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Old 02-16-2011, 02:48 PM
 
Location: Richmond, VA
55 posts, read 141,403 times
Reputation: 18

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Your cat at 12 months is the equivalent to 15 human years in terms of development. During this period this is probably how a cat should act.

I say wait it out and just be firm with the cat for a while, he is trying to find his "place" within your house, and it may take some time for this behavior to stop.
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Old 02-16-2011, 03:22 PM
 
2,455 posts, read 6,631,964 times
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Doghead, if you followed the advice here and started all over again, putting the new guy in a separate room for a few weeks, this little man just might settle down. I just thought of Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy now, and from experience, this stuff works wonders. I couple of drops on one of the new guy's ears, rub them in, and he should settle down for you within minutes. While you are at it, since the stress is evident with all your cats, I would suggest doing the same thing for all of them. You can actually give Rescue Remedy every 15 minutes in an acute situation.

Before you re-home him, please think about what was said here, and give this a lot of thought before you act on anything drastic. This cat has been through the ringer......just keep that in mind.
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Old 02-16-2011, 04:16 PM
 
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Garden, yes, I'm going to put him in a separate room for a few weeks. Would you let him interact at all with the others for short periods or not at all? Yes, I'm usuing the Rescue Remedy. I know he's been through a lot and, he's really very sweet and certainly non-aggressive with me. So, keep in the separate room totally or let him play intermittently? I sound like I don't know what I'm doing and it turns out, I don't! Thanks.
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Old 02-16-2011, 04:26 PM
 
Location: Richmond, VA
55 posts, read 141,403 times
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They need interaction or else they will never get along, best do it earlier rather than later. Keeping him a separate room while you're gone isn't a big deal but if you're there you should have multiple "supervised" visits. This isn't something that's going to change until your cat grows up, keeping it in a room by itself for months will do nothing other than make it grow up by itself and not be properly socialized. You're going to have to let them live together eventually, so start "conditioning" them to live together now.
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Old 02-16-2011, 04:39 PM
 
2,455 posts, read 6,631,964 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doghead View Post
Garden, yes, I'm going to put him in a separate room for a few weeks. Would you let him interact at all with the others for short periods or not at all? Yes, I'm usuing the Rescue Remedy. I know he's been through a lot and, he's really very sweet and certainly non-aggressive with me. So, keep in the separate room totally or let him play intermittently? I sound like I don't know what I'm doing and it turns out, I don't! Thanks.
We have all been there! I know I have, and it doesn't feel good. At least you are honest enough to admit what you know and what you don't know. That to me is a sign of a mature "kid at heart".

For a few days, I think it would be wise just to allow the newcomer alone in the separate room. You go in and play with him and interact with him, reassuring him that he is loved. If you have a means to do so, soft music would be wonderful, either classical or nature sounds. Keep the lighting to a minimum by avoiding harsh and bright lights. Make sure you visit him as often as you can. Don't leave out food but feed him 2-3 times at specific times......is that what you do in your house? Leave him fresh water changed daily and make sure his kitty litter is nice and clean each day for him.

This is going to be time and work on your part, but if you are willing to put the time in, you will end up hopefully with a well-adjusted and happy family.

That being said.....To avoid any signs of jealousy on the part of your three other cats and one dog, you are going to have to make sure you spend lots of time with them as well. Same advice for them too. Soft music playing in the background with noises as in loud voices, loud pots and pans, try to avoid also. This time is critical, and your goal is to keep everyone as calm as possible, and that includes yourself. Rescue Remedy works on humans as well, if you didn't know. Take yours orally.

During the first few days, take a towel or two, or a tee shirt and rub the new guy to get his scents on it, and then bring that towel or tee out of the room and leave it where all your other furkids can smell it. Do the same for the new guy, rubbing a couple towels or tees with their scents and bringing those into his room and leaving them there with him.

It would be awesome if you made him a comforting nest. One of my cats is a rescue from the SPCA. He was born in a cage and knew nothing but a cage for the first 9 months of his life. His comfort zone is sleeping in a cardboard box with one of my afghans in it. If you think this would work out for the new guy, put a blankie or teeshirt with only your scent on it so that he knows you are near and that you love him. If this doesn't work, think of where you could make a nest for him, that would signify security and only for him. He will love you for it!

Then, after a few days, re-introduce your new cat to the others with you supervising for only a very brief time span. Slowly, depending on how it goes, lengthen that time span, making sure everyone is A-OK. If the new guy still insists on running after your females, put him back to his room immediately. He is smart. He'll catch on. If the new guy seems to be having an off day, just keep him in the room by himself with only your company. Use your observation skills. Cats can be sly and very tricky so good luck with that. Use your judgment and just stay calm, and go slow slow slow. You have some special babies in your care........I'll be praying for you, if that is all right with you.

Hope I've helped some for you. I understand completely how stressful this time can be. Over the years I have had to incorporate a total of 15 rescues, most of whom came to me, and there were a few times I really did everything wrong. I learned from my mistakes, as we all do, but I do thank those people on this forum for their hard-won wisdom and the willingness to share that wisdom to help others out. I have learned much by being involved in this forum. I wish the same for you.
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Old 02-16-2011, 05:14 PM
 
455 posts, read 1,233,808 times
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My thoughts are that cats do have a hierachy and your new boy could be ascertaining his position in the group.

Whilst I kept our new arrival separate to my resident pets I also allowed controlled/safe contact by putting him in an extra large dog crate. Once the hissy fits stopped then I introduced him to one resident pet at a time, increasing to two resident pets, then I introduced them all together. The process took about 2 to 3 weeks.

Cats do play rough with each other and my lot even play rough with my dog.

One of my cats, Sweep springs from the floor straight up onto my back, I can be stood up doing my hair or emptying the bins, I will end up with Sweep on my back and he loves pulling my hair while having a piggy back ride. He is 3 years old so no light weight.
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Old 02-16-2011, 07:06 PM
 
Location: Near Nashville TN
7,201 posts, read 14,897,975 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doghead View Post
Hi,

I recently adopted a 1 yr. old male cat. He is extremely sweet with me, but tough with the other cats. He corners the females in the litterbox, races them back to their bed and jumps on them. He's really big and they are really stressed.
I adopted a 4 month old male neutered kitten last June. As he matured he started the same behavior with the two females I've had over a year. He especially picked on one of them, but once in awhile went after the second one, the one he likes. It's very frustrating as they had gotten along great up to that point. At the moment we're on a month long trip in our RV so he stopped that behavior. I can see he's not comfortable in the RV as he was in our house.


Quote:
I adopted him for my young male cat, but he's even rough with him, but he rolls with the punches, so to speak. What I would like to know is, is this something he will outgrow in a year, or is this his personality? Is he what is called a male dominant cat? I have a chance to place him while he is young. Right now, I'm separating him when I'm not home. Thanks.
I don't believe anyone can say with certanty at this point if his aggressive behavior will continue. And at 1 year he's no longer a kitten and can do some damage if he so chooses. Keep his claws clipped.
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Old 02-16-2011, 07:07 PM
 
18,837 posts, read 37,221,229 times
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This may be his personality. Eventually things will settle out. We had one cat, he decided he was the boss of everyone...and was pretty much the bully. He never hurt anyone, just any time someone else was eating, he would go jump on them, or if someone was sleeping in a favorite spot, he would jump on them, and hold their neck in his jaws...no one ever got hurt, just annoyed. He settled down eventually...
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Old 02-18-2011, 09:10 AM
 
1,006 posts, read 2,643,899 times
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Thank you everyone. I am separating him for the most part, but when I'm home I have been letting him out for a short period and he goes right for the females. I have stopped the water spraying and am using verbal commands. Sometimes he listens, sometimes not. I do put him back when he doesn't listen. I am also trying to re-home him at the same time, to a more appropriate home. Mine was not. It's very sad--he's a great cat otherwise. Thanks again.
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Old 04-21-2020, 07:19 AM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH
3 posts, read 1,025 times
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Hi! I have a 14 mth old male that we adopted when he was 10 wks old. Both of our adult females took to him within weeks, probably due to them loosing their older brother a year before. He is a huge boy at 15lbs and over 3 feet long! However as he has gotten older he is trying to dominate the girls, always chasing after them and sometimes getting into all out cat fights with them. Water doesn’t work on him since he like to jump in the shower lol. The only thing that i have found that sorta works is a time out in the bathroom, and then he is ok for a few hours. But then goes back to chasing them down. He was bottle fed with his sister in a foster home because their mother had died when they were about 3 days old. He is very clingy with me and has to sleep with me and follows me everywhere. My vet says he just doesn’t realize how big he is compared to the girls and should outgrow this aggressive behaviors, but we still worry that he might hurt one of the girls. His name is Hades, an appropriate name lol. Any advice would be helpful, thank you and stay healthy and safe in these trying times.
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