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Author Topic: Cat wars  (Read 3107 times)

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Cat wars
« on: October 15, 2015, 08:50:13 pm »
Sadly my brother passed away in February. I promised to look after his much loved cat and with 13 acres hoped there was enough room between the outhouse ( where he now lives) and the yard ( where my much smaller cat lives) to minimise any friction. Trouble is he is a bruiser and intimidates and occasionally attacks my smaller cat.  Ideas anyone?

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Cat wars
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2015, 08:55:35 am »
Fortunately I have a decent size cat run so I can confine him and we keep him in overnight. He has been here six months now and I was hoping they would become more accepting of each other by now.  The hot spot seems to be late afternoon when feeding time is approaching he is a big hungry cat so I wonder if an auto feeder midday might help. Your point about attention is a good one, any fracas happens when I am out for the day, never at weekend.

Q

  • Joined Apr 2013
Re: Cat wars
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2015, 11:58:02 am »
I've told you a million times not to exaggerate your thread titles.
I saw your title and came here expecting cat carnage & find thats its more of a feline fracas or a cat spat involving just one moody moggy pah!
If you cant beat 'em then at least bugger 'em about a bit.

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Cat wars
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2015, 03:17:53 pm »
Alas Q it is your good self guilty of exaggerating. Since we have never before communicated your million times is actual a million times the true number of 'told you' which in fact is one. This time and this time alone.  In the meantime my cat remains embattled and sound advice is sought.

ladyK

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Conwy Valley
Re: Cat wars
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2015, 10:15:25 pm »
Not sure how sound my advice can be as I've only got experience integrating new cats while indoors (before they are let out) but I think there is a lot to be gained out of controlling interactions for a while and to only gradually allowing free reign to a newcomer.

Not easy with outdoor cats obviously...

I also think observing them more closely and finding out what triggers the bullying might point you to what would be the best way out. Here's your chance for being a detective :-)

Just some ideas:

Is the bully neutered? If not that might be well worth a trip to the vets.

Could you allow your resident cat access to the house, so he can get out of the way of bully? If he had a 'safe place' he would be less stressed overall and maybe better able to deal with bullying at other times.

Conversely if bully cat is used to house access and/or lots of attention could you allow him in the house for a time every day? Maybe then he would be less likely 'to play it out' on the other cat.

Feed them in totally separate areas? If each would hang around a very different area expecting dinner would they still fight?

Just throwing ideas out there... hope you find a way out of this.
"If one way is better than another, it is the way of nature." (Aristotle)

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Cat wars
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2015, 06:33:22 pm »
Thank you ladyK,  some great ideas there.  Some of those I am already doing and certainly the point about observation I am sure is a very good one and your other thoughts I will try too where I can.   Curiously my problem seems to be compounded by having too much room - if the cats were contained but closer together they would get more chance to feel safe in each other's company.  He is neutered, but nonetheless clearly a 'top cat' and he was very close to my brother, so maybe cats can feel bereaved too.....

Anyway, I shall,persevere. 

 

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