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about a year ago. She was so tiny and couldn't have been three months old. She was quite a little scrapper and seemed to adjust well. She comes when she is called and is friendly. Got her shots and checked by the vet with followups. Our other cat, 9 year old calico, was not so welcoming and kept her distance, didn't warm up to her at all and growls whenever the scrapper comes by. Now all they do is fight. The scrapper is out to get her and I'm just sick of it. I got a small collar for the older cat that has spikes on it to keep the scrapper from biting her neck off.
In all fairness the older cat was mean to the previous cat when we got her but she settled down quickly. So what goes around comes around? But this scrapper is not settling down at all. I have to put her in the bathroom to sleep or she fights all night. We have a cat tower she loves, some toys, we play with her daily and we are in a house with plenty of room. When I leave the house and they are alone they seem to go to separate rooms and come together when I get home.
I've had cats all my life with no incidence. This one is really a run for the money. Anyone have a scrapper like this and how do you tame them?
Two of mine also get into it once in awhile, after all this time. When Zeb' was brought home at age 4 1/2 months, he tried to make friends with the girls. Phaedra and Zeb hit it off from the start. But cranky Zephyr hated him and would spit hiss and swat his head. He was soon larger than her and started fighting back. She'd run off screaming and hissing and spitting with him in hot pursuit. After months of this craziness they learned to stay away from each other. They only occasionally get into it now and neither seems to have their heart in it like they did back then. As for Zeb and Phaedra, they also occasionally have a disagreement but nothing like what went on between Zeb and Zephyr. Sometimes it just takes TIME. We were concerned how things would work in the RV but so far, so good. They share the Midwest outside safe cat "cage" or porch, but when inside, they avoid each other.
The only time we interfered was when Zeb was really ticked off and we feared he'd hurt her. We would then chase after them yelling "NO!!!!" Zeb would then slink off and leave her alone - till the next time.
about a year ago. She was so tiny and couldn't have been three months old. She was quite a little scrapper and seemed to adjust well. She comes when she is called and is friendly. Got her shots and checked by the vet with followups. Our other cat, 9 year old calico, was not so welcoming and kept her distance, didn't warm up to her at all and growls whenever the scrapper comes by. Now all they do is fight. The scrapper is out to get her and I'm just sick of it. I got a small collar for the older cat that has spikes on it to keep the scrapper from biting her neck off.
In all fairness the older cat was mean to the previous cat when we got her but she settled down quickly. So what goes around comes around? But this scrapper is not settling down at all. I have to put her in the bathroom to sleep or she fights all night. We have a cat tower she loves, some toys, we play with her daily and we are in a house with plenty of room. When I leave the house and they are alone they seem to go to separate rooms and come together when I get home.
I've had cats all my life with no incidence. This one is really a run for the money. Anyone have a scrapper like this and how do you tame them?
We have had to introduce several cats to one another over the years. What was it like in the beginning? When she was only 3 or 4 months old? How did you do the taming and all of that?
I took a class in the taming of feral kittens at the ASPCA.
Did your Calico hate the presence of your newcomer when she was a tiny kitten?
You sound very experienced and sensible, by the way. Did you by any chance start the kitten out with a cage in the same room as the Calico so they could get used to each other? How was the intro phase done?
Sometimes when a cat has been the only cat for a while they just don't adapt as much as we would like, but they'll eventually come to a truce.
Make sure they each have their own space - separate water and food dishes, separate litter, each their own dedicated sleeping space.
It's hard to give up the dream that they'll bond and love each other and groom each other, but the best you may ever see is a disgruntled co-existence - we got an old guy from a shelter last year and I thought for sure our resident female would adore him as he is sweet and calm and gentle (and she has always been fine with other cats), but she has been a snotface to him from the get-go. So they haven't bonded, but they have settled down to relative peaceful co-existence, with the occasional hiss or paw swipe.
I think as the scrapper get older she'll mellow as well - have you had her spayed yet?
Thanks all for the replies. Yes the scrapper was spayed. She was kept in the bathroom overnight with food and litter box, only out during the day. Scrapper is about a year old now and slightly outweighs the Calico. They still sleep in different spaces and eat at separate times.
The Calico did not like her from the start and would growl and leave, never attacking the scrapper. When the Calico was introduced she was the mean one attacking the older cat Sammy, but mellowed out for many years until Sammy fell ill, then started attacking her when I was not looking. So the Calico is not a nice 'cat-to-cat' animal. Now the Calico is running from the Scrapper.
They are very nice to me, just not to each other. I've never given up on a cat, and have had 2 or 3 at a time, "so they wouldn't be lonely". I've changed my mind on that front, I think they both would be very good "Only Cats". But it would be hard for me to find a new home for the Scrapper.
Early photo of rare quiet time. They no longer are anywhere near each other. I really think the Calico instigates it by not ever letting her snuggle.
The only time we interfered was when Zeb was really ticked off and we feared he'd hurt her. We would then chase after them yelling "NO!!!!" Zeb would then slink off and leave her alone - till the next time.
This grey cat is driving me insane. I've had cats for decades and never had such a bad cat. She is still attacking the other one, viciously, and on the tables, the counters, in all the food, and the one plant I have. The worst thing is I know that if I give to someone else they will just boot her out into the snow to die, or worse. She is the worst cat ever born.
What are you feeding them? Diet plays a larger part in behavior than many people realize. There could be something in the food that makes Scrapper cat feel wonky, mean, unbalanced.
We didn't have issues quite like yours, but my parents' cat moved in with us (as did my parents) for a few months. Our cat is a lover. He tried so hard to groom the other cat and "take care of" him, but my parents' cat is very independent and wouldn't go along. Finally, our cat started setting boundaries and making rules, but my parents' cat wouldn't respect these boundaries. The last straw was the morning our cat wanted the window seat (which he indicated by peeing on the couch by the window). My parents' cat got in the window anyway, and our cat went bananas, biting him and pinning him against the window upside down, biting the life out of him. I had to separate them. I've never seen our cat do that. He had a "big brother" for years and they loved each other fiercely. Our guy mourned him terribly.
Anyway, the last week my parents' cat was here, I put a calming collar on our boy and bought a diffuser. It helped him, believe it or not. The collar was very helpful for us. I bought it, thinking it wouldn't work, but they didn't fight at all after I bought it. It's worth a try. I realize it will get expensive to buy one every couple of weeks or once a month, but there is no price tag on peace.
I applaud your commitment to your kitties. Don't give up on them. There has to be a solution. Best wishes!
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He was soon larger than her and started fighting back. She'd run off screaming and hissing and spitting with him in hot pursuit. After months of this craziness they learned to stay away from each other. They only occasionally get into it now and neither seems to have their heart in it like they did back then. As for Zeb and Phaedra, they also occasionally have a disagreement but nothing like what went on between Zeb and Zephyr. Sometimes it just takes TIME. We were concerned how things would work in the RV but so far, so good. They share the Midwest outside safe cat "cage" or porch, but when inside, they avoid each other.
