Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If she was a child, she'd already have been to the doctor for her issues, but she's a cat. She does the usual cat things like zooming around, climbing, chewing, opening all the closet doors - and that's fine.
What's not fine is her constant aggressive play with our older cat (11), who was here first. Grace (the problem) is almost 4 and will jump on top of Katya and bite her neck badly enough that I've found scabs. She irritates her when she's trying to use the litter box and that's the one thing I can't tolerate. Katya slinks around, or runs, to get from here to there without being victimized. Grace very well understands the word NO, runs if she gets a shot from a water pistol, and doesn't give a hoot - she's back at it the minute my back is turned.
Now we have an indoor/outdoor cat who showed up over a year ago and she tries to be aggressive with him. He's a gentle cat, but much bigger than Grace and as he goes outdoors, I don't clip his claws, so when she tries her nonsense on him, he gets her down and stands on her chest with his front feet and she screams bloody murder. Five minutes later, she's after him again, rinse and repeat.
He and Katya get along fine. She hissed at him as a newcomer, then set her boundaries, and now they encounter each other respectfully without drama.
Grace will also leap 5 feet straight up in the air on my DH's back while he's washing dishes or brushing his teeth or some other innocent pursuit. I think she thinks she's playing but when she's at her worst, going crazy and bothering everyone in the house, I sometimes get hold of her and her pupils are widely dilated like she's - well, what is she? Is she stoned on something? Is she having some kind of episode?
I play with her and she can manage up to a point, but I will end up scratched or bitten. She doesn't seem to get when enough is enough and at age 4, I was thinking she should be calming down some. We have a house full of toys and she does play by herself sometimes, but neither of the other cats can play without her jumping them. She has a cat wheel and uses it, and a cat tree to climb. Her one peaceful game is making the bed. She'll come running when I do it, and run under the quilt - I shake it out and let it fall over her and then I pretend to "find" her while she's covered. She purrs and purrs and gets that it's a game, not lucha libre.
But the other night the indoor/outdoor was trying to use the litter box and she chased him three times to the point where he meowed at the door to go out.
Sorry this is so long, but how do I stop her making the other cats' lives miserable? And what gets her so worked up?
When did Grace get a full lab workup with her Vet? If this is not her usual behavior/personality since you've had her it could be an underlying medical issue. She sounds like she's reacting to some sort of internal stress thats manifesting into aggression with her peers.
1. Feliway diffusers
2. Playtime with you. Play sessions with a wand toy as many times a day as you can. When she annoys hubby, redirect with a wand toy and play session. She’s done when she starts to groom herself, which is when you should give her a favorite treat.
3. Safe areas for the older cats where she cannot get to them. Perches and ledges are ideal because it gives them the high ground.
Yes, I have 3 litter boxes in three different locations.
I have wand toys and we do play daily. Some days she likes to catch and I can throw a toy. I throw treats and she'll chase them and sometimes catch them in her paws - and sometimes, she catches a few in her mouth. That's a daily game for all the cats here. Of course if one of their treats goes wide, she'll steal it.
There are safe areas but she can get to them and if she's in the mood, she will pursue someone up the cat tree and swat at them. She'll swat at someone in our laps if the mood is on her.
There are safe areas but she can get to them and if she's in the mood, she will pursue someone up the cat tree and swat at them. She'll swat at someone in our laps if the mood is on her.
Then they aren’t safe areas. The other cats need to be able to go someplace to get away from her. Or, conversely, you can give her a time out in the bathroom when she starts acting this way. Ironically, sometimes that works, if only because it gives them a place free of stimuli to calm down.
Then they aren’t safe areas. The other cats need to be able to go someplace to get away from her. Or, conversely, you can give her a time out in the bathroom when she starts acting this way. Ironically, sometimes that works, if only because it gives them a place free of stimuli to calm down.
Yes, she goes on the enclosed back porch for a while if nothing else calms her.
Time for a squirt bottle and all household members being part of the training process. Have you created safe places for the indoor cats now? You were standing by watching her chase the outdoor cat off the litter box and did nothing?
Not to be a Debbie-Downer but at the age of 4 with said behaviors unaddressed until now the chances of eradicating to any form of comfort level isn't likely, as they're personality traits that have become too ingrained. Your eleven-year-old and the male cat deserve a space where they're not terrorized and can live in peace. Maybe the enclosed back porch becomes her territory when you're not around to supervise. I have seen instances of this type of behavior in other cats that can be attributed to a genetic personality disorder and not behavior issues due to a lack of discipline or other environmental factors. We see these instances among humans and other mammals including dogs, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise among domestic cats. Otherwise, the use of Feliway diffusers was mentioned and perhaps a worthwhile investment for help keeping the peace if in fact effective in this instance.
Time for a squirt bottle and all household members being part of the training process. Have you created safe places for the indoor cats now? You were standing by watching her chase the outdoor cat off the litter box and did nothing?
At what point did I say I was standing by and doing nothing? I'm on guard here all the time I'm home, I have a squirt bottle, and the one other household member is on board. I never do nothing if she is harassing another cat. If she won't calm down after a squirt or a couple of NOs, one of us picks her up and if we see wild dilated pupils, we try to calm her and if she still won't settle, we put her on the back porch for time out.
If I sat and watched and did nothing, I wouldn't be on the forum here asking for further suggestions.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
