Tried everything.

Home › The Daily Kitten Cat Chat Forum › General Chat › Tried everything.

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • 18 July, 2010 at 8:16 pm #38822
    SySteve
    Participant

    About a month or so ago, I brought a new kitten into our home named Sam. Since then it has been a roller coaster of excitement to say the least. However, since the beginning, I just cannot get my former cats to accept this kitten. One of them is usually sleeping in a room that nobody can get to, while the other is the dominant one by far amongst the house. The dominant one is the one I am struggling with.

    The first moment Sam was brought in, Cletus [the dominant one] refused to have any part with him, growling and hissing at the kitten. I expected this to happen, had plenty of help from both this forum and various other pages. Sam has his own room, own litter box, his own food and water so there is no intrusion going on. As well, the cats both have a separate rooms that they cannot get into.

    I started from scratch, having the two sniff under doors, putting both into a crate and let them sniff around, rubbed each with a towel and got them used to each others scents, and nothing is working. Just last night, apparently Cletus ripped up a large portion of the carpet trying to get into the room, so I allowed him to come in today. Sam is naturally friendly, one of the most friendly cats I have ever seen before. He was trying to get close to Cletus and all Cletus did was growl, and hiss, and eat all Sam’s food, while growling still.

    Well after he finished with that, he tried to fight with Sam. I broke it up and took Cletus out, and he was rubbing his face on me and growling at the door. Then he laid on his side and I was rubbing him, and then suddenly he clawed me and bit me, and then I got mad and yelled because of the pain and he ran off.

    I have tried everything and had just about all I can take of this hostile stuff. Everything keeps saying to have patience, give it time, do this and that, and I have done all of that for over a month. Not only if there no improvement, matters keep getting worse. Then I restart the process of isolation for several days, the scent exchange, introducing, and yeah. If anyone can please enlighten me on something I can do, I am all ears. I have checked everywhere and keep getting the same answers, and those answers have been tried several times over.

    18 July, 2010 at 8:24 pm #576539
    paulajeanne
    Participant

    Have you tried the Feliway? It is supposed to calm cats down in stressful situations. I think it is available at petsmart.

    18 July, 2010 at 8:28 pm #576540
    SySteve
    Participant

    I have not tried that. I will certainly look into it though. Anything that can give just a chance for them to not see the other as a threat is worth it for me.

    18 July, 2010 at 8:31 pm #576541
    paulajeanne
    Participant

    Good luck, I think it is worth a try. Other folks on here have tried it and it helped. There are other similar products, as well as some homeopathic ones out there, but this is the only one whose name I know.

    18 July, 2010 at 8:52 pm #576542
    SySteve
    Participant

    I think after work tomorrow I will swing by the pet store and grab one. It seems to get very good reviews. I just don’t know what else to try. Thank you for the help, I hope it works! 🙂

    18 July, 2010 at 9:04 pm #576543
    feral
    Participant

    I strongly suggest a Feliway diffuser. Be forewarned that they aren’t the cheapest product on the market that’s suppose to calm cats but, it works great. You’ll want to give it a couple days before it starts to take effect. If you can afford it, 2 are even better. More of it distributed that way. Have you also tried the calming liquid that you put into the cats water dish? That might help along w/the diffuser.

    Best of luck to you Systeve.

    18 July, 2010 at 9:06 pm #576544
    kittymom
    Participant

    Do try the Feliway, and give it some time to work ~ it won’t happen overnight. After the encounter with Sam, Cletus was still ‘overstimulated’ ~ that’s why he bit you & clawed right after the encounter with Sam. Next time, just ignore him after they have another ‘meet and greet’, no matter how it goes. Give him a bit of time to relax after the encounter, then some affection. Hang in there, it will all work out… It’s good that Sam is friendly and doesn’t want to be the ‘dominant one”. {Hugs} for all of you 😉

    18 July, 2010 at 9:25 pm #576545
    AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew
    Participant

    If the Feliway doesn’t work, try using Rescue Remedy for pets (not humans because it contains alcohol) four drops either in the drinking water or in the food daily works and is a bit less expensive than Feliway. If you want to order the RR, Amazon usually has it for a decent price and for the Feliway, the cheapest I have found is with Valleyvet.com for both the diffuser and the refills. Good luck with the intro’s again {{{hugs}}.

    http://www.petplace.com/cats/inter-cat-aggression/page1.aspx

    18 July, 2010 at 10:22 pm #576546
    SySteve
    Participant

    Thank you everyone! From all the pricing I looked at online, you’re right, it is not cheap. However, I am desperate. My cats mean the world to me. In fact, Cletus has now and always been my favorite pet in my entire life. He’s getting up there too, around nine or ten now. Since his older brother passed away a few months ago [which was heart breaking by the way] he has been very under-stimulated. He does a lot of sleeping, more eating, less playful, etc. and when Sam first entered my life and chose me, I was so happy to finally get the chance to give a friend for Cletus again.

    So you can see why I am so distraught. The previous cat, when Cletus came into the family, he bit on him on the back of the neck and they were friends all their life.

    Since this Feliway seems to be getting such good reviews, I am hoping I can have the same luck. There is nothing I want more than for everyone to be happy. This could also help me with Barney as well, who truth be told is afraid of his shadow, but an absolute sweet cat. Barney is even worse when it comes to Sam, but I think because he is scared. I been careful with him since we almost lost him due to blocking, and yeah. So this Feliway should help tons!

    Thank you so much everyone, from both me and Sam! 🙂

    18 July, 2010 at 10:39 pm #576547
    CSBM
    Participant

    you can also buy a “Sentry HC good behavior pheromone collar” calming collar. i’ve never tried it before, but i have a kitten that was feral 3 weeks ago. she is very shy, but her brother is bold, curious, playful and loving. they love each other, and he loves me, but she does not love me yet.

    btw, the collar costs about $20, and i assume can be found in any pet store…

    18 July, 2010 at 11:12 pm #576548
    kittymom
    Participant

    Systeve, please keep us updated on how Sam, Cletus and Barney are doing; you should have better luck getting Barney and Sam to be furrends…. Maybe if Barney & Sam begin to bond, Cletus will just ‘join the party’… give the Feliway a chance for all of them.

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.