retaliate, he thinks he's playing! But he's in all the time now (has been since xmas), not going far at all. I suspect a bigger cat has beaten him up, which sent him home and led to his subsequent bullying of cat 2!

Just thought I'd update everyone! Cat 2 (the one that moved to mums) was gone for 5 days, finally showed up in the neighbours garage (not sure if he'd been there all the time or just found there) he was ok for a few days then went again, another 5 days. I'd really given up at that point. Then when reversing out of mums drive I saw a flash and nearly ran the sod over!

He was fine (I didn't hit him) but had a really nasty foot injury, the vet guessed he'd been caught in a mouse trap or some sort of pressure trap since he's really settled in at mums, he won go out really, she has the upstairs window open for him (goes out onto the garage roof) where he sunbathes (not often in this weather) but that's about it, he'll go out the back if we are there, but whatever happened obviously terrified him I'm hoping with summer coming up there door will, be open a lot more and his confidence will grow. He's still not keen on mums female cat, they hiss a lot but there's no fighting, and they will put up with each other. He avoids the dog, which is easily done as he's 13 deaf and got cataracts! I caught him barking at the 'cat' the other week, except it was a stool, or the cat at all

But cat 2 is fussy and affectionate again, and expects an awful lot of play time as he's a self inflicted indoor cat now!

Cat 1 is also good, doesn't seem to miss his brother at all, went on to tease the dog for a bit (by playing with a toy on the otherside of the baby gate, so the dog could look but not get to him! But that's settled as well now.

So all good in the bazaar house. Thanks for the adivce everyone. I'm so glad I didn't have to rehome them to strangers!