Is there any way for two snipped male cats to get along

[musiclawyer]

My lady friend moved in with me and her male cat, 2 yrs old. Same as my male cat. They are both sweet, like to go outside, but they fight if left unsupervised. Any suggestions besides just getting rid of one. PS it's a pretty big house with an attached garage. We could keep them apart but that's not ideal.

[mr_hat]

1. Try smearing a little pat of peanut butter on >

the nape of each cat's neck.

[bertha katzenengel]

2. How long since they moved in?

I have suggestions but they usually only work if tried in the very beginning.

If everyone's been together for a while, a good place to start is to have two cat boxes. There is a good chance that they'll each claim one (although that doesn't always happen).

You might also try a product called Feliway. Available in spray and diffusers. See http://www.drfostersmith.com

Good luck!

[flamingyouth]

6. Amen on the Feliway

That's really helped with Papa's aggression (not so much with his other bizarre "habits") and spraying. :hi:

[notadmblnd]

7. I used Feliway.

my most recent came to us on a cold winters day. I brought him in with my other two cats one male one female and the new one commenced spraying. Well I rushed him off to the vet and got him neutered but was told it was already behavorial and he would probably not stop. But guess what? One application of Feliway and he did. The two males just avoid each other, But my female hates him and will hiss and spit if he comes near her. Other than that there is no fighting. Sometimes I think they even party together, I came home one day and they had knocked the tv off the table in the dining room.

[Kiteflyer]

16. I've had 3 cat and all were declawed

Got 2 male kittens and had both declawed at 6 months. Had NO behavior problems whatsoever. Both lived wonderful cat lives. Saved the furniture.

My present cat I adopted a female at age 1.5 years old and had her fixed and declawed. No behavior problems whatsoever. Cat is now 8 years old and has never been sick and runs and plays with toys and toy mice just like any cat.

I could never understand why some people object so much to declawing a cat.

Btw, my very first cat was a female Siamese and I didn't have her declawed. I see no difference in the behavior of my declawed cats vs the one with claws other than the clawed cat ruined my furniture.

[notadmblnd]

20. surprisingly, my cats don't claw the furniture

maybe it's because they go outside. maybe they just know I don't like it. My female will go in the bathroom and wrestle with the rug though.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. What's Feliway?

[bertha katzenengel]

21. Feliway:

"Uses calming, analogue pheromones to reduce instinctive urges to territorially mark furniture, doors, or walls. Ideal for multi-cat homes, moving, visits to the veterinarian, or introducing new cats to your home. Scientific studies confirm Feliway's effectiveness in mimicking the results of facial pheromone marking." http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1061&Ntt=feliway&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2002&Nty=1

We have the diffusers; they're supposed to calm everybody. In a house with many cats we can use all the calming we can get.

We use the spray when it's time to go to the vet. We spray the towel inside the carrier about an hour before the trip. I've seen a difference in one of our cats. I think it helps.

[Catshrink]

23. You can get either form on ebay for a lot less

than you'll find it in the stores. I've bought it several times.

The first time I used it, my former hider Wrigley jumped into my lap and stayed there until I moved. His personality has totally changed. When I got the dog, he was the first cat to warm up to him. Drugs are good.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. Thanks for the info Bertha and Catshrink!

I'm going to try it out! Two of my cats are normally mellow fellows, but periodically get really pissy. I hope this'll do the trick. :hi:

[EC]

3. declaw them and let them fight until they

get used to each other...I hate declawing, but finally had to break down and do it to one of mine that kept getting into fights with another one of mine (he was the new kitty in the house and the other was the alpha) both got declawed and immediately stopped fighting. (I think the declawing embarrassed them into behaving)..

[Lindacooks]

11. Do NOT declaw. You're only asking for trouble.

Declawing can lead to many, many emotional problems, including refusal to use the litter box. Plus, if they ever get outside, they are toast. AND it's cruel.

[Snap]

14. Yes, declawing is cruel.

Illegal in some civilized countries. On the main topic, male cats generally work it out. I've done it where the most aggresive cat gets his nails trimmed very short, regularly, and the less aggressive one gets to have a full set, kind of as an equalizer.

[napi21]

4. How long have they been together?

I have 2 male cats that have lived together for 13 years. The one was a stray who came to our house when he was around 7-10 months old, and the other we got from the shelter when he was a kitten. They used to roughhouse a lot when they were very young, but now just kida sniff each other to see where each has been.

I'm sure there's a lot of jealousy between the 2 cats right now, and you're both going to have to show each that loved by BOTH of you. Animals don't like to share their owners affection. Give it time, and I'd bet all will be well.

[musiclawyer]

9. only 5 days now

My cat seems to be the alpha. It was his house first. He was actually beginning to accept the new cat, but the new cat was pretty traumatized from the first encounter, which was not good, and did not want to accept apologies. So we are pretty much keeping them apart for now.

[NV Whino]

5. Usually a little time will ease the situation

They just hav to agree on who's top cat. Of course you could go get a young female who would cow both of them.

[KoKo]

10. Agree...it's a territorial thing. They will sort it out. Just don't try

to play favorites because your cat will sense it and try to be more "dominant."

It's like moving in with a new roomate...It takes awhile for each to adjust to the others quirks and space.

Don't give up on it or try to interfere too much. Unless there's blood the cats will probably work it out on their own.

Best way to have introduced them was to have the new cat in a room by itself for awhile. That way YOUR cat could have had time to get used to the smell and presense. Then being that cats are curious your cat would have been sniffing around and then wanted to know what this new thing was all about. When it started to show a little curiosity you could have let it "peek" and then gradually introduced the new cat. That way your cat would have known it was still dominant and the new cat would have had a clue that it was the newcomer. You might still try this, but it's so late that the two are now warring over territory. Remember YOUR place smells like your cat. The new one just wants to get it's own smells around the place here and there. :D

Sorry for the long deal here...but hope it's helpful.

[northzax]

8. well, tasers work in our family

teach them that being in the same room with each other creates exruciating pain. they'll get the message.

[Lindacooks]

13. That's cruel and could kill the cat.

[northzax]

25. well, you know what they say about Cats

and curiosity.

[Lindacooks]

12. Here's advice we paid for from an animal behaviorist:

Separate the cats. Then start this program:

Spend time with each cat, totally ignoring them. If they jump in your lap, put them down as you would put down a book you finished reading. Do NOT make eye contact, do not talk to them, do not pet them. Also take away their food the first day. Give them lots of water.

After 24 hours of this, bring them together, feed them their favorite food immediately, and lavish praise on them. Keep doing this as long as they behave. When a fight starts, immediately separate them, take away the food, and ignore them as before.

Repeat as needed.

After only one cycle of this, my cats, who hated each other, were friends.

[Withywindle]

18. That's interesting, I didn't know that!

When I and my neutered grumpy old man-cat moved in with my SO and his neutered rambunctious middle-aged man-cat, we kept mine, the one who was new to the apartment, in a room of his own for a few days: his own food bowl and litter box and all that, so he had his "territory" to get used to. They'd yowl at each other through the door. Gradually we'd open the door, let them see each other, etc. After about 5 days, we just threw the door open and let the fur fly. They fought often for a few days, and then they were fine.

Three years later, we still get the occasional hissing match and batting-around, but it's not serious. They seem to like each other OK.

I didn't know about the ignoring thing. If I'm ever in this situation again I'll try it.

[LynzM]

15. They probably need more time, also

You've already gotten some good suggestions here. I might add that it took our 2 cats about a month to get adjusted to my mom's 2, all of whom are spayed/neutered. After about that long, they still scuffle, but they've each staked out some space and figured out the pecking order. 5 days isn't long for a couple cats... Separating them and gradually getting them used to each other is a good plan, too. Good luck!

[Schema Thing]

19. Wisconson Has Found A Way

[LynneSin]

24. The governor rejected it

so Wisconsin is not the solution

[LynneSin]

22. You should have kept them separate when she first moved in

Anytime a new cat is introduced into a home that already has a cat, it's important to give about a weeks adjustment period for the cats, regardless of their sex, to get use to each other.

By throwing them in together immediately, your cat is now threatened by the new cat because now the old cat needs to share his space, food, and all that stuff.

I would immediately separate those 2 cats for a period of 1-2 weeks and then slowing reintroduce her cat back into the main environment.