jbbrick
Near San Francisco
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Joined: 02/25/2002
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This isn't exactly an RV question but we do take our 7 yr old camping with us. I just got my mothers 12 yr old female (both are altered) and she is fine with the 2 dogs but wants to be the top cat in our house and growls and chases our existing guy. Really bad at bedtime when both want to be on the bed, spitting and chasing down the hall...not fun. From others experience, will they ever adapt or do they sometimes just never get along? We're not new cat owners, have had at least one, sometimes several for 40 years but have never had this problem before. Thanks, Jerry
'06 Jayco Greyhawk 30'
'88 Bronco II toad
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mtdew999
Backwoods, Oregon
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Joined: 06/28/2003
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Hard to say. I have a house full of cats. The queen of the herd hisses and spits at everyone. Then she'll sleep in the same pile with the other 3. Then she'll decide to start a fight with one of them. Then she'll be seen holding one down and grooming it. These cats aren't even new to each other, she's just a b****. Who knows? Honestly, I think your cats will eventually settle into a routine of avoidance. Maybe put a couple of comfy cat beds in the general area of the bed so they can have another choice of sleeping arrangement.
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dturm
Munster, IN
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You need to assist during the adjustment period. You'll get great advice from many of the people on this thread. I'd start with a pheromone (Feliway)diffuser, it promotes calm. There are some nutritional supplements and OTC medications that can promote calm. Talk to your vet. With this degree of acting out, I'd recommend a behavior modification medication just during the adjustment period, my favorite is amitryptline.
Doug, DVM
Doug & Sandy
Megan (15 yr old Golden)
2008 Southwind
2001 Honda CRV
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2chiefsRus
USA Somewhere
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We have been married for 13 years now and my spayed female cat and his neutered male cat have settled into a cold war. The female was 6 and the male 3 when we merged households. The male is willing to be friendly but the female isn't. She will still throw a fit, snarling and hissing, if she feels he is getting too close but they very rarely have any actual physical contact spats anymore.
Dave & Kathy
2007 Monaco Knight 40PDQ towing 2003 Odyssey
Two cats - Kitty & Casey (19 & 16 years old)
Fulltime since October 2007
Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can get by with what's left.
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Code2High
Ridgecrest, CA
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Joined: 12/21/2004
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Feliway diffusers are very helpful, and go big with them upfront. You can get them and the refills online for half what you'd pay in a pet store, and that can make it affordable. You can also try flower remedies, I know Anaflora (they're online) makes one for "harmony" that I've used.
I'm very proactive when it comes to cats acting up, and if my kitten gets obnoxious with my older cat, she gets hosed down with a spray bottle. They DO learn what is and is not tolerated. You can also look into clicker training, on which there is a book specifically for cats, and that can help you modify behaviors. I forget the author's name, but it is some real imaginative title like "clicker training for cats."
susan
They didn't call her "Plain Gravy" for nothing.
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Klueck
Georgia
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They'll adjust. One might be the queen bee but they'll work it out. Be patient.
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Linda2u
Auburn, Ca USA
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Let us know how this works out. We only have one and she is the "queen" - would love to get another one (at the shelter), but am afraid BeBe would run it off.
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kknowlton
Wisconsin Border Country, IL
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Our experience has been that it takes 6 months and has varied results. A lot depends on the cats' personalities. Feliway helped with our last 2 getting used to each other, but it was still about 6 months before things really settled into place.
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Code2High
Ridgecrest, CA
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Feliway spray on the bed might be a good thing as well as the diffusers.
Many times cats can be persuaded to share their space with another cat. Best Friends (www.bestfriends.org) has some tips somewhere on their website on introducing a new cat. Kittens are often more readily accepted than older cats, and if you're worried about your cat's ability to adjust, that can be one way to add to the household and give a deserving cat a home.
Of course, when you just end up with another adult cat, that's when you have to dig in and figger out how to do it. There is also a book I've seen, but I'm danged if I can remember the name... could get it, I know someone who has it... that deals specifically with conflicts in multi-cat households.
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Spike88
New Glasgow,Nova Scotia Canada
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Any cat I introduced to my Quenn Marble who is now 13yrs old finally worked out. I found it took about 6 months for her to finally stop spitting at them whenever they walked by. She adjusted to all of them. We had to euthanize 2 cats in 6 months due to cancer and about 6 months later I got a kitten and she was livid. Then 7 months later we got a 2 month old and then 2 months after thant we got a 2 yr old female. I find she is less fond of the other female but does play with the boys on her terms and when she wants. If she doesnt want to then its a no go and she scremas at them like they are killing her. However I have found the 4 of them sleeping on the bed together!!!!!!!!!. Time and patience and showing the oldest one that they are still your baby. I also find if I feed Marble first and deal with her first than it seems an easier day.
Margie UPS~44
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