Bully Cat

[harris4274]

I am at my wits end. I have a rescue that vet is not sure of age, between 6 and 11 months. We have had him for 4 months, did the intro over a 4 wk period. My resident cat over the past 2 months has started bullying the newby. So I read that when that happens, no yelling or showing special treatment to the one being picked on and to put the bully in time out. So when she does this I put her in the den and close the gate. It is not working, this morning after she bullied the new kitty she turned around looked at me as she walked by and went straight to the den. The only thing I accomplished is training her to go to her room after she picks on her brother. LOL, I was shocked. Has anyone else had any luck with giving a cat time out?

 

[ArtNJ]

If the "bullying" (too generic of a term imho, could mean a lot of things) is intended as aggressive play, a time out will be counter productive as the cat will get bored and want to play fight even more. If the bullying is caused by anxiety towards the other cat, the time out obviously won't touch that. If the bullying is caused by jealousy, or dominance or hormones, I dunno those aren't problems I've had, but I just don't think time outs are particularly effective on cats.

I think you would be better served describing exactly what is going on & the history of it so we can suggest some alternative plans.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try a more direct intervention of a hard shake of a half full coin can, a HISS, a NO, literally while the behavior you don't want is going on.
You want to startle, and rewire, that brain out of bully mode right then and there. You'll have to be consistent and repetitive.

 

[harris4274]

My bully cat sits on the coffee table like a vulture just watching the hall waiting for the new kitty to show his face, as soon as he does she flies down the hall after him. Then the screaming starts, when I catch her watching the hall I try to distract her with treats or toys or just pick her up and hold her. But if she picks a new spot to watch from and I don't catch her she goes after him and then my senior cat rips into my bully cat and chases her back up the hall. It all happens so fast. I took her to the vets and am waiting for blood work, the vet does not want to put her on any medication, she said it could make her more aggressive. Instead she wants to put the new kitty on anti-anxiety pills so that he will stand up for himself. I'm worried that will cause an all out cat fight. The new kitty is not anxious or timid, he just runs and hides when he sees the bully coming at him screaming like the hounds of hell. I think I will try putting a child gate up. Something about the gates, no one crosses it. I have had multiple cats all my life and have never had any that did not get along.

 

[Furballsmom]

Treats toys and picking her up don't mean anything, a distraction is not what she needs.
She needs firm training that chasing is bad. A gate doesn't address the issue.
You need to intervene right when it is happening, if not every time then most times.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh by the way, you might try calming Diffusers, Thunderease and sentry make some as do other companies, because while she's like this and until you get her to not be, your whole feline household is stressed.
Best of luck!

 

[harris4274]

I have the Feliway plugged into 3 different rooms trying to calm all the babies down. I did put up a child gate at the hall entrance last night and it did help some. My bully cat sat on one side and watched the kitty play with the laser light and didn't go crazy, the kitty was playing in the hall within a foot of my bully and didn't hiss or run away. He actually spent a lot of time just laying at the gate where he can see the whole room and everyone in it. There was no drama, I even praised my bully and gave her treats for just sitting and watching the kitty play. My hope is that they will get so use to seeing each other and be able to get close to each other without any drama, that it will seem like no big deal. Tonight I will sit near the gate and feed them both. I will be right there so that I can stop any drama before it happens.

 

[Furballsmom]

good for you!!

 

[patti511]

Omg. I am going through the same thing. Read my posts under “Desperately Need Help.”