Advice on integrated feral

[kattakona]

Bit of a long back story to start: I live in a rural area with about an acre that's 'securely' (ha ha) fenced around the house, with my family of 4 adult and 1 kitten indoor-outdoor cats (all spay/neuter of course). The fence always kept out strays until February when a very determined 2 year old tom "Wiley" dug beneath it and took up residence under my house. Many fights with my adult boy cats ensued but this guy would not move on. 2 months ago I had him neutered/vacc/chipped to try to integrate him into the family. He's become extremely affectionate to me, I can pick him up and carrying him around, and he loves being in the house. He really ripped up his feral card. I did all the usual things, he has his own room with a screen door and screened access to the back deck for fresh air, and I let him into the house and yard for a few hours every day. But my two older boy cats still hate and fear him. Every time I've tried to let them out together in the yard they have a huge fight. If I let them in the house together, they glare at each other and if I don't seperate them after awhile they end up fighting. I can't keep being a personal revolving door for the cats this way. I also can't keep Wiley in his room all the time, he cries and bangs on the screen and wants to be with me in the house. (which isn't large). This isn't my first rodeo, I've had decades of experience having a family of cats and introducing a new cat (rarely an adult though). But this time it hasn't been going well and me and all the cats are stressed out. I don't know what, if anything, I can do differently to make this work, or should I give up and try to find him another home (extremely difficult out here). The other problem is he and the kitten have been getting along well and playing together, so if I can't rehome him soon they'll be bonded and that will be another whole issue if I have to rehome him.
Any suggestions?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
It sounds to me as though your best bet will be to handle introductions in the house. Short periods of being together, with separation before the fighting starts, and lengthening these time periods incrementally with your supervision. A calming product or two might help as well.

They may never be able to be outside together, but that can be dealt with later.

I'd consider using vanilla on the adult cats (the idea being to get your two to forget he's the one who was such an issue before the neutering) ;

From valanhb
You put a dab of vanilla extract under the chins, at the base of their neck (by the spine) and at the base of the tail (again, on the spine not the underside of the tail!) of all of the cats to make them smell the same. Cats recognize each other by scent, so if that kitty smells the same as "me", the he must be a friend. Kitty logic at it's finest.
This trick works when introducing cats into the household, and also when one of them has been to the vet and therefore smells different to the others who didn't go.

There might be something here too;

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles

 

[fionasmom]

If I am reading your post correctly, you have had the new boy inside for 2 months. I rescued a young adult in very early June and it has taken until now to have everyone accept him in the house. When I say everyone, I mostly mean my older male cat. We reached a point which you seem to be describing now, where they could be in the same room, but eventually it disintegrated into an ugly situation.....until it did not any longer. As was suggested, I would keep up the together/apart schedule, try the vanilla, try something like Feliway Optimum, and keep at it for a while longer. Will they accept treats when they are in the same room?

 

[DorasCats]

Hi!
It sounds to me as though your best bet will be to handle introductions in the house. Short periods of being together, with separation before the fighting starts, and lengthening these time periods incrementally with your supervision. A calming product or two might help as well.

They may never be able to be outside together, but that can be dealt with later.

I'd consider using vanilla on the adult cats (the idea being to get your two to forget he's the one who was such an issue before the neutering) ;

From valanhb
You put a dab of vanilla extract under the chins, at the base of their neck (by the spine) and at the base of the tail (again, on the spine not the underside of the tail!) of all of the cats to make them smell the same. Cats recognize each other by scent, so if that kitty smells the same as "me", the he must be a friend. Kitty logic at it's finest.
This trick works when introducing cats into the household, and also when one of them has been to the vet and therefore smells different to the others who didn't go.

There might be something here too;

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles

Thank you very much for your suggestion of using vanilla.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[kattakona]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately neither is treat-motivated. I have tried all the Feliway type products, the plug-ins, the sprays, and it didn't make any difference. I've been watching their behavior and it seems like they're not even bothering to smell each other, they react from a distance to sight of their faces! So this may sound crazy but I've been thinking about buying a couple of those silly cat Halloween costumes to put on them - maybe altering their appearance will let them get close enough to sniff without starting a fight right away and then I can try that vanilla trick.

 

[kattakona]

Also, Wileys suite/catio situation seems to be working better for him now. I took me awhile to get him to understand he could go out the pet flap and into his own area of the back deck, so Im relieved that he's doing that on his own now and is enjoying lounging around in the nice weather and he's not crying to go outside in the yard anymore. My deck is huge, so he's got plenty of room out there to go for a run if he wants. I've been trying to stick to a strictly timed feeding and supervised playtime schedule so everyone will get into the rhythm and I can regain some sanity. And my other cats can now play in the yard without fear of being attacked by Wiley. But I still have to work on him and the boys being in the same room without lunging at the sight of each other. I know it's a long haul, I'm just so exhausted and stressed - and some of that is from having a 3 month old kitten too!

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm so glad to hear about Wiley, good for you!!

Ooo what cuties