Troubles with Pets

Are there any Vets/animal behaviour specialists on TFP?

We have up until recently had a happy 3 cat co-habitation thing going. Our cats were 4, 3, and 2 and very cozy and loving. Seamaiden's eldest son has decided to move to Singapore and while giving us his bikes and PS3, also gave us his cat, age 5. While our cats have always been around each other, the new cat has been an only child in a small apt. We live in a large 2 story house, so while I'm sure there is some agoraphobia going on, Daisy, the new cat has settled in pretty well. But she is definitely having some space issues with the other cats.

While there was some hissing at the beginning, by the end of the first week, she had been accepted and we'd begun to integrate her litter and food dishes in with the others. But now she seems to be relapsing a bit to the point of hissing when the others get too close. Now Jib, the most dominant of our 3, while at the beginning being the most friendly, has now begun to patrol the house and pick fights with Daisy whenever possible.

Anyone with experience in this matter have any advice for us?

 

give the cat (loner) to one of Plan9's old OKC dates to make more stir fry...

or just let them sort it out. unless the noise is intolerable, the pecking order will eventually be established. take a weekend off and lock them in the same litter/food/water room and when you come back the problem should be solved (one way or another). how sentimentally valuable is this newcomer? will seamaiden's son be coming back for it anytime soon? is giving it up for adoption an option?

 

Hi Lucifer. I think there is a product that you can plug in and it releases chemicals/odours that make them more relaxed. Tried catnip? Ours gets so poo faced on that stuff, she impersonates a cushion with dribble. Does Daisy have a safe place to hide? Do make sure she is chipped with your address in case she legs it. Cats can be funny buggers, if all else fails, would adoption be an option - or long term fostering? How long is the lad away for? I think its a question of time - and keeping an eye on them. Daisy has joined a pride, so it will take time for her to find her place in the order of things. With foster dogs its usualy 2 months for them to get their feet under the table and start being themselves.

 

our two cats need SPACE. One wont eat with the other harassing it, so we lock the bully up at night. Its an alternating schedule of parole and release, it has improved their health. Also a nook or hiding place is good to have that the other cats cant get to somehow.

 

Bit of a wild guess. Lavender water sprayed around is supposed to induce calmness and sleep in children - got any in the garden? If its free and does no harm, might be worth trying. Having watched the cat orgy on Southpark, I still think maybe catnip would get them all chilled out and wasted. Hardly likely to fight if they keep rolling off the back of the sofa.

 

I'm in a bit of a similar situation now. We've had the other two cats for two and half years, they are about three months apart, they get on very well. Especially after having them operated, they are both girls, black and white. And we got them both their own litterboxes, it's recommended. Now we can let them go outside, they stay there quite a lot, so we don't need the litterboxes for them. Sometimes they play together outside, although they often come inside at different times, they sleep in different rooms, but eat at the same time, if necessary. Both cats were semiwild, when we took them, so they were a bit shy at first.

Week ago we took a new kitten. This one is very well nursed and is not afraid of people and curious about the other cats. There's still a lot of hissing involved, bigger cats keep the distance. Yesterday though the white one was eating together with the kitten. She gnarled (?) a bit at times though, but she seems curious. It will take some time until they get friendly with each other, but I'm hopeful.