I am having huge issues with my newest addition Nuku. I had got her to keep my other cat Baby company after Homer passed on. Nuku is constantly attacking Baby, and it seems to be getting worse. It's getting to the point where Baby won't even come upstairs as Nuku is sitting at the top, guarding the stairwell. It seems to be purely a dominance issue as sometimes Nuku wont attack and just sit and stare Baby down. Should I lock Nuku up during the day, or should I take her to a new home for a couple of weeks and re-introduce them? Nuku is just over one year, and Baby is almost 12. I dont want to even think about finding a new home for Nuku, but I have to protect my Baby girl. I will try ANYTHING.
The picture is of Nuku and Baby on an extremely rare occasion.
Full Version: Feline Behavior Issues
Just curious. What are the *** of your cats? If one is male & the other is female, it could be an issue of territory.
They are both female. I have had a bit of luck with Feliway diffusers and flower essences. I am also trying some things Ive seen on the internet, like showing my dominance over her, which seems to help too. I just wanted to see if anyone has dealt with this before.
Leighann,
Although I've never had to deal with this before, I was just talking to a woman who now has 5 cats, some of whom had problems with the newer additions. She said it took about a year, but they finally have all worked out their newer pecking order, though one cat will still infrequently take a small swat at one other one...but no big deal. I also have heard and seen that this intolerance is often worse when the new one is so much younger...sort of like a middle-aged new parent might not be as tolerant of toddler behaviour as they once were, ya know? Even our 2 used to hiss and spit at kittens, when they themselves were only a couple of years old!
If it were me, I'd keep doing what you're doing, and keep trying different flower essences...glad you're open to these, as they can really work wonders....make sure you're giving ALL of you Walnut in the mix, for 'change'. You might also try to find an animal behaviorist, as their insight and training can be invaluable. And if they aren't BOTH fixed, this can cause extra problems, too, especially since female cats are normally more territorial than males. You COULD try keeping Nuku away from Baby for awhile longer when you're not home to supervise, as this also sometimes works, from what I've been told by my no-kill shelter friend. Usually any of the cats she needs to introduce into the household will end up getting along after a few weeks, even if she doesn't do anything in particular. But it's worth giving them as many aids as possible, so as not to prolong the problems. You might even try sitting down and really visualizing them both getting along and acting loving towards each other, as cats readily pick up on such mental images and the feelings that you project during such visualizations (so really imagine how YOU'D be feeling to see them content with each other!). And some really boisterous playtime for Nuku, with you, might help tucker her out so she'll be less inclined to pester Baby...as long as you're also teaching her how to play gently at the same time. Maybe also try googling this problem (or just something like "cat behavioural problems" or "cat introductions") on the 'net and see what articles come up?
Best of luck and I hope you can find something that works...but remember, patience is a virtue, so apply that wise feline hunting att*itude towards this!
I'm sure you can succeed if you just keep at it and try to be creative, ie. think like a cat.
Although I've never had to deal with this before, I was just talking to a woman who now has 5 cats, some of whom had problems with the newer additions. She said it took about a year, but they finally have all worked out their newer pecking order, though one cat will still infrequently take a small swat at one other one...but no big deal. I also have heard and seen that this intolerance is often worse when the new one is so much younger...sort of like a middle-aged new parent might not be as tolerant of toddler behaviour as they once were, ya know? Even our 2 used to hiss and spit at kittens, when they themselves were only a couple of years old!
If it were me, I'd keep doing what you're doing, and keep trying different flower essences...glad you're open to these, as they can really work wonders....make sure you're giving ALL of you Walnut in the mix, for 'change'. You might also try to find an animal behaviorist, as their insight and training can be invaluable. And if they aren't BOTH fixed, this can cause extra problems, too, especially since female cats are normally more territorial than males. You COULD try keeping Nuku away from Baby for awhile longer when you're not home to supervise, as this also sometimes works, from what I've been told by my no-kill shelter friend. Usually any of the cats she needs to introduce into the household will end up getting along after a few weeks, even if she doesn't do anything in particular. But it's worth giving them as many aids as possible, so as not to prolong the problems. You might even try sitting down and really visualizing them both getting along and acting loving towards each other, as cats readily pick up on such mental images and the feelings that you project during such visualizations (so really imagine how YOU'D be feeling to see them content with each other!). And some really boisterous playtime for Nuku, with you, might help tucker her out so she'll be less inclined to pester Baby...as long as you're also teaching her how to play gently at the same time. Maybe also try googling this problem (or just something like "cat behavioural problems" or "cat introductions") on the 'net and see what articles come up?
Best of luck and I hope you can find something that works...but remember, patience is a virtue, so apply that wise feline hunting att*itude towards this!
I'm sure you can succeed if you just keep at it and try to be creative, ie. think like a cat.
We had a lot of difficulty when we took our latest adoption Princess into our home. She was used to being the only cat and was very spoiled and aggressive towards the other cats here. We kept her in a separate room for 4 months, only letting her out when she was supervised.
We did two things that helped her acclimate to the others. When she began hissing or growling at the others we would tell her firmly 'no'. If she continued, we would grab her and put her up in her room and close the door for several hours. She learned that she would only be out if she would get along with the other guys.
We used a product called Feliway in her room and throughout the house. It is a calming hormone that really has an effect on her. We had a plugin for slowly dispensing the hormone in her room and we would spot spray the Feliway in the places she hung out when she was in the rest of the house. It calmed her considerably. I would highly recommend this product. We use it with several of the semi-feral cats we are trying to find homes for and it has calmed them while in their cages and people are checking them out. One little girl who would attack and claw anyone who got near her has completely changed since we started using the Feliway. She now wants to be petted and rubs against the people. It's only a matter of time now before someone adopts her where before there was no chance that anyone would want her.
I hope this information helps you to change her behavior.
Here is Princess today. What a difference!
Ken Albin
We did two things that helped her acclimate to the others. When she began hissing or growling at the others we would tell her firmly 'no'. If she continued, we would grab her and put her up in her room and close the door for several hours. She learned that she would only be out if she would get along with the other guys.
We used a product called Feliway in her room and throughout the house. It is a calming hormone that really has an effect on her. We had a plugin for slowly dispensing the hormone in her room and we would spot spray the Feliway in the places she hung out when she was in the rest of the house. It calmed her considerably. I would highly recommend this product. We use it with several of the semi-feral cats we are trying to find homes for and it has calmed them while in their cages and people are checking them out. One little girl who would attack and claw anyone who got near her has completely changed since we started using the Feliway. She now wants to be petted and rubs against the people. It's only a matter of time now before someone adopts her where before there was no chance that anyone would want her.
I hope this information helps you to change her behavior.
Here is Princess today. What a difference!
Ken Albin
So it has been a couple of months, and I haven't gotten anywhere. I have tried everything I know to try. I am using Feliway, I have tried locking Nuku away to reintroduce them, and it almost seems to make it worse when she is let out. I have tried clicker training, I have tried rewarding her when she doesn't attack, I use flower essences for both cats, I have tried to stock Nuku up with her favorite toys so she is distracted. Im not sure what more I can do. I hate that Baby is not comfortable walking around the house because she may be attacked. The only thing I havent tried is to find Nuku a playmate closer to her own age, but that is a tough call, because it's possible to make the situation worse getting another kitty.
Arrgh! What to do??? I love Nuku so much, and have had her now for over a year, but Baby needs this resolved.
Any thoughts??
Arrgh! What to do??? I love Nuku so much, and have had her now for over a year, but Baby needs this resolved.
Any thoughts??
Part of the problem may be linked to the fact that they're both females. According to my shelter friend, she claims that females are the ones most likely to be territorial and aggressive about it (and Nissa even bore this out, w/i her house especially). Having said that, though, it doesn't help solve your problem. I'm not sure if getting a fixed male cat might help or not, as I'm thinking that may make Baby even MORE upset, when the first problem hasn't been ironed out yet....but one never knows....stranger things have happened! I'm also assuming Nuku's been vet-checked as well, with nothing found.
Here's one article I found which may help provide more ways to get around this....although of course I'd never agree with the use of drugs (mentioned at the end), but following this is a product I found which is NOT chemical, but natural, which may be of some use. But if you're already using any homeopathics for Nuku, you'd have to check with a homeo. vet first before adding it to other remedies.
cat aggression
PetAlive Aggression Formula
And of course, there's always the option of checking in with a communicator (maybe Lynn?) to try and find out what the exact emotional problems might be, and how to address them, with some counselling or negotiation given for Nuku at the same time.
Poor ALL of you, having to go through all of this! I wish I had more answers for you!
Here's one article I found which may help provide more ways to get around this....although of course I'd never agree with the use of drugs (mentioned at the end), but following this is a product I found which is NOT chemical, but natural, which may be of some use. But if you're already using any homeopathics for Nuku, you'd have to check with a homeo. vet first before adding it to other remedies.
cat aggression
PetAlive Aggression Formula
And of course, there's always the option of checking in with a communicator (maybe Lynn?) to try and find out what the exact emotional problems might be, and how to address them, with some counselling or negotiation given for Nuku at the same time.
Poor ALL of you, having to go through all of this! I wish I had more answers for you!
Furkidlet's mom,
Thanks for the reply, I never intended on getting two females, but the adoption people messed up, and by the time I realized she was a she, I had already fallen in love, even though they said I could come in and 'exchange' her. Do you have a homeopathic vet you recommend, my vet doesn't have any recommendations, and I know you're around my area. I looked on the internet, but my emails wont go through for some reason.
I have had Nuku's bloodwork done, and she is very healthy. I don't want to even look at drugs, I will go with herbs or different essences, but would rather find her a home before keeping her drugged up all the time.
Thanks for the reply, I never intended on getting two females, but the adoption people messed up, and by the time I realized she was a she, I had already fallen in love, even though they said I could come in and 'exchange' her. Do you have a homeopathic vet you recommend, my vet doesn't have any recommendations, and I know you're around my area. I looked on the internet, but my emails wont go through for some reason.
I have had Nuku's bloodwork done, and she is very healthy. I don't want to even look at drugs, I will go with herbs or different essences, but would rather find her a home before keeping her drugged up all the time.
Celebrating a small victory...
Shortly after this picture was taken, things went back to normal (Nuku chased Baby down the stairs) I'm hoping these moments will start to happen more often. I actually moved Nuku onto baby, just to see if they'd stay together, and Baby actually started grooming Nuku! They stayed like this for a good 10-15 minutes. I'm hoping they will start to see that they like these moments more than the bad ones.
Shortly after this picture was taken, things went back to normal (Nuku chased Baby down the stairs) I'm hoping these moments will start to happen more often. I actually moved Nuku onto baby, just to see if they'd stay together, and Baby actually started grooming Nuku! They stayed like this for a good 10-15 minutes. I'm hoping they will start to see that they like these moments more than the bad ones.
A good start! Maybe that's one of the times you might try giving each of them a fav*ourite treat, to reinforce that time spent together, playing nice-nice, is a 'rewarding' time?! They look so copacetic here, you'd never know they'd not gotten along! 
So I just wanted to give an update on the situation. Things are 90% better. I hate punishing Nuku, but have put a lot of time & energy in fixing this problem, and things have paid off.
I have put quite a few different elements into fixing this, and want to share, just in case anyone has this problem.
I locked Nuku away every time she was bad, for at least 4 hours. This seemed like it was a good amount of time for both Baby and Nuku, and it stopped the bedtime attacks.
I realized that it wasn't all Nuku's fault. I discovered that sometimes Baby would act like she was being chased or attacked, just so Nuku would be punished.
Nuku seems to behave more when she is not wearing her collar. I only had her wearing a bell collar to warn Baby, but Nuku did attack more.
I am constantly pulling toys from under the couch or under doors so Nuku is never without. I have taken away her 'rough house' toys like stuffed cats & dogs. I have stopped playing rough with Nuku.
I wear Nuku out before bedtime.
I have clicker trained Nuku. I didn't want to carry treats with me at all times, but having a clicker is great, I can instantly tell her she's good.
If both cats are near, I touch them both at the same time, this way Nuku can't get jealous. Or if Baby is in reach, and Nuku is not & watching, I will pet Baby, but talk to Nuku.
I still use the Feliway, but have stopped the flower essences, as it seemed to give Nuku a bit of the runs.
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions as well! It is very appreciated!
BTW: FK's mom, do you know anyone who used that Pet Aggression Formula?? I ordered it on March 13, and haven't received it - and they won't reply to me.
I have put quite a few different elements into fixing this, and want to share, just in case anyone has this problem.
I locked Nuku away every time she was bad, for at least 4 hours. This seemed like it was a good amount of time for both Baby and Nuku, and it stopped the bedtime attacks.
I realized that it wasn't all Nuku's fault. I discovered that sometimes Baby would act like she was being chased or attacked, just so Nuku would be punished.
Nuku seems to behave more when she is not wearing her collar. I only had her wearing a bell collar to warn Baby, but Nuku did attack more.
I am constantly pulling toys from under the couch or under doors so Nuku is never without. I have taken away her 'rough house' toys like stuffed cats & dogs. I have stopped playing rough with Nuku.
I wear Nuku out before bedtime.
I have clicker trained Nuku. I didn't want to carry treats with me at all times, but having a clicker is great, I can instantly tell her she's good.
If both cats are near, I touch them both at the same time, this way Nuku can't get jealous. Or if Baby is in reach, and Nuku is not & watching, I will pet Baby, but talk to Nuku.
I still use the Feliway, but have stopped the flower essences, as it seemed to give Nuku a bit of the runs.
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions as well! It is very appreciated!
BTW: FK's mom, do you know anyone who used that Pet Aggression Formula?? I ordered it on March 13, and haven't received it - and they won't reply to me.
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