Rescued cat turns into a territorial monster
By dvmurphy
@dvmurphy (326)
United States
March 14, 2010 8:40am CST
I found a beautiful white and gray declawed cat outside about two weeks ago that was skin and bones. I brought her inside and gave her a bath, cleaned her ears and put out notices that I had found this cat. No one yet has claimed her and I am beginning to understand why. She has taken over my house! She sleeps on my bed, right over my head and will not let my old cat who is nearly ten even get on the bed. She attacks my cat if he even gets near me. Both are declawed. Smokey is our cat and is basically my husband's cat. Since Mason (new cat) arrived she does nothing but take over my bed, Smokey's pet bed, and anywhere else that Smokey wants. She lays in wait and attacks him (not playfully) around corners and last night attacked him when he sat on the loveseat with me and she was across the room on the other couch. Smokey is very gentle and just runs away from her and he is much larger. How do you break her of this? If she continues to act this way I will have to get rid of Mason and my grand-daughter is already attached.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@savypat (20216)
• United States
14 Mar 10
Very few cats can live peacefully together, especially when indroduced in adulthood. Your new cat was probubly an only cat where she lived before. Time may lessen the attackes but they willl never be buddies. It's a shame what happened to her and I hope you can find another nice home for her, if she pretty it will be easier.
1 person likes this
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
15 Mar 10
People dump their very pretty cat's just as fast as they dump their homely ones. Being, beautiful, expensive or pure bred doesn't make an irresponsible human treat the cat any better. Dems the fax. Some humans suck, Cats rule!
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
15 Mar 10
Females are more territorial than males. It maybe that it won't work out and that you will need to find her a home where she is the only cat. Or maybe you need to separate them for a while.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
14 Mar 10
I have this problem with a gray tomcat that keeps on attacking my pet cat Purr. I don't know who the owner is, and I doubt if that tomcat does have any owners. Even if I keep Purr in the garden where it has a gate, that darn tomcat will still come in and chase Purr away. Purr doesn't fight like your cat Smokey and I have to be on the guard if Purr is sleeping in the garden so that the tomcat will not come in. I guess its their instinct of being territorial and its hard to make them understand that the cat that they are chasing was there first.
@ElicBxn (63638)
• United States
14 Mar 10
Do you have a can of air - like you might use for cleaning the computer? Use that on her - try to not do it in her face with the straw attached, but every time she attacks Smokey do it.
Also, keep her away from him and in her in a bathroom or some place so he has most of the house if you are gone - like to work or for the evening.
Even put her in "time out" (the separate area) if she's too aggressive toward him.
If it means having 2 zones with litter boxes and the like, then do it.
2 weeks is a short time for cats to be together and it may take months if she's so dominate, to get her to tolerate Smokey, but you must make it obvious that he's the prime cat and you won't allow her to attack him.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
14 Mar 10
You have got to put your foot down right now!! When Mason misbehaves, put her in a little cat kennel for five minutes or so after telling her "NO!". If she likes the kennel, figure out something else that she doesn't like. She is understandably possessive of her new home, having starved on the street, but she must be disciplined like any other pet. You could use a spray bottle of water, too. When she stops or avoids the bad behavior, praise her and cuddle with her. You'll have a "new" Mason in just a few days.
@kaylachan (71519)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
15 Mar 10
The problem when you bring new cats in is you did it to fast. You have to keep the two cats seperate as much as possible. The "new" cat won't like it much, but its the only way to stop the bad behavior. This can take months for them to adjust -- if they do which isn't very likely. I hope you don't decide to get rid of the cat, but that may be your last resort.
