My cats HATE each other. Help please? Ok so, I've had my cat Freya for 6 years, got her when she was a kitten

Question

I got her front claws declawed because I didnt want her to scratch everything. About 2 1/2 yrs ago, my bf brought home a male cat. Rudy is about the same age as Freya, but much larger, & has front claws. We kept Rudy in a separate room for a few months, & slowly tried to introduce them. They would just freak out & run & hide. Rudy hated being alone & would scratch endlessly at the bottom of the door, since we rent, we couldn't let him ruin the door.
After a few months we just let him out hoping they would work it out. Well at first they would totally avoid each other, accept for the occasional hiss as they passed each other. After a couple moves to new places cause of rl stuff, they fight physically now. Freya will lay on the floor on her back & Rudy will walk by, Freya hisses, that gets Rudy going. He chases her around & will pin her down until she whips free. Another thing, Freya will sniff Rudys bum but when he trys to sniff hers she hisses like mad. Any help would be appreciated.

Ty to everyone for responding. I did do a very slow introduction for them but couldnt keep it up because Rudy was damaging the door. I've never heard of soft paws, but he doesnt scratch her, I think its just an advantage over her so it's an unfair fight. The one thing I havent heard/tried is the vanilla on the back, however I dont know how much that will work considering they will prolly just lick it off, but I am going to try it. I wouldnt/didnt declaw Rudy cause I've heard that can ruin an adult cats personality. I know cats play fight & fight in general to establish whos the boss, but for them the only interaction they have is fighting. The closest they'll get aside from that is on the bed, only when I'm there, & they are on opposite side of me. I'd love for them to snuggle up to each other like my moms cats and my sisters cats do. I've tried a few times to try to find info on how to help the get along but since there seems to be no way, I'll just have to continue to hope. Ty again

Answer 1

This may be just their way of playing. I have a 20 lb dog that plays with my 2yr old cat like that. They will go at it for hours sometimes.

If you are worried about clawing, there is a product out there I think its called soft paws. It's like a fake nail that isn't so sharp. You may want to try that to protect Freya from scratches.

Good Luck

Answer 2

When introducing a new cat to the family while it's best to keep the apart for a short while, keeping one locked away all the time won't work.
If they never got to interact with each other in that way they probably will never get along.

Keep the new cat in a room with food, water, litterbox, toys and a bed.
Let the cat out everyday for say an hour the first day, then two the next and so on.

Get two blankets or towels rub cat A with one and rub cat B with the other then give them each others blankets...that way they will get used to the smell of each other.

While they are out together put a drop of vanilla between each cats shoulder blades and at the base of each cats tail...that way the smell alike.

Please do not get the other cat declawed
Declawing a cat in illegal in most Europen countries because it's so cruel and damaging to the cat.
Declawed cats almost always end up having litter box issues, they tend to bite and with age the develop arthritis because cats walk on their toes and a cat that has been declawed has had it's first toe joint amputed.

You could try to reintroduce them to each other.
But since it's been some time there are no guarentees that it will work.

Are the cats spayed and neutered...if not they may be part of the problem as well.

Answer 3

1st. Neuter/spay them both if they are not already fixed.
2nd. Go to www.softpaws.com. They sell some claw caps, they are cheap and easy to use, without needing to declaw. It is good to put those on their claws to avoid any violent accident.
3rd. Since they have been together for more than 2 years now, I guess there is no big danger. They may fight, but that's their way. They may even be having fun. So, as long as you make sure they will not get injured, let them work it out between themselves, feed them in different bowls so that they don't fight over food, and try not to make any of them jealous. Not much else you can do.

Answer 4

Same thing happened when I got new cats, my cat she was 7at the time & had been the only cat up until this point. I was given two cats, about 3years old (brother & sister), we went thru the same issues you are describing, after about 6months 1 of the cats the (female) and my cat came to an understanding & are now tolerant of each other. The male cat (who is 18lbs) to my cat (8lbs) still run around & fight with each, however every now and then I catch them playing together in which they will promptly stop if they see me catching them getting along & start hissing with each other, it's so funny.
So just hang in there, cats are stubborn, eventually they will come around.

Answer 5

Cats are solitary animals and rather territorial. Unless raised together (and sometimes that doesn't matter) they may never really get along.

Even the playing field and get Rudy declawed. (I don't believe in doing that but what else can you do??) The cats will have to take care of this themselves. They will have to learn that the other is not leaving.

They may totally avoid each other and continue to hiss. Keeping them separate, favoring one over the other or really intervening in any way won't help the situation. They will take care of it amongst themselves.

Good Luck

Answer 6

If that is not your first cat how is it that have not a clue with regard to the spectacular thank you to introduce cats? And who in the international instructed you that would desire to might desire to bathe a cat another month? the only reason somewhat to ever bathe a cat is that if it have been to get into something somewhat grimy or if this is a instruct cat and you're bathing it for a instruct. different than that that is pointless trauma for a cat - particularly once you're already stressing it by potential of bringing in yet another cat. The WORST ingredient to do is to in basic terms thrust new animals together. Cats are very territorial animals and that is totally commonly used for the present cat to react with hissing. i can not have self belief you're punishing the present cat for this by potential of putting it in "day out". CATS do no longer understand day out! All this cat is conscious is which you're shoving it in a crate! that is not A canine - this is a CAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the spectacular ingredient to be doing is putting the recent kitten in a separate room - that is own nutrition, water and muddle - and not forcing it on the present cat. positioned an previous tshirt with it so its fragrance gets on it and then share this with the present cat. shop them SEPARATE for no less than some days. and because you screwed this up from the commencing up - i could bypass an entire week. you have already have been given the present cat on the protecting by using "intruder". in basic terms whilst the two animals are comfortable and look curious what lies previous the door THEN enable them to fulfill eachother. I do wish you have gotten this kitten appeared at by potential of a vet including viral finding out for the two FIV and tom cat Leukemia. If no longer - and you have allowed them to have interplay - with hissing at eachother or eating out of the comparable bowls - then if this kitten is contaminated with the two sickness your cat might already have it besides. Your husband "dealt with rescues" earlier and yet you adult adult males nevertheless don't have a clue what to do and shove a cat in a crate for "day out"? Geezus.

Answer 7

My cats do the same thing.. chase each other, hiss, and smell each others hineys. They are just having fun, playing with each other, and most likely they dont hate each other. Thats how cats play.. roll around and hiss, hold each other down, nibble on each other. I wouldnt worry to much about them, they are just playing.. but if you hear loud shrieks of pain and see blood, they you know they were really fighting.. I have 3 cats, a 8 year old male grey tabby with brown eyes,
a 5 month old male (not sure of his breed)but he is pure white, with blue eyes, with real faint tan mask on his face, his tail has tan marks on it also . Then the other day my husband caught one of the neighbor hood strays and brought him home. He is about 5-6 months old, and jet black with 2 small white marks on his chest and belly and gold eyes.

Answer 8

You dont have to declaw to even the playing field: just trim new kittys nails. Dont maim your cat, please. see
http://www.declawhallofshame.com/wst_page5.html

also, This is invaluable info: borrowed from the HSUS. I post it here since “incompatibility” is one of the main reasons of return of adopted pets to our pound. Please read, it works wonderfully!

“Wouldn't it be nice if all it took to introduce a new cat to your resident pet were a brief handshake and a couple of "HELLO, My Name Is “Fluffy”? Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple, which means you'll need to have some realistic expectations from the outset. What are realistic expectations? First, it's recognizing and accepting that your pets may never be best buddies but will usually come to at least tolerate each other. Second, it's understanding the need to move slowly during the introduction process to increase your chances for success.
Of course, some cats are more social than other cats. For example, an eight-year-old cat who has never been around other animals may never learn to share her territory (and her people) with other pets in the household. But an eight-week-old kitten separated from her mom and littermates for the first time might be glad to have a cat or dog companion.

Cats are territorial, and they need to be introduced to other animals very slowly so they can get used to each other before a face-to-face confrontation. Slow introductions help prevent fearful and aggressive problems from developing. Here are some guidelines to help make the introductions go smoothly:

Confinement

Confine your new cat to one medium-sized room with her litter box, food, water, and a bed. Feed your resident pets and the newcomer on each side of the door to this room, so that they associate something enjoyable (eating!) with each other's smells. Don't put the food so close to the door that the animals are too upset by each other's presence to eat. Gradually move the dishes closer to the door until your pets can eat calmly while standing directly on either side of the door.

The Old Switcheroo

Swap the sleeping blankets or beds used by the cats so they each have a chance to become accustomed to the other's scent. You can even rub a towel on one animal and put it underneath the food dish of another animal. If there are more than two animals in the house, do the same for each animal.

Once your new cat is using her litter box and eating regularly while confined, let her have free time in the house while confining your other animals to the new cat's room. This switch provides another way for the animals to experience each other's scents without a face-to-face meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with her new surroundings without being frightened by the other animals.

Next, after the animals have been returned to their original designated parts of the house, use two doorstops to prop open the dividing door just enough to allow the animals to see each other, and repeat the whole process over a period of days—supervised, of course.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Avoid any interactions between your pets that result in either fearful or aggressive behavior. If these responses are allowed to become a habit, they can be difficult to change. It's better to introduce your pets to each other so gradually that neither animal becomes afraid or aggressive. You can expect a mild protest from either cat from time to time, but don't allow these behaviors to intensify. If either animal becomes fearful or aggressive, separate them, and start the introduction process once again with a series of very small, gradual steps.

You'll also want to have at least one litter box per cat, and you'll probably need to clean all of the litter boxes more frequently. Make sure that none of the cats is being "ambushed" by another while trying to use the litter box, and be sure each cat has a safe hiding place.

Try to keep your resident pets' schedule close to what it was before the newcomer's arrival. Cats can make a lot of noise, pull each other's hair, and roll around quite dramatically without any injuries. If small spats do occur between your cats, you shouldn't attempt to intervene directly to separate the cats. Instead, make a loud noise, throw a pillow, or use a squirt bottle with water and vinegar to separate the cats. Give them a chance to calm down before re-introducing them to each other.- gratefully reprinted from the HSUS.

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/cat_behavior_tip_sheets/introducing_pets_to_a_new_cat.html

Answer 9

my cats keep me up at night becuase they are always running around down stairs bitting each other...
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Answer 10

I DON'T HAVE A CAT BUT I HAVE A DOG!!!