Cat is very mean to other cats for no reason. (NO BS ANSWERS, JUST KNOWLEDGABLE ONES PLEASE)?

Question

I have a black cat who is about 2 years old. Recently, we've had a very stressful time, and have had to move homes. We've been here for a month now, and things are just now starting to get bad. She's attacking my mother's cat for no reason whatsoever. He will be sitting there, minding his own business, and she will suddenly run at him SCREAMING and attack him.

She was treated very badly as a kitten by my ex boyfriend (he would beat her hard just for knocking over his toy collections), but since I got rid of him almost three years ago, she has been shown nothing but love and care.

I would understand her behavior if she was being mistreated, but she has free roam of the house, she's fed well, there's always fresh water, her litter is kept clean, and she has plenty of windows to look out of. Another thing that confuses me is, she doesn't act this way towards my other cat!

What can I do to get her to stop this behavior? I worry the only solution is to drug her, but I'd hate to do it!

Sorry, mistake. She's about 3, actually, now that I think about it. :)

She has been spayed. She spent the first 6 to 8 months of her life as an only cat, then went into a house with two other cats.

The house I'm in now has a dog and my mom's cat (the poor victim of my black cat's anger!). Since she was about 6 to 8 months, she's always had other cats in the house.

What bothers me is that this has NEVER happened like this before. Sure, she played, and when there was another female cat in our old house, they would fight if allowed near each other (the other female cat would provoke my cat, though).

Right now I have the mean cat separated from the others in her own bedroom, and I will be calling the vet.

I just worry that I might have to give her up. This needs to be solved soon, though, as I have to move one more time. I can't have this problem in the next house we're in, or my dad WILL get rid of her.

And yes, I DID get rid of the boyfriend. It took him turning his abuse on me, but I got rid of him.

Answer 1

A move is a big change for a cat. Tons of new smells to deal with. He is probably stressed and taking his frustrations on what he feels the weaker of the cats are.

I would try to keep things normal as possible giving him treats and pampering him (couse not ignoring the other cats) If need be try seperating them until they get more acustomed to their new home.

I don't recommend drugs, most just mask the real problem...but a talk with a vet could be insightful perhaps suggesting something not thought of here.

Answer 2

Sometimes cats just don't get along. It sounds like she is suffering from a combination of previous abuse, plus the stress of moving and getting to know an unfamiliar cat to boot.

What I would do is keep them separated, and re-introduce them to each other just the way you would if you were bringing a new kitten into the household. Keep your cat in a separate room, bringing her out gradually to get her used to the other cat. This technique works best when you have two people, one holding each cat, stroking it, giving it treats. They will soon begin to associate the sight of each other with love, scratches, and treats, and this is what you want. If your other cat gets along really well with the black one, try having them both separated for a while, maybe to curl up together and have a nap, de-stress each other.

Also, if you want to consult a vet, there are medications you can get for your cat, but I would consider these to be a last resort, as just because of the cost, and the difficulty in medicating a cat. It sounds to me like this is just a very stressed out cat, and time and a little bit of love and attention can solve your problem.

One more thing: Is the cat spayed? Cats are territorial, and tend to fight more when they have not been spayed or neutered. Consult your local vet, or if money is a problem, check with your local animal shelter. A lot of shelters can offer discounts on spays/neuters if money is tight.

Answer 3

Hi... the cats are both adults, and they don't know each other. If you notice, most wild cats -- except lions -- are loners, and don't live with other cats.

I'd say that your cat is disgusted about your mom's cat in general, and probably doesn't know why it's there or what to think of the situation. And perhaps it's claiming some territory for its own, or wanting to be "boss"?

But, give it time, and perhaps she will stop... as long as it's not hurting your mom's cat, then it should not be a problem. If your mom's cat gets sick and tired of your cat's behavior, it will put you cat in its place (and maybe it already has, when you weren't around?).

I had a cat once, and she didn't like other cats at all. I had a few other cats at the same time, and she tolerated them, but if they got too close, she'd hiss at them. She was just grumpy about things, but never harmed my other cats.. just let them know she was Queen!

TAKE CARE!

Answer 4

Short answer: Stress of the move, territory and, depending on how many other cats your cat has been around, simply not being used to sharing an environment with another 4-legged feline (goes back to territory.)

To ease the suffering, give her a separate place to eat, separate litter box, a separate place to herself, and try to work out with your mom keeping her cat out of that separate place. If she (your cat) has a separate place that she can distinctly call her "own" territory, it will help. May not solve everything, but drugging a cat at this stage in the game is definitely not the answer, unless she's acting that way toward everyone and everything, urinating everywhere, etc.

Answer 5

First, Distemper isn't the reason at the back of a metamorphosis of character. this is a ailment it quite is prevented by potential of photos. I even have been a foster abode for as much as 19 cats, and that all of them have seperate personalities. some have been by no potential any hassle, yet some continually led to problems with the others. The "subject" cat could take transport of quite some area to get faraway from the others, yet while they do combat, a squirt gun will many times distract them long adequate to offer up the battling. besides the actuality that animals do not kill for "exhilaration", they are able to kill or critically injure others even via in-battling like this in the event that they reason an abscess or do adequate harm. you may not continually locate the place a cat has been attacked, so which you will possibly be able to desire to computer screen them heavily after any attack to make beneficial no person certainly did get harm. stable success!

Answer 6

I hope you got rid of your boyfriend as soon as this happened the first time.Your cat may just be territorial. Since your mothers is a male, she wants to show she is boss. Did she grow up with your other cat? She is already used to it.You may have to find yourself another home. Don't drug your cat.We had one cat like this and he really hurt the other cat. He injured it real bad twice. I found another home for him where he could be an only pet. I hated to loose him but he was happier and my other cat was safe.

Answer 7

Moving can be very stressful to cats. it can take 2-3 months sometimes for them to get used to new animals. Good idea to call the vet. Sometimes medication is the answer. It doesn't have to be permanent. Just till they get over the stress.

Answer 8

I think that your cat thinks that she is being replaced, and so thats why she is mad.. Maybe she doesnt understand what is going on. Show her extra love and everything. I have a 3 year cat and I adopted a kitten who needed a lot of TLC. My cat got very jealous and eventually just wouldnt come around me anymore. So i had to take the kitten back because I knew that it upset Dakota. Just show your cat that she isnt being replaced and that you love her.

Answer 9

The cat is two years old, was beaten as a kitten by your boyfriend who you got rid of three years ago? She is apparently suffering from side effects related to her time traveling. Keep her in one time period for a few days and that should straighten her out....

Answer 10

I think this is a common problem. Talk to you vet. He or she may have the solution.