Issues between NEW cat and my other cats -----HELP PLEASE!

[the_food_lady]

Over the years I've adopted/rescued many cats and maybe I've just been lucky but I've really never had any problems with the 'new cat' assimilating with the existing cats.  Generally what I do is isolate the new cat in a room all to themselves with their own litterbox, toys, food/water, TV or radio..........keep them in the room for 24 hours (me going in frequently to spend time with them)......then I'll lock up existing cats in some part of the house and let new cat roam around for a few hours to check things out.   Eventually I'll add the most docile/friendly of the existing cats into the room with the new cat.......let 'em sniff each other, etc.   Generally after about 2-3 days they've fit right in.

NOT THIS TIME.

My 'existing cats' are all strictly indoor cats; 2 old girls (spayed) and a younger (spayed female) who's about 2-3 yrs old, and a 3-4 yr old male (neutered).

My old girls (ages 14 yrs and 16 yrs respectively) don't mind the new kitty at all, they're quite fascinated with her....they rub noses, no problems.

My male cat doesn't mind the New Cat, he's very easy going...................EXCEPT when she decides to chase him at full speed through the house.  He generally just runs, doesn't growl or hiss............he's pretty mellow.........but is it okay if she does this?

TO NOTE: I've clipped EVERYONE'S Claws several days ago.

The problem:  the younger female (Bitsy).   She's normally the most lovable sweet cuddly cat, my favorite even.   There are times when her and new cat eat off of the same plate, are in very close proximity to one another......but at other times the NEW CAT chases her and Bitsy is terrified.........several days ago New Cat chased Bitsy up the basement stairs (first time she chased her) and poor Bitsy peed inflight (on the stairs).......and no, it definitely was NOT spray.

Bitsy growls and growls, she almost sounds possessed.   It seems like the new cat often just wants to push her buttons and get her going.   Sometimes I can't stand the growling and chasing that I isolate new cat in the basement for a 'time out'.........just to give poor Bitsy a break.

Bitsy has a small scabbed area to the side of her head, which I suspect could be from getting clawed (I doubt bit?).  It's scabbed over.  I just noticed it today (her fur is very thick).   I've had her wear a collar all day and I'm applying Panolog Ointment to it.  Definitely NOT an abscess.  I just don't want her to paw the scab off.

Bitsy NEVER had any issues with the other cats when SHE was the new cat (except for chasing my male a few times, and now they're best buddies...but with him she never growled, I think it was more just intense playing).   I feel bad for her.  

When I leave my home for a few hours, just to be safe, I put the New Cat into the basement so there's no fighting while I'm gone.

Should I keep up with the time-outs?

Is it just a matter of "time"?

When the New Cat is aggressively chasing Bitsy through the house, should I step in to stop it like I'm doing? (then I pet and reassure Bitsy and in seconds she's rolling on her back and purring)

I do have a Feliway Diffuser going in the house.

I don't know what to do here?

TO ADD:

-new cat is spayed, she's about 1 to 1.5 yrs old

-up until 6 months she lived in a multi-cat home (had apparently been rescued by a Vet Tech in a small home with 4 other cats and apparently got along well with other cats).  The lady I adopted her from was moving and couldn't have pets in her new place.   New cat had lived with her and her teenage daughter for about a year as the only cat (no other pets)

-when Bitsy peed on the wooden stairs, I cleaned properly with Nature's Miracle.  I've noticed no other peeing incidents

-when I bring out treats, new cat and Bitsy will almost be nose to nose eating the treats.  They seem to get along at times.

 

[p3 and the king]

Well, 24 hours is not really a long enough time for all cats.  You need to let the cat decide when it's comfortable... This could be (generally 3 days to a week or so).   This girl probably doesn't recall living with other animals, for the majority of her time, she was the only pet.  Plus, you don't know, something could have happened and maybe the other cats from her first home terrorized her.  My Phoebe was terrorized by her littermates and other larger kittens from the cattery before she came to live with me... She had to deal with a lot.  So did my Paige, same story from her breeder... Though Phoebe is accepting of new ones now, it is because she is secure and knows her place.  Paige is also accepting.  It takes her longer.  She has a passive personality so she still lets the others push her around a bit... I have to step in and protect her. 

So she needs to get used to this idea again.  It may take her longer, a lot longer than 24 hours, a week... It could be a month, perhaps more for her to accept this new situation as not the only cat... Try not to give up on her.  Just give her time and space. 

Also, add on to the fact that she has to get used to a lot of other cats, she has to get used to a new home... She is probably feeling overwhelmed!  Wouldn't you be? 

It could take a month or more for Feliway to work.  You could try the Calming Collar for good measure?  But mostly, just slow it down and try not to stress her out.  Let her get used to it and her new pride at her own pace. 

You keep her in the basement?  That's got to be depressing!  Can you not separate her in a more appealing place such as a bedroom or bathroom? 

Another thing, don't "punish" them.  They don't understand that and why.  Your "time outs" are for kids.  Just calmly separate them and don't take sides. 

 

[the_food_lady]

First off, I'm not sure what your basement looks like but mine is a 700 square foot fully finished and decorated basement, complete with cat beds (one she loves), cat posts, a 36" LCD TV so it's not totally quiet for her, tons of toys she has a hay-day with, etc.    It's nicer down there than a lot of peoples' main floor.  

Second of all, I'm not "punishing her" when I mentioned the 'time out' in my basement.   I thought it would have been clear from what I'd explained that I put her down there periodically when my other cat Bitsy is getting too stressed/being chased too much.   It's not like I yell at the new cat and say 'bad kitty, down to the dungeon you go.'   It's the only place in my home, short of small bedrooms, to give everyone a break.   The last thing anyone needs is a torn cornea or huge bite that turns into a painful abscess.

I didn't expose her to all of the cats in "24 hours" so I'm not sure where you got that from.

She (new cat) is very much "at home" here.   Frankly I think she's in heaven because the previous owners seemed clueless about cats.   She was all alone, didn't have one cat toy, no scratching post, they fed her crappy Whiskas Dry food and canned only once a week "as a treat", she'd never had the pleasure of cat nip and didn't even have her own cat bed.   Here she is in heaven and it shows.   My other 3 cats quite like her..........and Bitsy doesn't always have an issue with her, only sometimes.

I've had cats for over 25 years, I've rescued and adopted cats over that period of time and most of my life I've had 5 cats at a time.......so I'm no stranger to introducing a new cat and I'm usually the person that friends/family turn to for advice on how to do it..............but this is the first time that I've encountered a new cat that's almost being aggressive to an existing cat.........she seems to get a real charge out of chasing the 2 youngest.   Funny she doesn't chase the older girls at all.........

 

[guitarmonster]

I agree that 24 hours is not that long.  Other than that good job on making the extra effort to get them used to each other.  You may want to keep a new cat in a room longer, then instead of taking the cat out of the room you can just leave the door cracked, giving the cat the ability to roam when he is ready.

Unfortunately the cat is already out of the bag (or out of the room) so we have to deal with things how they are now.  I take it that you have a total of 3 cats, quite a handful.  A combination of older and younger cats you will run into a few issues.  All cats by instinct are hunters, and they need to hunt and kill every day.  The younger cats will have way more energy when it comes to this.  When cats are chasing each other or fighting to a point where it becomes a problem, this usually means you are not playing with them enough.  Right now I have 2 kittens that are about 6 months old, and they are literally perfect angels because I drain their energy through play.  I've raised cats for years and I have narrowed down the 2 most important cat toys, the laser pointer and the feather on the fishing line.  The laser pointer is great when you just want to sit on the couch and play with them, but the feather just makes those cats go nuts. 

With that in mind, how many times per day do you play with your cats?