Intro issues - new cat is attacking resident cat

trilobica

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Sorry for the long post, I'm at a loss on how to deal with new cat aggressive behavior!

Brief background: Resident cat is 4yo, male, fixed, was rescued from a hoarder house (with other cats), I adopted him 4 months ago. He's shy and the sweetest lap cat. 1 month ago I decided to get him a companion and adopted a 3yo, female. Shelter spayed her and said she's very shy and was a stray, so no background.
Now, with me and my bf she was never shy, very chatty and affectionate and opinionated from the second she arrived! She stays in my bedroom and sleeps on the bed with me every night (my 1 bed apt is quite big but I don't have a separate room where to keep her)

They are separated and for the past 3 weeks I've been trying to introduce them, following Jackson Galaxy method. They got to the point where they can eat together without fussing, with or without baby gate pretty fast. So I decided to let them meet one night and they nose bumped, RC hissed and NC got scared and backed up but calmed down and after a bit they both fell asleep on the couch. RC woke up and followed me to the kitchen, and at that point from nowhere NC chased RC and attacked him, fur flying. RC was walking away from NC so it seemed totally unmotivated to me.

I separated them immediately and went back to do only scent and site swapping every night after work.
When NC is alone in RC space she'll explore and mark a bit, but still looks scared and worried. When NC hears RC in her room, she'll start yowling really loud and gets fixated on the door, food or toys don't work as distractions.
During site swapping, RC will systematically use NC litter box, and NC is not happy about that. Not sure if this is a territorial thing or not, but I can stop him in case.

I tried to do intro sessions with NC in a playpen so they can get used to each other, and it was ok the first few times, now she keeps begging to be let out, and the 3 times I did, NC immediately puffed up, attacked RC, shrieking and chasing and cornering him. Again, fur flying, but not other injuries.

I always separate them and step back at this point, but it looks like her behavior is not improving at all, after 3 weeks of this cycle. She loves playing with laser and wand, but when she's in the same room as RC it's really difficult to distract her. RC for the most past just gets away and groom himself (until attacked).

I have Feliway in both rooms, and I'm trying Nutricalm liquid in NC food. I'm also asking the vet for help, but I'm getting general tips that are not helping.

I guess it doesn't help that RC runs from her instead of standing his ground. He hisses and runs and nothing else, he just wants to stay as far as he can when NC is around, but he's VERY food motivated lol. Also it takes 1-2days after an attack for RC to go back to his old self, affectionate kitty, which breaks my heart every time.

Any idea or advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm starting to think I'm not up to the task, or maybe NC is just not a good match. If you think it's her just trying to establish dominance, should I leave them together for some time after the attack to see what happens? I'd hate to take her back to the shelter, she's lovely with people, but this can't go on forever for the sake of my resident cat, I'm afraid he'll get injured 🙁
 

Jcatbird

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I think that backtracking to the beginning may be a route to try. You can give them time to see if they stop fighting or try a large cat cage for one. I use the cages for intros and for time outs if needed. It allows sight, scent and sound without harm. It really does take time and every cat goes at a different pace. Since you don’t have full background info , it may be that you have a very scared kitty that feels challenged. Give them time. It’s often one step forward and two back for awhile. Please do give us updates. Thank you for adopting them! They obviously needed you.
 

rubysmama

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Hello and welcome to TCS. Sorry though for the situation that's brought you here. Don't despair yet, or feel you're not up to the task. It's possible things won't work out, however, 3 weeks is not very long at all in the mind of a cat, so things can still totally work out between them, given more time and patience.

Some hissing / swatting is normal, but when you mentioned "fur flying" my first thought was to start at the beginning again. We always say the things to watch for are fur flying, bloodshed, or one cat seeming scared or stressed. So the fur flying, and RC taking 1 to 2 days to get back to himself after an attack, is a sign that things are moving to fast.

This is totally not uncommon, though, and TCS even has an article called How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction | TheCatSite

As well as How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide | TheCatSite

Good luck. Keep us posted.
 
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trilobica

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Thank you both! I went back to no visual for now, except for meal times.
Should I still do site swapping?
Like until she looks comfortable in RC space, doesn't yowl desperately at the door, and not too bothered by him using her litter box?

Should I wait more for any type of visual contact?
I'm getting a second baby gate to stack on top of the first one, so I can try to leave the door open. I tried to leave the door open with 1 baby gate and NC jumped over when I was distracted and again went straight for RC (he was just sleeping on his spot, poor thing 🙁)

Other than that I really don't know what else to try. I have a 40" enclosed playpen that she was fine being in a few times, but now every time I put her in all she does is meowing and trying to break free.

Last text with my vet, they suggested trying Prozac for 3-4 months for NC to see if that will ease her fear/anxiety. Too soon? I'm not a fan of the idea, but maybe NC needs more help.

Lastly, I'm trying to make them play together under the door with feathers, but sometimes she'll play, sometimes she'll just yowl, while RC is still too scared to actively play, he'll just watch NC/the feathers from a few feet away
 

rubysmama

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I tend to agree with you that it's too soon to try Prozac. For now I'd keep them separated, not even visuals, and do the site swapping, where one cat is closed in a room, while the other gets free access to the rest of the apartment. Spend as much time with NC as you can. But also try to stick to RC's normal routine. He's the resident afterall, so you don't want him to feel like he's being replaced.

Then when you get the 2nd baby gate, try giving them yummy treats together. Something to make them have positive feeling about each other. Then do the open door, with the baby gates, and see how it goes.

Even though you naturally want to speed this up, you really can only go as quickly as the most hesitant cat. It's better to take longer than you want, but them to be friends, than to rush and have them always bickering and fighting.

Do scan through the threads here in the behavior forum, as you are not alone in having issues introducing cats, and you might find some that have helpful tips for you. There's tons of different titles so it's hard to do a site search, but I did do one on "new cat hates resident cat" and these are the results: Search Results for Query: new cat hates resident cat
 
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trilobica

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Thank you! As a temporary measure I've taped a big cardboard box at the door, to prevent NC from jumping the baby gate.
They've been separated for almost a week now, except for visual for meals or treats. RC comes, eats and then right away goes to a part of the apt where NC can't see him. Tonight NC instead of eating her wet food was staring at him and chattering, which is odd?
She does a very similar sound sometimes with her laser toy. RC didn't even finish his food and moved away, sigh.
I don't feel this is moving in the right direction, maybe I should go back even more steps to meals behind a closed door?
 

rubysmama

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I'm going to tag A ArtNJ who might have some comments to add.

RC not finishing his food is something to watch. Did he eventually eat everything?
 
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trilobica

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I gave up and closed the door and didn't try again for the night, and RC went back to his food after a bit and vacuumed everything as usual.
Both last night and this morning NC was wanting/expecting me to open the door during meal time. I will try again tonight after work!
 

ArtNJ

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I guess my general reaction was that you had an incident that was problematic, and that did cause some need to move backwards. But the other stuff that is going on all sounds pretty normal. Cats that are unsure about a newcomer are often what I call "hyper-vigilant" and can't be distracted with play, treats or petting. They act like they need to be on guard duty 24-7. "Ma! Not NOW, I'm GUARDING! That beastie could try and cause trouble!" Hyper vigilance can be when the other cat is behind a door or gate, and can continue even when you get to unlimited face to face. Heck, if face to face doesn't go so well, sometimes hyper vigilance can last for months, especially with a senior cat (they are often have a hard time accepting newcomers). So putting it all in context this doesn't sound so bad at all!

Now backing up is great in concept, but I don't know that scent swapping actually does anything once they have been in the same house for weeks. And hyper vigilance kills a lot of the other tactics. So if it was me, I would get the double-baby gate set-up up and running full time and see how that goes. It might sound too simple, but you don't need to micro everything, and unlimited visual is really the best thing for them.
 
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trilobica

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Thank you for your input, I was feeling so discouraged about them ever being able to get along!

I guess I'm more traumatized by the previous 4 attacks than they are, because I left the door open all night last night, and resident cat was ok after hiding initially, and new cat didn't spend the whole night yowling as I had expected!

New cat is still staring a lot, but not all the time, and resident cat will stare back but he's the one eventually turning away. Resident cat tried to approach the baby gate twice, calmly and tail up, but new cat both times jumped against the gate as if to attack him/jump him (no puffed tail or screaming though).
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I should wait to put them in a room together again, until new cat stops reacting this way to resident cat, right?
 

ArtNJ

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Sure, get all the improvement you can out of having the gate there and unlimited visual access. No rush, athough it will stop enabling progress at some point. Whatever progress you get may not prevent some hissing and tension when you put them together, thats normal, but the goal is that it is, and usually it will be, enough to prevent violence.
 
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trilobica

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Coming back with an update. For the past week I left the door open and new cat is still bothered when resident cat gets close to the gate, but she does her thing away from the door otherwise. Yowling/screaming less frequently.
Resident cat now goes to the fountain via kitchen counter to avoid walking by the gate on ground level.

New cat is getting used to the harness, so last night and tonight I brought her out in the same room and kept her on leash to avoid other attacks.
We start a good 20 feet away, first thing new cat does in the room is trying to run/jump toward resident cat, realizes she can't, then lay down on her side, staring at resident cat, trying to get closer to him. No yowling, no puffed tail, just regular meows.

Resident cat stays on the couch and stares, yawns, groom, etc After a while she relaxes too and almost falls asleep from a distance.
Tonight he was on the cat tree, loafing, and new cat seemed calm and exploring so I let her go near him and she tried again to attack him, jumping up the cat tree to get him. I have a video this time if it helps.

Is this still in the range of normal reactions during introductions? It just seems so totally unprovoked, and I'm starting to feel like new cat simply hates resident cat :(
 

rubysmama

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Tonight he was on the cat tree, loafing, and new cat seemed calm and exploring so I let her go near him and she tried again to attack him, jumping up the cat tree to get him. I have a video this time if it helps.
Do you think it was at all playful? Or totally aggressive?

If you can post the video, it might be helpful. Only short ones can be uploaded directly to the site, though, so you might have to go the Youtube route. How To Upload And Add Videos To Your Posts – TheCatSite Articles
 

di and bob

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It still has not been very long in a cat's world. Almost two months? Females in the best of times boss the boys around and almost always hiss, growl, and swat, That is all normal. as long as the fights end quickly and there is no bloodshed from deep bites or scratches, she is just teaching him who is boss, and the females always are. I would keep her on a leash and let her visually get used to his moves for another month when they are together. if the 'fights' are short-lived, he leaves and she settles down, that is normal. I know it seems impossible right now, but this WILL pass and they will become a family unit, but it will take months. they have made some progress, though it doesn't seem like it. Hang in there, mine took almost a year!
 
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trilobica

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Do you think it was at all playful? Or totally aggressive?

If you can post the video, it might be helpful. Only short ones can be uploaded directly to the site, though, so you might have to go the Youtube route. How To Upload And Add Videos To Your Posts – TheCatSite Articles
To me it did not look playful, but I could be wrong, def. not an expert!
Here is the link to the video, the audio unfortunately is out of sync and couldn't fix it: (She has a puffy tail at the end)
 
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trilobica

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And forgot to mention, after this, resident cat had a litter box accident during the night and I found bits of poop all over the rug, which could be a coincidence, but never happened before, yuck :confused:
 

rubysmama

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Yeah, didn't look playful. :( And litter box accident could be stress related. :(
 

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And forgot to mention, after this, resident cat had a litter box accident during the night and I found bits of poop all over the rug, which could be a coincidence, but never happened before, yuck :confused:
Yeah, didn't look playful. :( And litter box accident could be stress related. :(
Actually to me, it did look semi playful...though more of an aggressive type of playing...because NC did stop..and did not continue to pursue.
If you slow down the speed of the video, it also looks like NC is continuing to look at the cat tower...and the space that RC just left...and then she looks over towards him. So not sure if more territorial, mixed with some aggressive type play.
I don't think they are ready to be near each other yet.
Since NC is too reactive, still.

But yeah, the litter box accident could be stress related, as Rubysmama said...so that would not be good...especially since it never happened before.

Could you possibly....get a closer video...in where we can actually see both cats closer up?
Especially, looking at her body language, ears, fur up, head position, eyes or tail.

What I am wondering is if NC cat rather bonded with the humans in her short time with you, you and your bf, ...and is somehow trying to protect you from RC? ...as strange as that may sound.
Because in the initial attack, you mentioned that it was unprovoked...yet she attacked him...after you went off to the kitchen, and RC followed.

So I'm just wondering...if she is having some sort of extra territorial issues...and also protectiveness issues...that some female cats can have. (Even spayed female cats can be ultra protective.)
ArtNJ mentioning hyper vigilance, which is so true...in cat introductions.

Could you go back to doing full gate visuals...for a longer time...until there is no yowling, or loud vocalizing, weird meowing?

And your idea of using the harness method is really good.:)
It protects your RC...and keeps the NC...from charging him.
Is NC...okay...when you are putting her into her harness? Meaning...does she hiss at you? Or complain much?

EDIT to add: Actually, I watched it many more times, and yeah, both you and Rubysmama are entirely right.
It wasn't playful at all...especially if she was trying to bite RC on the back leg, or rear area.
I guess I just thought that because she didn't full on attack him, and chase him...that it was not as bad...and more to do with her wanting him away from you...since you were sitting behind her...and also wanting him away from the space.
Either way she is still showing signs of being way too upset and fearful.
 
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cat nap

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Just a few more questions...if that is okay.
Did you ever try to put RC in the playpen....and NC in a cat carrier...and just leave them out in the room?
Do you think your sensitive and shy RC would be okay with being in the playpen? Or would this just add more stress to his life, right now?

Also, do you have some sort of time limit...where you have to decide to return NC to the shelter? Does the shelter impose some sort of time limit on cat introductions? Is it in the contract or something?
(The only reason I ask this, is because I've also noticed that on some other threads...there seem to be a bit of rushing when doing the cat intros...and I just wondered if shelters impose some sort of time-frames.) Thanks for answering if you can.
 
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trilobica

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My impression is that she stopped mostly because she was restrained, and she did have a puffed tail, but after a few seconds she settled down and went under the armchair and was fine as long as resident cat didn't move at all/didn't look her way.
In every other fight she was free and did chase and corner him, screaming and ripping fur off.

I'll try again with the leash and maybe I can get a video from my phone that would be much closer and higher definition.

New cat is absolutely adorable with people, never hissed at me for anything. When I get home from work I give her wet food and put the harness on while she eats. After a few days she's not bothered by it anymore. I leave it on for a couple of hours and do 1 or 2 shorts visits as long as everyone behaves.

I'm just really afraid this is not getting better, and she'll get more violent the more I try, while resident cat gets more stressed.

Researching online I've never seen anything about cats being overprotective, could it maybe be some sort of jealousy instead? She is very vocal pretty much every time I'm not in her room or paying attention to her.

I never tried to put RC in the playpen, but I could give it a try and see how it reacts. The goal would be to get them used to be in close vicinity?

There isn't a time limit to return her, but my reasoning is: If they are not compatible, the more I keep her the worse the trauma for her going back to the shelter, and the more attached we will all be. But IF she's happier as an only cat, I don't want to force her to coexist with him at any cost, it is very stressful for all. I'm just trying to understand what I'm dealing with, so I can make the right choice
 
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