Stopping Aggressive Behaviour

[Rummy]

We have two boys (pictured above) they've been introduced slowly. Still not full access to each other all the time. Things really did seem to be moving forward, they would play both wrestle and chase, they could spend all day in the same room together, they could sit on the same tree (for the most part lol).

But, the last couple of days our resident cat (George) seems to have flipped a switch and decided that he doesn't like our new cat (Oscar). I'm not really sure why, but he stalks him, and bites him for seemingly no reason, and just seems annoyed when Oscar is around. It feels very much like he's being territorial, not liking Oscar literally anywhere. I've been trying to play with him alone to release some of this energy but he doesn't seem very interested. He used to LOVE playing with me.

I feel like he only wants to play with Oscar but because he just keeps being so rough, Oscar isn't interested or I have to break it up eventually because George goes too far. I don't want George to become a bully. What can I do to curb this aggressive behaviour so George leaves Oscar the heck alone!

 

[rubysmama]

Awww... what cutie pies. Was that pic taken before the changed in George's behaviour?

Wonder if something startled George and he's blaming Oscar? If so, it could be a form of Re-directed Aggression In Cats

How does Oscar react to George's aggression?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Cute pic of your cats!! I thought your name, as well as their names, sounded familiar - so, I went back to check your other threads.

From what I could gather in re-reading them, these two cats have only been together for maybe 1 1/2 months? And, it seems throughout your posts, there has been a level of aggression between the two all along, yes? So, it might help if you could explain how/when things smoothed out between the two and when this switch was 'flipped' with George. Did this happen when they were given more time together? Maybe George is not ready for this yet.

How old is George (sorry if it was in a previous post and I missed it)? The older he is, the longer it is going to take him to adjust to Oscar.

Also, you still have them separated most of the time based on another thread you started today, if I understand correctly?

Cat Confined To One Room, How To Keep Him Happy?

You can swap areas so that neither one is confined to a single space all the time. Try giving Oscar brief times here and there to wander throughout the house, while making sure George is in a place he considers safe and likes to be in so that he doesn't feel as if he is being neglected or shut out.

Did you follow through the steps of introducing cats? In the case where you might have moved from one step to the next too fast, it could help to explain the difficulties you are experiencing. Each step has to be done successfully before moving to the next.

I know you got the article on introducing cats, but did anyone give you this follow up article about unsuccessful introductions?

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction

 

[Rummy]

Awww... what cutie pies. Was that pic taken before the changed in George's behaviour?

Wonder if something startled George and he's blaming Oscar? If so, it could be a form of Re-directed Aggression In Cats

How does Oscar react to George's aggression?

Oscar just walks away , but George won't always let him. Sometimes he'll jump on him and Oscar will hiss. If I don't get there in time Oscar will start to freak out and meow really loud and angry. It looks like a fight but no gets hurt, but maybe that's because I get to them in time, I don't know.

 

[Rummy]

Hi. Cute pic of your cats!! I thought your name, as well as their names, sounded familiar - so, I went back to check your other threads.

From what I could gather in re-reading them, these two cats have only been together for maybe 1 1/2 months? And, it seems throughout your posts, there has been a level of aggression between the two all along, yes? So, it might help if you could explain how/when things smoothed out between the two and when this switch was 'flipped' with George. Did this happen when they were given more time together? Maybe George is not ready for this yet.

How old is George (sorry if it was in a previous post and I missed it)? The older he is, the longer it is going to take him to adjust to Oscar.

Also, you still have them separated most of the time based on another thread you started today, if I understand correctly?

Cat Confined To One Room, How To Keep Him Happy?

You can swap areas so that neither one is confined to a single space all the time. Try giving Oscar brief times here and there to wander throughout the house, while making sure George is in a place he considers safe and likes to be in so that he doesn't feel as if he is being neglected or shut out.

Did you follow through the steps of introducing cats? In the case where you might have moved from one step to the next too fast, it could help to explain the difficulties you are experiencing. Each step has to be done successfully before moving to the next.

I know you got the article on introducing cats, but did anyone give you this follow up article about unsuccessful introductions?

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction

Hi! Yes, looking back it feels so much longer than it's actually been. So maybe I am moving too fast.

Last weekend, I let Oscar out for 6 hours with George and it went really well. A couple of scuffles but nothing serious. We did the same on the Monday, probably even longer out together with the same results.

George started getting mad when Oscar started spending more time outside the room. On Thursday, I was gone for ten hours at work, and went I got home and let Oscar out to be in the main house with George that's when it happened. George just seemed so annoyed with Oscar. Stalking him and picking fights. I shook it off as pent up energy on both their parts. Friday same thing, I'm gone all day, Oscar comes out and George is annoyed. And then Saturday, yesterday, I'm only gone six hours, I tried playing with George for half an hour before letting Oscar out. It went okay for an hour or so. But once my fiance got home, same thing, George acted really annoyed with everything. I just feel so badly for Oscar being in that room. Oscar does get time outside, at least an hour and more on my days off.

I dunno, I'm considering just started all over again, but I'm so discouraged by George's attitude. I dont want George to be stressed either but I just dont get why he's stressed. Also George is 5 and Oscar is 3.5.

 

[FeebysOwner]

See if reading the article above about unsuccessful introduction might help in getting an idea where in the process you could potentially start over.

As I said before, if you have a secondary room that George is very comfortable in, you can place him in there while you give some time to let Oscar to roam the rest of the house. Since there are two of you, perhaps some of the time that one of the cats is being confined one of you could dedicate time to spend with them in there, while the other spends time with the one who has free reign of the house?

Oscar needs to look at his room as somewhere you guys like to spend time too, so he isn't always in there alone! And, George will be less upset about being confined to a room, even if it is a safe place for him, if he isn't always left there alone either.

 

[stephmnichols]

It seems like George gets the most frustrated with Oscar when someone comes home and doesn't greet him first. Maybe continuing playing with George for half hour or so before letting Oscar out will keep helping; it doesn't sound to me like you're in a position where you need to restart. It sounds like George is just getting jealous when he isn't the centre of your attention at first.

 

[Rummy]

See if reading the article above about unsuccessful introduction might help in getting an idea where in the process you could potentially start over.

As I said before, if you have a secondary room that George is very comfortable in, you can place him in there while you give some time to let Oscar to roam the rest of the house. Since there are two of you, perhaps some of the time that one of the cats is being confined one of you could dedicate time to spend with them in there, while the other spends time with the one who has free reign of the house?

Oscar needs to look at his room as somewhere you guys like to spend time too, so he isn't always in there alone! And, George will be less upset about being confined to a room, even if it is a safe place for him, if he isn't always left there alone either.

Oscar's room is my art studio so I spend lots of time in there with him! George goes into our laundry room when Oscar is out, thats where George goes on instinct when he's scared so I think he's happy in there.

Yah, I'm kind of at a loss there. They are already used to each other's scent and sight. It's just free roam time together that's an issue so I think I amped it up too high too soon. I'll have them spend more time in Oscar's room together first before bringing him into George's territory this time.

 

[Rummy]

It seems like George gets the most frustrated with Oscar when someone comes home and doesn't greet him first. Maybe continuing playing with George for half hour or so before letting Oscar out will keep helping; it doesn't sound to me like you're in a position where you need to restart. It sounds like George is just getting jealous when he isn't the centre of your attention at first.

Yah, that could be it. I hope that's all it is and he just gets over it with time when he realizes Oscar isn't replacing him.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I'll have them spend more time in Oscar's room together first before bringing him into George's territory this time.

Will George freak out in that room with Oscar being in there? I guess it is worth a try!!

 

[Rummy]

Will George freak out in that room with Oscar being in there? I guess it is worth a try!!

They were fine before in there. That's always been the foster's room and George was only allowed in there to play with them so I think it's a good spot.

Lately it's been where the rat's were, poor guys. They used to have the whole room to explore and now they're locked up in my closet. I think that's another reason I'm so impatient, I feel bad for my rats and I want them to have that room back as soon as possible.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Oh, your poor rats!!! I so see your dilemma - trying to keep ALL of your fur babies happy! And, that means poor you too!!

 

[Rummy]

Oh, your poor rats!!! I so see your dilemma - trying to keep ALL of your fur babies happy! And, that means poor you too!!

I really appreciate that, it's been stressful and I'm a ball of anxiety over it lol but we'll get there. Just gotta stay positive.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Just gotta stay positive.

A good (and sometimes hard to elicit) attitude to have!!

 

[rubysmama]

Oscar just walks away , but George won't always let him. Sometimes he'll jump on him and Oscar will hiss. If I don't get there in time Oscar will start to freak out and meow really loud and angry. It looks like a fight but no gets hurt, but maybe that's because I get to them in time, I don't know.

If there's no fur flying, blood, or one cat appearing stressed, their meowing/hissing might be just the 2 of them setting boundaries and let the other know when to back off.

Have you seen this article?
Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing?

Also, when they're together, do you give them yummy treats so that George will associate Oscar with good things?

 

[Rummy]

If there's no fur flying, blood, or one cat appearing stressed, their meowing/hissing might be just the 2 of them setting boundaries and let the other know when to back off.

Have you seen this article?
Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing?

Also, when they're together, do you give them yummy treats so that George will associate Oscar with good things?

Yes, I feed George treat after treat. And I give them a meal of wet food when they see each other in the morning.

The problem is George is stressed. He is quite obviously unhappy with Oscar, he's restless and chaotic when Oscar is in the room. There's no blood, but George normally does have a mouthful of Oscar fuzz when I pull him off. I did wonder initially if it was play but because Oscar tries his best to ignore George now, I don't think it is.

 

[rubysmama]

Hmmm ... does sound like they're not ready to be together yet. Keep telling George you love him, and that he's not being replaced. Sounds silly, but he might understand.

 

[Lisannez]

We have two female cats they are 13 years old, and have been together since they were six months old. We go through periods of aggression several times a year. Sometimes it lasts for a few weeks, others it's just a day or two. Often we can identify the cause (the vet, or a medical procedure) but often times we have no clue. Almost 99 percent of the time it is our ragdoll that is aggressive and our tuxedo that ignores her or takes the brunt of it. I often wonder if it's because we got the ragdoll first, meaning it was her domain that the tuxie came into. My point is that this type of behavior even happens with cats that have been together for years, and we humans have no clue why and probably will never figure it out. It could be that this is what is happening, but you are more anxious because you just got them both and you worry that they will never get along. Hopefully that's not the case, and it is positive that they did get along for some period of time. It could be they are just in a tiff about something we do not understand. I agree with keeping them apart until it subsides. If you can get them to cooperate you may also consider giving each a bath. Sometimes one cat releases something from his or her anal glands, like a fear pheromone and the other cat continues to smell it, or it causes non recognition aggression. Good luck. I suspect if you hang in there it will get better. I know it's hard though.

 

[Rummy]

We have two female cats they are 13 years old, and have been together since they were six months old. We go through periods of aggression several times a year. Sometimes it lasts for a few weeks, others it's just a day or two. Often we can identify the cause (the vet, or a medical procedure) but often times we have no clue. Almost 99 percent of the time it is our ragdoll that is aggressive and our tuxedo that ignores her or takes the brunt of it. I often wonder if it's because we got the ragdoll first, meaning it was her domain that the tuxie came into. My point is that this type of behavior even happens with cats that have been together for years, and we humans have no clue why and probably will never figure it out. It could be that this is what is happening, but you are more anxious because you just got them both and you worry that they will never get along. Hopefully that's not the case, and it is positive that they did get along for some period of time. It could be they are just in a tiff about something we do not understand. I agree with keeping them apart until it subsides. If you can get them to cooperate you may also consider giving each a bath. Sometimes one cat releases something from his or her anal glands, like a fear pheromone and the other cat continues to smell it, or it causes non recognition aggression. Good luck. I suspect if you hang in there it will get better. I know it's hard though.

Interesting, so what do you do in the meantime? Seperate them until they chill out or just let it work itself out?

 

[Lisannez]

Interesting, so what do you do in the meantime? Seperate them until they chill out or just let it work itself out?

If we are home we usually do not separate them we just keep a close eye on them and if they start to physically fight we make a loud noise like clapping our hands and that stops it. If there is hissing or growling we ignore it, we go so far as to look the other way don't make eye contact. For the most part the non aggressive cat just walks away, so it’s a lot of hissing and growling not much actual attacking. Non aggressor is two times the size of aggressor so usually the littler cat backs off. A few times we did put them in separate rooms during the work day and they were fine there too. We also have a nest camera so we can check on them when we are not home.

Are your cats actually hurting each other or just fighting ? If neither is physically getting hurt chances are it’s upsetting you a lot more than it’s upsetting them. And when you get anxious and upset the cats feel that, particularly the aggressor cat, and that makes the cat even more afraid. Cats are very sensitive to our emotions and behavior. The human is scared so clearly I am right to be scared is how most cats feel. Believe me we found it to be very upsetting to ignore it. The fellow posters on here helped me out to just hang in there and wait that it would work itself out and it did. You can try those feline away products but our cats hated them and I feel like it actually made things worse. You can see a vet, you can separate them, you can do all of these things (we did) and sometimes unfortunately the only thing that heals this is time. They are angry with each other about something, we as humans just cannot see what that is. It will work itself out eventually most likely. Our cats are in my profile picture here where one is holding the other while she sleeps, so they do get along, but they have periods of hating each other too.