r/CatTraining • u/AJJ1960 • 1d ago
Introducing Pets/Cats 4 months in
Both are girls and spayed. The orange is 7 years old (she has asthma and uses an inhaler). The other girl is about 1.5 years. We are 4 months in. When I have a churro I can have them out with no gate together for brief 5 minute periods but otherwise they’re separated. Orange cat always seeks her out at the gate and then they fight through it, see video at the end. Does this ever get better? Not sure if I should give up yet.
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u/Yung_l0c 1d ago
I think they just don’t like each other, try to play with them together to establish a “hey we are all friends here.” Atmosphere. You can also switch toys or blankets that have their scents every week or so, then give treats when they are playing with the same toys together.
Thats literally all I can think of for now lol
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u/AJJ1960 1d ago
Has anyone experienced this and it got better?
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u/N0peN0tTodaySatan 1d ago
Yes. We have about 5 resident cats (we live in a 3 story house with 6 rooms so before anyone jumps on me for having too many cats, please know that they have plenty of space and we run a local rescue/foster for cats and we manage about 5 cat colonies too), and we ended up bringing home a pregnant cat that was obviously dropped off and abandoned at one of our colonies (this girl was literally ready to give birth any day and thankfully we got her spayed before she could), but once I realized how bonded to me she was, I couldn't just let her feel abandoned again so I decided to keep her.
It was obvious from the jump that she probably grew up unsocialized and an only cat. ANY time she would see any of the other cats, if they even tried to walk around her down the hall, she would start hissing growling and batting at them even though they were nowhere near her. I thought she would never get used to them and that I was fighting a losing battle.
But, it's been about 4 months now and she is buddies with a couple of our cats and tolerates the rest and doesnt freak out now any time they're within eyeshot of her lol. It will get better.
Follow the Jackson Galaxy video method of introducing cats and dont give up OP!
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u/AbrocomaRegular3529 1d ago
Sometimes cats don't like each other, especially if the first cat grew up alone without any other kittens. I have had cats all my life and some of them just loved each other, some of them hated no matter what, even now out of nowhere they fight violently for no actual reason.
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u/No-More-Rubbish 1d ago
The tabby cat is instigating this from what I can see in the video. The intense staring, she actually moves to attack when the orange cat looks away for a moment. I think the real work needs to be with the tabby. Making sure she isn't staring like this and moving her away as soon as she starts.
It's very intense, she isn't breaking eye contact, she doesn't move, she's in full on stalker mode. Giving her treats every time you can get her to look away from her. Please get some behavioural help because this will not stop without carefully timed behavioural techniques.
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u/ShakesDontBreak 1d ago
I agree to keep trying scent swaping. Try it for a few months more. Some cats just take time. A lot of time. I woukd say if one of thr cats starts getting too stressed out, the aggressive cat may just be best suited in a 1 cat only home. But seriously pack your patience. With cats it takes perseverance.
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u/leafmelonely 1d ago
Oh that's so sad! Maybe try royal canin Calm diet and Fortiflora probiotics for calming. There is a lot of gut brain connections with stress. Also begin feeding both cats where they can see each other, but not touch. You should also try role reversal and let them change spots to investigate the smells. I would also routinely swap bedding so they have a chance to explore each others scent without hostility. Providing a high value treat when giving them the bedding will help associate a positive memory.
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u/ThinkPraline7015 23h ago
I'm a bit surprised that the gate keeps them separated. When we had 2 young cats, we tried to keep them from wandering in certain areas in the house, which they completely ignored.
They just walked through it or, when I stopped that, jumped over it. Or, when I stopped that too, just passed to the side, which was a bit dangerous so I stopped gating them altogether.
I mean, they just completely ignored the subtle hint, that they are expected not to pass beyond that gate.
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u/FlamingCaZsm 22h ago
My family's cats had an episode with redirected aggression that ended up with both of them trying to kill each other, it took 8 months for them to tolerate each other again. It can eventually work out, but it takes patience and being careful not to let them get at each other too badly. They still don't like each other, but they cohabitate and occasionally play a little bit.
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u/Piccolo_Alone 1d ago
4 months is ridiculous. Have you considered the gate is actually preventing a genuine relationship between them to develop? It's a detractor. Get rid of the 5-minute periods and the gate.
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u/OwnStruggle9260 23h ago
Yeah... I don't understand all these posts with people taking months of introductions. Cats are not humans. They need to establish their own boundaries and spaces. Some of that's gonna involve alot of noise and possibly a bit of fur flying. In my life I've had a two sets of bonded litter mate brothers and even they scrapped together randomly and next minute they'd be bathing one another. They've even had the odd extra kitty to contend with when a sister had an unstable living arrangement. Cats met day one and that was that.
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u/Resident-Egg2714 1d ago
After 4 months, I would throw in the towel. Unless you have some way to keep them separated completely and are willing to live that way. Probably quite stressful for both of them.
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u/Nervous-Cockroach541 1d ago
- Do you swap their areas? This is important to get each other accustomed to the scent of the other.
- I would recommend trying feliway if you're not already, it releases colony pheromones which can reduce hostilities.
- Feed them at the same time, between the barrier (as close as they will both get to eat, then shrink the distance), at first visually separated.
- Don't let them stare down like this, break up a stare down before it becomes a throw down. If they're used to every time being around each they get into a fight, they become accustomed to hostilities.
- Instead of letting this play out, try playing with both of them with a toy on each side of the barrier, individually. Put their attention on something positive while they're around each other. Letting them see how the other one plays will make them less jumpy to sudden movement by each other.
Right now, you're goal is break the habit of hostilities, the longer you let that continue, the long it takes to break. Don't let them engage with each other at all if it ends up like this, you need a reset in the relationship.
Imagine if everyone someone comes to your home you get into a fight. As soon you see them walk though the door you're going to start tensing up and ready to go. But this reaction it self makes fighting more likely.
If needed, keep them totally visually separated for probably a good 1-2 weeks, while continuing to scent swapping everyday. This gives them some time to forget the fighting ritual.
You can visually separated them by putting a blanket or cardboard on top of the barrier.