Hello, I'm new here! Here is my situation.
I have a 14 year old female cat, spayed, her name is Gracie. I've had her since she was about 10 months old.
I have a 3 year old male cat, neutered, named Milo. I've had him since he was weaned from mom.
Gracie is an indoor/outdoor cat. Milo is entirely indoor (with monitored time outdoors).
Milo has been tormenting Gracie from the beginning. Chasing her, jumping on her, stalking her, pinning her to the ground, you name it. Gracie is a tough cookie and she growls, hisses, yowls, swats him, and runs when she can.
We have never been able to make these two get along. Very, very rarely, they will be in the same area and not fight. We've spent three years trying everything we can think of.
Gracie's health has started to decline in her old age. She's still a very tough girl and loves being outside and roaming the backyard, even still catches occasional mice. However, anytime she comes in the house, Milo is a constant thorn in her side, and she is constantly on edge, grumpy, and stressed. There is no feasible way to keep them separated all the time with the way our home is set up.
I cannot rehome Gracie because no one will take her. She's too old, and she's very shy with strange people, and doesn't like other cats (as we can tell). She's gotten to a point where she's refusing to use her litter box because Milo will invade it and poop/pee in it. So sometimes she'll poop on the floor, which of course is a problem.
I don't know what to do at this point. Beyond dropping her at a shelter, which seems as good as a death sentence due to her age, which I do not want to do!! My only other idea is to make as comfortable a space on our back porch for her, and keep her outside. Again, I don't want to do this, with winter coming, and she deserves better for her golden years. I've contacted some local no-kill shelters to see if there's room for her. I just don't know what else to do.
Milo is my son's cat, so we can't get rid of him, as that would break my son's heart.
Any advice is appreciated.
I have a 14 year old female cat, spayed, her name is Gracie. I've had her since she was about 10 months old.
I have a 3 year old male cat, neutered, named Milo. I've had him since he was weaned from mom.
Gracie is an indoor/outdoor cat. Milo is entirely indoor (with monitored time outdoors).
Milo has been tormenting Gracie from the beginning. Chasing her, jumping on her, stalking her, pinning her to the ground, you name it. Gracie is a tough cookie and she growls, hisses, yowls, swats him, and runs when she can.
We have never been able to make these two get along. Very, very rarely, they will be in the same area and not fight. We've spent three years trying everything we can think of.
Gracie's health has started to decline in her old age. She's still a very tough girl and loves being outside and roaming the backyard, even still catches occasional mice. However, anytime she comes in the house, Milo is a constant thorn in her side, and she is constantly on edge, grumpy, and stressed. There is no feasible way to keep them separated all the time with the way our home is set up.
I cannot rehome Gracie because no one will take her. She's too old, and she's very shy with strange people, and doesn't like other cats (as we can tell). She's gotten to a point where she's refusing to use her litter box because Milo will invade it and poop/pee in it. So sometimes she'll poop on the floor, which of course is a problem.
I don't know what to do at this point. Beyond dropping her at a shelter, which seems as good as a death sentence due to her age, which I do not want to do!! My only other idea is to make as comfortable a space on our back porch for her, and keep her outside. Again, I don't want to do this, with winter coming, and she deserves better for her golden years. I've contacted some local no-kill shelters to see if there's room for her. I just don't know what else to do.
Milo is my son's cat, so we can't get rid of him, as that would break my son's heart.
Any advice is appreciated.