Update: cats fighting drawing blood!

[faganfamily1]

Im not sure who was fighting...but my new kitten maggie and resident female have not been getting along. I have tried reintroducing them and maggie will cry her head off in that room and that didnt go well. All i know is that i came upstairs and that there were drops of blood on the floor and maggie has a cut right above her paw(how should I take care of that btw?) and Im not sure what else to do. Of course our resident male is fine, and we love maggie and bella. My husband is having a bad day at work and now this...I could really use some advice ASAP!!!

 

[sandtigress]

How quickly did you go through the reintroductions and how did you go about doing it? Have you heard of a product called Feliway? It tends to be calming to cats. A very slow reintroduction along with Feliway might do the trick.

My boys were doing some fighting, so I took the younger one with me for a short trip home (three full days, two half days). They came back together last night, and things seem pretty calm right now. But then my cats are very social, and Chay was extremely lonely and bored while he was at home, so after the separation I think that he was just happy to see a buddy again. Good luck!

 

[faganfamily1]

We had introduced them and that went to fast, so we introduced them again- the only thing is that we are getting mixed advice. One person I know who has a multicat household said to just let them work out their heirarchy, and that was working out for awhile, but now I dont think so.

 

[farleyv]

Introductions can take a very long time. Could your older cat really do some serious harm to the kitten. I don't recall how old they are.

My remedy for this is a screen door. I don't know how you are set up, but I have a vacant bedroom. I bought a cheap wooden screen door. My husband put it up and I kept any cat I was trying to introduce in that room. There was about 2 inches under it to allow "foot play". I would feed near the door to get them used to eating together. Exchange sleeping areas to get them used to the scent of eachother. Cats can't be rushed into "happy everafter". It can take a long time. Weeks, months.

As far as the injury to the paw, if blood was drawn, you run the risk of infection. If it were me, I'd call the vet and get their opinion. But don't be surprised if they want to see the kitten before an infection does set in.

Sorry things are going so roughly. It does not signal failure....just more time needed.

Keep us posted. It's stressful, I know.

 

[missymotus]

Originally Posted by faganfamily1

the only thing is that we are getting mixed advice.

Because there is more than one way to do things

With my cats they are fine with me plonking a new cat down, and they are friends almost instantly. While other households take months and months to get along. Screen door mentioned above is a good idea.

Are both the girls spayed? That can make a difference.

Best to keep everyones nails clipped during intros, so accidents are less likely to happen.