Need Help Now !!!! My new cat hisses and growls!!

[mowguai]

Dragonlady & stephigee,

Thank you!
My husband and I start to think whether bringing GG over here to keep MM company was a bad move. GG was my cat while MM was my husband's. After I got married, I moved to Ohio and just miss GG so terribly. In addition, we feel that both MM and GG would be bored by being the only cat in the house. So, we brought GG over to Ohio to join MM.... I guess we didn't do the preparation well. If I knew it takes as long as a few months for them to get to know each other, I might not have done so... oh well..

Here is the update: last night, MM was in our bedroom. If GG wanted to get in there, MM would growl and hiss to GG. So I had to wake up and comfort GG at 2am... This morning, GG stoped growling but making chatting sounds. MM on the other hand is the one that hiss and growls. I guess it is feedback time.

They are just making our lives very interesting, but in a very tiring way.

Thank you all!

Jean

 

[rock&fluff'smom]

These kitties will definately change your life for sure! My life hasn't been the same since we got Rocky

 

[mowguai]

Hello all!!

I thought I owe everyone an update.
Well, all I can say that I have seen great improvement between the two. MM is the one that hisses out of jealousy, whereas GG, though sometimes is afraid, is starting to exploring the new enviornment and making himself comfortable at home.

Just a question though, I started to use the vanilla trick yesterday. I think it works the wonder and ease the anxiety. But should I reapply the extra daily? GG and MM start to smell at each other's tail, but still with a few hisses from MM. However, I think that is a good thing. Dont' you think?

Thank you all for the help. Jean

 

[hissy]

Jean-

Your cats will be fine- if you haven't had to rush them off to the vets bleeding and torn open, I doubt you are going to have much of a problem. Hissing is a more "you are in my space back off" type of reaction- it is common when two cats meet that they hiss. It is their language of defense and earns them respect with each other.

You can go to farnum pet and order a Feliway Comfort Zone room mister, that will help to relax your cats.

 

[a_loveless_gem]

It sounds like GG and MM are going to be fine. Fur hasn't been sent flying and there hasn't been any blood shed.

There was hissing and growling from Russell and Esper when we first introduced them to each other. But after about a week, things started to calm down and they've been best friends ever since.

Even getting up to the same antics together.

 

[mowguai]

Thanks everyone for the help. I guess GG and MM are getting along with each other better day after day. Although they are not yet sleeping next to each other, a little improvement will make me happy.

Here is a picture which I took yesterday. MM is the one on the right and GG is the one lying on the scratching post to the left.

 

[hissy]

Beautiful cats! They look like they will be just fine! Good job!

 

[mowguai]

Hello all, although there is no blood shed and flying fur in my house yet, there are still some "mysteries" I want to solve. Hopefully someone can shed some light to me...

1. The new cat, GG, makes a lot of noises during the night. At night, he would stand by the front door of my apartment and whines.. Also, he is more nervous than usual. He hides a lot--under the bed, under the sofa, and in the closet. Also he gets distracted by sounds and movement easily. Nevertheless, he does eat and drink, even at the presence of our resident cat, MM. Are these unusual behaviours of GG just due to the fact that he is still new to the enviornment??? FYI, he has been here about 6 days. Should I just leave him alone when he is hiding???? However, one thing happened today to make me happy was that GG started purring again. When he was at his old home, he purred easily when we pet him. During the past few days, he never purred. But he did today!!!

2. MM, the resident cat, would "catch" GG's tail when GG was looking. She also hisses and growls at GG, but the occurance of hissing and growling has been much less than during the first two days. Are "catching the tail" and "hissing and growling" behaviour normal even between cats that have been living with each other for years?

Thank you all for your help and patience. Though I have had cat for 3 years, having 2 cats in the same house is first time to me. I just have hard time to tell what is normal and what is not....

Jean

 

[dragonlady]

Catching the tail is a normal kitty game. It seems one wishes to play and the other isn't sure yet. What toys are you using to play with your kitties? A lazer pointer would be good for the two of them to get some play time together. Kitties love to chase the light. A feather wand is also a great toy to get them both attacking the feathers and bonding through play.

GG is most likely just nervous due to a new enviornment. It will take awhile to adjust. Have your folks send an old pillowcase that is used and unwashed. This will give him a familuar scent from home. The feliway spray will also help calm your baby.

I have had my kitties for over 3 years now and we have spats from time to time.

 

[hissy]

GG is also probably picking up new sounds outside, cats ears are very sensitive and responding to them by being vocal. It is a typical prey response in cats and usually very prevalent in the wee hours of the morning between 1:00-4:00 a.m. when their companions want to sleep.

 

[mowguai]

Dragonlady and Hissy,

thank you so much!!

 

[dragonlady]

 

[xastion]

Sounds like things are going well.

It took around two weeks before Mischief and Niko would accept Isis. Actually two weeks before Mischief would accept Isis and longer for Niko. Mischief would creep up behind Isis, sniff at her, and as long as her back was turned would be fine. Then when she turned around Mischief would hiss and then run away. Niko would scare me more. Isis would wander over near her and Niko would raise her paw in the air like she planned on bopping Isis on the head in a not so nice manner. But eventually time passed and the three of them are pals.

 

[mowguai]

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING??!!

This is what happened this morning: MM went up to GG and raised her front paws and "pat" on GG for a few times. Then the two were chasing after each other, with the paws waving in the air. There were no hissing and no growling, just pure movement. Of course, my husband and I yelled at the both of them. Then, MM's tail got poofed up after she got yelled by us.

Are they playing or fighting?????

Thanks for the help. Jean

 

[a_loveless_gem]

Well it sounds like cat chasey to me. My two cats do the same thing and they both have instigated it so they're both ratbags.

Russell will walk up to Esper and sniff. Then he will walk away and then circle back and pat her on the head. Then Esper pats Russell back. Then one of them will run off with the other madly dashing after the first one with no concern for humans or furniture.

I have yelled on occasions to tell them to stop. But all that does is scare both of them. It's better to separate them for a short while if cat chasey is driving you bananas.

MM's tail poofing up was in reaction to you yelling at her. She got scared by you two for a bit there.

 

[sammie5]

I yelled at mine the first time I saw them locked in what looked like a death grip. ALl that happened was that if they were playing, and I came into the room, they would both look really guilty and stop what they were doing. I found out that cat play is really rough looking. But they love it.

The rule of thumb that I use, based on advice here, was to listen - if one cat is squealing or crying to get away and can't, then you may intervene. And watch their ears, if one has its ears laid back on its head, and is growling or hissing, then its time to break it up. But don't yell, just make a loud noise or something to distract them.

I love watching them play. They grab each other, kicking, and with their mouths open trying to bite. But if one cat stops, the other goes right back to start up again. They love it.

 

[mowguai]

thank you all for the tips. I will remember that! Gosh... there are so much to learn from my cats.

 

[hissy]

They sound fine- really. They sound like they are rediscovering kittenhood! LOL It really is typical play time that you have been describing. They sound like they are having fun together.