Older cat now stays only in living room, refuses to go into bedroom or bathroom; terrorized by younger cat

[denny1700]

About 7-10 days ago my older cat stopped going into my bedroom or using the litter box in the bathroom. He stays in the living room, mostly close to a corner by the door where he has a "cubby-hole" underneath the clothes hanging in a small closet. He is eating and drinking normally, but he defecates by the door. I set up another litter box for him in the living room, which he uses apparently (I only put it out there 2-3 days ago).

I know the younger cat is very aggressive and chases him. For the two years I've had the younger cat, the older cat would put up with his bullying, usually hissing a lot and growling. That has all stopped. It feels like the younger cat is being territorial enough so that the older cat is afraid of going in the bedroom. In fact, the older cat loved to cuddle with me and have me brush his fur, on my bed. Now only the younger cat will jump on my bed and lie close to me.

It seems so unfair to the older cat (almost 11 years old) but I don't know what to do. I've consulted two books on the subject, to no avail.

I've had cats for about 15 years, and I've never had a situation like this before. The cats may have not always gotten along but one was never so bullied that he felt scared to go into the bedroom/bathroom.

Any suggestions?

 

[denny1700]

I'm actually thinking of rehousing the younger cat (orange tabby), as it's unfair to the older cat. It's not easy, with Corona virus, to do. And, of course, it's really hard, as I am really fond of the orange tabby Jasper.

 

[mwallace056]

is there a playtime with the younger cat? how much playtime? have you tried reintroducing them?

 

[Twylasmom]

Has the senior kitty had a vet checkup? There may be something going on that makes him want to avoid the other cat. Did you already have two litter boxes or just the one? It's always good to have a minimum of one box per cat.

 

[denny1700]

I have two litter boxes, in different rooms. I'm wondering if the older cat is simply showing his signs of age. He stopped being interested in playing and sleeps a lot now. But he seems quite alert, has a healthy appetite, is affectionate...but will not go into the other room. The younger cat seems to constantly "monitoring" the older one.

 

[She's a witch]

Is Jasper neutered?

I second the idea of the vet checkup for older kitty, some cats can behave aggressively towards other sick/weak cats.

 

[ArtNJ]

This isn't abnormal per se, as many older cats feel terrorized by a playful younger cat. Not using the litterbox would be an extreme reaction, but it is within the range of normal reactions. HOWEVER, this is a *change*, not a reaction to a newly adopted pet. The fact that this is a change and not a reaction to a newly introduced cat does make a health issue more likely - a vet check would definitely be a good idea, I'll third that. Sometimes such a change could be because of the younger cat's growth, but your younger cat is at least two, so I don't find that likely. Another possibility, the younger cat could have accidentally injured the older, starting this. That is very possible, and may be the leading theory if the vet doesn't find anything.

Don't think of this as bullying or territorial. Its very normal for young cats to be playful, and remember, cats are predators and play by simulating hunting behaviors including ambushing and stalking. When the cats are similar in age & activity level, you'll see more mutual wrestling and less hunting/stalking/ambushing, and the whole thing is rarely a problem. When one cat is older, and won't play, the younger cat naturally makes it more of a one sided thing and that sometimes includes more hunting, stalking and ambushing, and it can be a big deal. But again, it wouldn't normally get worse over time without some sort of underlying cause. In fact, it almost always gets better over time, so we must ask "what is different here"?

 

[cataholic07]

I'd say a vet check up if you havent gone this year. Seniors need a vet check every year, preferably twice a year with a gi panel at least once a year. Cats age 4 human years every year once they are seniors so things change quickly for them.You wanna ensure to play out the younger one a ton with a wand toy (super important). At 2 years old, the kitten is still a teenager will push boundaries to try to be top cat. Make sure you still spend a ton of time with your senior cat to. When you see the younger cat stalking take out a wand toy and distract.

 

[denny1700]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I did forget to mention the fact that for the past 10 years, the older cat has had the problem of sometimes using the litterbox, oftentimes not. I've had been checked out twice for underlying medical causes but none was found. But this restricting himself to only one of two rooms (three or even four if you count the tiny bathroom and kitchen areas) in my small apartment is new. A friend who works a lot with shelters also mentioned that Tres's being sick might also be the reason why his behavior (including towards the younger cat) has changed out of the blue. Strangely enough, the younger cat does not act aggressively towards Tres and, in fact, they sometimes sleep close to each other, Jasper (the younger one) sleeping in a box with stored odds-and-ends next to the "cubby-hole" where Tres spends most of his time. Before I rehome Jasper, I definitely should try to get in a vet visit for Tres.

 

[denny1700]

Yes, Jasper and Tres are both neutered.