Temporary Separation Of 2 Bonded Cats?

[Northernstar]

This might be a bit of a long post, so please bear with me!
I have 2 cats, a male Bengal, and a female Oriental, both 9 years old and both spayed/neutered as kittens. They have lived together since they were kittens.
In October I did a cross country move for work, bringing both cats with me (my spouse is still at our old home as it hasn’t sold yet). They have settled in pretty well considering, however the male Bengal has noteably become more vocal and more aggressive towards the female Oriental and is being a bully. There has always been some degree of sexual aggression from the Bengal, and this is usually remedied with a water spray or scruffing him. Since I moved, it has gotten much worse to the point where the Oriental is hiding and cowering when the Bengal is around. I came home today to find clumps of fur (from both cats) on the floor, then he assaulted her again right in front of me (he bites her neck and tries to mount her, making her squeal). He has previously drawn blood doing this. Prior to the move, they were always snuggled up together, despite the ocassional spat. Now they are spending little time together as the Oriental doesn’t want to be near him, and she seeks safety in my bedroom.
I need to move back across the country again in a few months (it’s a long story!), so there will be more upheaval. My spouse will be coming out to see me soon, and we are debating whether he should take the Bengal back with him when he leaves, but will this cause more issues? They have never been apart in 9 years. I’ll be returning home in Feb/March with the other cat.

 

[m3rma1d]

Have him take one back. When it's time for you to move back, do the slow cat introduction stuff as though they'd never met.
Or just go ahead and try that now, if you have time before hubby arrives... Might end up keeping them together that way if that's what you'd prefer.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I wish I had the right answer for you, but I don't. It would seem your Bengal guy is reacting aggressively because of the move. And, your Oriental is probably reacting to his behavior - as well as the move.

It would seem logical to separate them to help prevent injuries - to either of them. And, it does seem like if he were taken back home, your husband could observe him to see if the aggression decreases due to him being back to 'his home'. It may or may not. In the meantime, you could also see if Oriental gets more relaxed in her new environment without him being there, knowing that you will have to have her readapt when you move back and re-introduce the two of them at that time.

Ideally - to me - would be to take them both back home and start a re-introduction process, back in the environment they were used to. However, that would require your husband having to deal with it alone.

I am sure you will get some other opinions, and then maybe you will have some time to assess all you've been offered, talk to your husband about it all, and then the two of you make the decision best for you - and your two cats that you both know so much better than any member on this site can/will.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
If it were me, I'd take the Bengal back to give the Oriental a break.
You might talk to your vet about calming products, these are a lot of changes for your boy to deal with.
Maybe there's something here?

Re-directed Aggression In Cats

 

[Diana Faye]

It sounds like the Bengal has some displaced energy that is being taken out on the Oriental. To remedy, I think you'd have to do a lot of play/ interaction to tire out the Bengal and build up the other cat's confidence. Cat shelves and other hiding spots could also give them more territory/ space from each other.

It sounds like this isn't too out of the norm, however it was increased due to your move. Making the suggested changes may be difficult for you right now, and with another move in plan you'd be stayings all over again. Separating them until you're settled may be a good idea, however as far as who gets who isI talk to your husband to see who can realistically put in the time to keep your bengal engaged. Once you can be sure that youryo settled you can do a slow reintroduction.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. So sorry it's cat aggression that brought you here.

One thing I don't believe has been mentioned yet, is that your Bengal may be missing his "dad". Was your Bengal closer to your husband than yourself? If so, that could be adding to his stress.

He might also be picking up stress from you, since I'm sure everything you're going through is stressful.

Also, do you know if there were cats or other pets previously in your new home? Or are there strays/ferals that hang around the property. That could also be causing aggression.

I think for right now, you for sure need to keep the 2 cats separated when you're not at home. And since you'll be separating them, perhaps turn it into a re-introduction and see if that maybe helps with your Bengal's behaviour.

You could also try Feliway, or calming treats. I've never used either, but some members have found one, or both, helpful.

TCS has some articles that might be helpful. Here are the links:

Why Do Cats Attack?

Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
You, Your Cat And Stress
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Introducing Cats To Cats
How To Safely Break Up A Cat Fight