Calling all cat experts! Need help with integrating a new cat

[GottaGetToDisney!]

This situation is majorly stressing me out!

A few months ago we found a stray cat in our neighborhood - a male, gray-striped tiger who is blind in one eye. He was instantly so friendly & sweet it seemed as if somebody must have once owned him. Another neighbor mentioned seeing a car drive by and dumping the kitty off. So, we named him Stevie, started feeding him and visiting him daily and, eventually, I convinced my husband that we had to adopt him.

The problem: we already have another male cat, Joe. We kept Stevie confined to his own room for the first 2 weeks and for the past week or so we've been letting him out to mingle with the other cats for short periods of time. I knew he wouldn't be liked at first. We have integrated other cats before, but they are both females. Joe did completely hate the female cats, but the most he did was hiss at them. With Stevie, Joe gets right up in Stevie's face and makes that horrible "I want to rip you to shreds" noise that cats make right before fighting.

I've been researching online & I'm finding conflicting opinions on this. Some say the cats should be separated immediately, which is what I have been doing. Others say to let the scenario play out because the alpha cat needs to establish his dominance. I am soooo afraid to do that. Joe is 13, declawed, and is missing some teeth. Stevie is 2 & has all of his claws and teeth. Stevie could seriously inflict some damage if he wanted to, but mostly he seems scared when Joe approaches him.

Has anyone else had experience with this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Gotta Get To Disney!

 

[mamacatnv]

I'd play it somewhere in the middle. Since Stevie could potentially hurt Joe I would keep an eye on them. If Stevie seems afraid of Joe then Joe is already showing him who is boss and the snarling may be as bad as it gets. They might even tussle a bit and as long as it doesn't turn into a constant physical brawl I would allow it a few times.

BTW I love your kitty names.

 

[NonScents]

Are both cats neutered?

If one or both is intact, you could be in for a bumpy ride. Please take your new kitty to the vet ASAP for a check up and vaccines.

Here is info from the Humane Society:

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/introducing_new_cat.html

Good luck, and thanks for adopting a stray!

 

[GottaGetToDisney!]

Yes, both males are neutered. In fact, we took Stevie to the vet first to make sure he didn't have feline leukemia & as soon as we found out he was negative we planned to bring him home right away. However, the vet recommended that we neuter Stevie first, as his scent may have made the rest of the cats go nuts. So, we had Stevie neutered before bringing him into the house.

I've been seeing suggestions online about Feliway - something that you plug into the wall and it releases "feel-good" kitty pheromones. It's supposed to help. Anybody else tried it out?

Well, as I was typing this Stevie and Joe just got into it. *sigh*. I waited it out to see what would happen and Joe attacked Stevie (as much as a declawed cat can attack). I don't think he bit Stevie, but he kind of jumped on him and Stevie jumped right back at him. I sprayed Joe with water and he took off running. Maybe (hopefully) now that Joe knows Stevie isn't going to put up with his bullying, Joe will back off a little bit! Arrgghh, I hate this part of bringing home a new cat!!!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I always thought animals just need to be allowed to define who is gong to be dominant and who is gong to be submissive. I don't think it takes long but the fighting is inevitable until pecking order is defined. I do like the squirt gun idea, it works like a charm for making them separate.

YAY for bringing in a stray kitty. My cat is 17 years old, will be 18 in the spring, and has been a squishy joy since we brought him into our home pulled out of a friends drainpipe under a porch with his sister.

Will you declaw this one too? I know many people are against it but it's not really a fair fight if one of the cats is defenseless and the other is fully armed with 5 sharp ends.... just a thought.

 

[RitaE]

it has been awhile since I've had cats but I always found it best to let them hiss and swat for awhile to work it out. As long as ears aren't getting ripped and blood isn't spilling - don't interfere. It usually looks and sounds much worse than it is.

They need to come to an agreement over who is going to be boss cat and they can't do that if you keep separating them.

 

[cirquelovers]

I agree with the post above me. If they aren't drawing blood then let them work it out. My males were actually easier than the girls. The girls still get into it!

We didn't try a plug in but we tried cat calming spray called Pet Ease. It cost almost $20 and the cats hated the smell. It didn't calm them it actually made them angry!

 

[babyrich]

Let them hiss and swat. I have 3 males, one came from a shelter and the other two from the street. I did what you did, kept the new one in his own room for a while and let him out little by little. All three still fight and hiss, no rip your head off kind of fights; but they do jump on each other and bite and scratch. They are cats, just like sibblings, they fight.

I think you should allow your older cat to be the alpha, and you have to let Stevie know that Joe is the alpha male. Joe's food should be put down first and than Stevie. If you give out treats, let Joe get the first one. I'm not saying this will solve the problem but it will show that you believe Joe to be the alpha.

As for that thing you plug into the wall, I have been told it doesnt work. I think what you are describing is natural. As time goes on things will get better. If you are real worried keep them separated when you are not home or get Stevie declawed so it will be a more fair fight.

Good Luck!!!! and Hooray for rescued animals!!!

 

[NonScents]

Feliway does work (plug in and spray) sometimes but not always.
Feline vets and breeders I know do use it with good results.

IME also, they do need to work it out. But segregating them when you are not home to supervise would be a good idea, I think.

 

[si-am]

As others have said, I wouldn't leave them alone unsupervised together until the fighting stops. It sounds like Joe is trying to establish dominance, and he will keep attacking until Steve accepts it. Or longer, just in case.

A certain amount of swatting and scratching is to be expected, for now.

 

[m&m's mom]

We pretty much have the same story as you; one cat, took in another as a stray. Mine are male and female though and after everything we have done the result we live is this crazy rotating schedule so each gets "family time" and "alone time". It's been 2 years so we have given up trying.

 

[si-am]

We pretty much have the same story as you; one cat, took in another as a stray. Mine are male and female though and after everything we have done the result we live is this crazy rotating schedule so each gets "family time" and "alone time". It's been 2 years so we have given up trying.

Yikes! Our two don't really like each other very much, but they tolerate each other, most of the time. They only try to kill each other twice a week or so.

Occasionally they will try to play but it never ends well!

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

We had 1 female cat and brought in a stray (male). Few years later we brought in 2 more (male and female) and another year later we brought in another male.

After 2 surgeries and being removed to her own room away from the other cats, the original cat is now living with me in her own home with no other cats and has been deemed an only kitty.

Sometimes cats just do not get along.

I hope for your sake Joe and Stevie become friends.

 

[GottaGetToDisney!]

Thanks for all of the suggestions & help. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that I should let them work it out on their own, so that is what I'll try. It's not going to be easy, though - I swear I can feel my blood pressure rise every time they're in each others presence!

The good news (for now) is that Joe did NOT attempt to attack Stevie today. He did follow Stevie around and glared at him, but no attacks. Let's keep our fingers crossed that all continues to go well.

Gotta Get To Disney!

 

[si-am]

Thanks for all of the suggestions & help. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that I should let them work it out on their own, so that is what I'll try. It's not going to be easy, though - I swear I can feel my blood pressure rise every time they're in each others presence!

The good news (for now) is that Joe did NOT attempt to attack Stevie today. He did follow Stevie around and glared at him, but no attacks. Let's keep our fingers crossed that all continues to go well.

Gotta Get To Disney!

That is a great sign!

 

[sunnyday123]

I think a lot of it depends on the cat's personality; my male cat is very dominant, as is my 2nd girl. They tolerate each other. They fought a lot until we brought home a kitten, who is his best bud.

I was told to keep them seperated and gradually let them sniff each other through the door, then through something like a baby gate, and feed them at the same time.

It did'nt work with the first two-at all. The third one just waltzed out of the room, brushed under their chins, and went down the stairs. I think they were too baffled to want to be mean.

 

[gator75]

it's funny that you posted this as i was thinking the same thing. we are also currently dealing with this. i tried the whole seperation thing well.. it didn't work they hiss at eachother onn a daily basis and yes it gets pretty intresting some days to say the least,but i look at it this way cats rarely fight to the death so as long as there is no blood shed i will let them duke it out. also make sure that you give your oldest and first cat extra attention so they don't feel pushed aside.