Hey everyone - I've read several of the threads here about introducing cats. And I'm not sure if I'm best to start another thread. ETA sorry this is so long!
I've had cats for many years. I used to live in a 3 bedroom house and, like others here, I had a screen door from one bedroom to the rest of the house. It was like that for 10 years! Where's the head exploding icon? At that time I had 5 cats and I had to keep them separated - 2, 2 and 1. After several years I let the 2 pairs of 2 be together only when I was home and it seemed to mostly be ok.
Fast forward several years and I now live in a very small one bedroom place. I had 3 cats (2 from the previous group and 1 more) and recently added a 4th cat. Cats 1 and 2 have been with me a long time and are mild mannered and get along. Cat #3 is Murphy and he is a very beautiful orange and white kitty but has attitude enough for 20 cats and he has really been a handful to say the least. So many behavior issues that have very slowly gotten only slightly better. I've had him since he was 2 months old but bad things must have happened before I got him. I keep him in the main part of my place and the other 2 have my bedroom to themselves with the door shut almost always.
Kitty #4 is also beautiful - white with blue eyes - and he was a feral cat that had a health emergency in May and has become my house and lap kitty since - so sweet. Cats #3 and #4 don't get along and I separate them at night so I can sleep. During the day they take turns staying in a very large crate while the other one runs around the house or naps in my lap. Their fighting causes me terrible anxiety. When I came home from a day out of town cat 3 and 4 had escaped into the same room and were sleeping peacefully but there was LOTS of fur on the floor. I thought they were over it but they still want to fight including through the bars of the crate and making the loud sound cats make when they really want to go at it.
Cat #1 and 4 also had a fight. This is all making me really crazy. If I had a bigger place I would put them each in their own room.
AND I may take a 5th cat that desperately needs a home.
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions or advice??? I'm going crazy. I saw someone mentioned a calming collar. Can anyone advise me?
I've had cats for many years. I used to live in a 3 bedroom house and, like others here, I had a screen door from one bedroom to the rest of the house. It was like that for 10 years! Where's the head exploding icon? At that time I had 5 cats and I had to keep them separated - 2, 2 and 1. After several years I let the 2 pairs of 2 be together only when I was home and it seemed to mostly be ok.
Fast forward several years and I now live in a very small one bedroom place. I had 3 cats (2 from the previous group and 1 more) and recently added a 4th cat. Cats 1 and 2 have been with me a long time and are mild mannered and get along. Cat #3 is Murphy and he is a very beautiful orange and white kitty but has attitude enough for 20 cats and he has really been a handful to say the least. So many behavior issues that have very slowly gotten only slightly better. I've had him since he was 2 months old but bad things must have happened before I got him. I keep him in the main part of my place and the other 2 have my bedroom to themselves with the door shut almost always.
Kitty #4 is also beautiful - white with blue eyes - and he was a feral cat that had a health emergency in May and has become my house and lap kitty since - so sweet. Cats #3 and #4 don't get along and I separate them at night so I can sleep. During the day they take turns staying in a very large crate while the other one runs around the house or naps in my lap. Their fighting causes me terrible anxiety. When I came home from a day out of town cat 3 and 4 had escaped into the same room and were sleeping peacefully but there was LOTS of fur on the floor. I thought they were over it but they still want to fight including through the bars of the crate and making the loud sound cats make when they really want to go at it.
Cat #1 and 4 also had a fight. This is all making me really crazy. If I had a bigger place I would put them each in their own room.
AND I may take a 5th cat that desperately needs a home.
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions or advice??? I'm going crazy. I saw someone mentioned a calming collar. Can anyone advise me?
