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getting 2 cats to get along
hey hows it going? I recently moved into an apartment with a buddy of mine from work. he has a one year old male cat by the name of domino. he and his cat have been living alone for about three years now and he says to the best of his knowledge his cat has never been around any animals since he has had him. now I also have a male cat who is around the same age named sweety boy who is one of the most friendliest cats you will ever meet. now here is the problem, me and my friend have been trying to think of a way to introduce the two cats to each other and get them used to being around each other. we have only put them together once but when we did both cats viciously attacked each other and became really agitated for quite sometime afterwards. we have kept them separated since the incident and they have both been acting really weird, his cat is always hanging out next to the door to my room where my cat is staying, and my cat wont go anywhere but my bathroom or under my bed, I think it is because they both know that there is another cat in the house and they can smell each other. my question is what is the best way to get them used to each other? and is there a way to get them used to each other without either one of them getting hurt?
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Want to answer more questions in the Domesticity category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Pets?
It's always difficult introducing another cat to the home of an established pet, particularly if they are the same sex and roughly the same age.
Have they both been neutured? If not, it may be a good idea to have this done as it will not only calm them down bit will avoid certain health issues in later life. The first cat will hang around as he can smell yours and is keeping an eye out to see why there is an invader on his territory. Your cat has been placed in a potentially dangerous position, (according to him) and is taking shelter until he can figure a way out of it.
This is likely to be a long process so you need to be prepared to have patience with them.
They need to stay separated for the time being as forced interaction could lead to some serious problems. When your cat is feeling more settled in your room, you start off by stroking the other cat with a soft piece of material and then stroking it on your cat, then vice versa. This will get them used to scent of each other without meeting. As they groom themselves they will 'taste' the other one's scent as it mingles with their own. They are still likely to be upset but should calm down after a few days of doing this repeatedly.
Next, you could feed them on each side of a connecting door. Start off with the bowls some distance away and over several days, gradually move them closer to the door. They should start to accept each other's scent and associate it with the very enjoyable occupation of eating. Eventually, you could prop the door open enough for them to see each other, (but not wide enough for them to get through), as they are eating. The first time you do this, it may be worth feeding them a special treat so that they are more interested in the food than each other.
When they seem happy with this, try switching the cats to the other's room. You have your flatmates cat in your room for a night. If they are ok with this and settle with each other's bedding, you're ready for the next step.
When you are happy they are ok with this, you can let them see and smell each other without being close enough to feel threatened. Whether this is in your respective arms or through a gate is your choice. However, they both need to feel safe at this time.
If they then accept this and you're sure they're happier with each other, you could let them meet up on neutral territory where you can intervene if things look like getting nasty. Maybe a bathroom or another room that the original cat does not regard as 'his'? Not your room though as it will smell of your cat and make the first one feel anxious. Don't worry if they have a small disagreement, they need to set their own boundaries and learn each others signals. If they decide to have a full-on fight, don't try to pick them up, you're likely to get damaged. Have a water squirter to hand and spray them. It doesn't hurt, they probably won't realise it came from you and may even associate it with fighting! Give them some time to calm down before trying again. Let them have their own bolt holes to go to.
If all this does not work and they are going to continue to fight, sadly you may need to look at rehoming one of them. They are both young and like all young males, are likely to feel they have something to prove. Guarding their territory and facing up to the 'enemy' is a classic trait of the young. If they were both several years, they probably wouldn't be so bothered about each other.
If this does work and they do decide to tolerate each other, ensure they have a litter tray each and they are kept clean. You also need to make sure that whichever one is going to be the dominant cat is not able to ambush the other one when they are in the litter tray. This is when cats are at their most vulnerable as they can't run away when they are toileting. They will also need separate feeding and water bowls, with you keeping an eye on them, to start with to check that the dominant one does not take the food of the other.
you could also look at having several toys as a distraction for them and a variety of sleeping places at different heights. They need opportunities to be able to escape from each other when they want to.
Lastly, keep in mind that cats are very territorial and this process could take weeks or even months. Even when you think they are settling in together, it may not wise to give them free range for several months when there is no one at home. Put them back in your rooms until one or both of you will be there to keep an eye on them.
You will need to put a lot of time and patience into this but if it works it will be worth it. You'll have a happy home with two cats that get on with each other.
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Well, the problem isn't that they know there is another cat in the house. The problem is that there are two TOM cats.
Toms don't generally tend to get along well. They fight for dominance. Once one is found to be the dominant male, then things may cool down.
Also, another problem is that you aren't introducing them on neutral territory. Your cat is invading his cat's territory.
I don't know how to solve your problem, and I hope someone can help you.
I just wanted to let you know what is causing the problem.
If nothing else, talk to your vet about it.
ygs-29/f
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