Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Smudgey on March 17, 2012, 17:37:15 PM

Title: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Smudgey on March 17, 2012, 17:37:15 PM
some of you will know this part of the story for those that don't see previous thread
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,40312.msg712575.html#msg712575the

Well now Zak the existing male cat keeps cornering Smudge I think he only seems to do this since smudge has been Ill on antibiotics

Now should we seperate (which we are doing atm) or leave them to it there have not been many wat i would call cat fights they just seem to sit and stare at one another zak does sometimes growl

As Zak passes Smudge will sometime swipe at him

Do u think feliway might help???

Advice please Hubby wants to put smudge back outside I don't think this is fair wat do u guys think?
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 17, 2012, 17:45:57 PM
Definately dont put him back outside, thats just cruel.

I think just slowly let them be together under supervision and if it gets nasty seperate them................Misa and Lupin regularily have swiping contests sometimes with sound effects mostly from Misa and misa does that sticky a paw out went Lupin is walking past!

Feliway might help
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Dawn F on March 17, 2012, 17:47:31 PM
I'd give feliway a try
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Liz on March 17, 2012, 17:47:42 PM
Feliway would be a good idea and some Zylkene tablets for a couple of weeks on their wet food wouldn't hurt - I use both when doing newbie introductions and they work for me

I am a very multi household of domestics, pedigrees and ferals of all shapes and sizes and ours live on the whole very well and I only play referee when Leo and Oscar decide they want to have a posturing contest

Sounds like the top boy cat is reminding the newbie who is boss
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Smudgey on March 17, 2012, 17:50:42 PM
ok will get some feliway

Don't worry smudge is not going back outside unless he asks to lol

Liz wat is Zykelene?

Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 17, 2012, 17:53:37 PM
On another thread its said that zyklene are huge and unless you can mix in food and they will eat the food, no use and waste of money!
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Smudgey on March 17, 2012, 17:58:16 PM
On another thread its said that zyklene are huge and unless you can mix in food and they will eat the food, no use and waste of money!

ok thanks for that might try a bit of rescue remedy instead then
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Hippykitty on March 18, 2012, 18:58:48 PM
Fred used to do a bit of this "I'm the boss around here" stuff when Lucy and her three joined Fred and Victoria. I don't think it's intended as serious fighting, but just a cuff to establish the pecking order.

Zak is probably just telling Smudge that he's the main man. Unless it gets nasty, leave them to it.
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: KittyB on March 19, 2012, 11:12:06 AM
Carmen and Tosca can have a little spat now and again. Mainly because Carmen is a little snooty and thinks she is IT (well she is but so is everyone else) :).

Now and then I will hear a hiss and a growl from them. I'll find them having a stand off. Ears down ready to bat the other one. It usually happens when Tosca trys to play with Carmen. Carmen doesn't really "play" with anyone shes far to "civilised" for that lol.

I feed them seperatly now and make sure Carmen can have the time out she so loves. I can tell she feels a bit stressed sometimes with all the noise from the living room and the three cats sitting on "HER" furniture. It doesn't happen often and they are usually quite tolerant of one another (they are sisters after all) it's just when one of them steps on the others paws.

I might try using a feliway myself. Can't see it doing any harm! :)

*EDIT* By time out I mean letting Carmen go into our bedroom on her own for a little while to sit on the bed. :)

Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: rachelburdett20 on March 19, 2012, 21:53:40 PM
the vets i work at has been having excelent reveiws from zylekene (or however the heck you spell it) much better than feliway and cheeper two, milk based so majority of cats dont realise its on their food, or mix the powder with a spoonfull of tuna / salmon paste if they wont eat it in their food
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 19, 2012, 22:44:27 PM
If its milk based then presumably you would need to know if your cat is lactuse intolerent?
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: rachelburdett20 on March 19, 2012, 23:02:37 PM
its all safe, no lactose involved  :shy:....... as far as i was made aware / such a small amout doubt it would have any affect, its a digested form of a milk protein that comforts them when they are kittens, as adults they lose the ability to digest this protein so it is broken down for them = happy kittys
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 19, 2012, 23:04:20 PM
Thanks for the info  ;D
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Smudgey on March 22, 2012, 21:45:57 PM
Ok things came to a bit of a head tonight Zak gave Smudge a bit of a pasting they are both ok lots of hissing squealing and fisty cuffs smudge fell off the chair and bolted for the bedroom and hid behind the cupboard
Hubby doesn't think it's fair on Smudge being (his words) picked on all the time and thinks we should put Smudge back outside :-(
I don't think this is fair either he said well we should get rid of one of the boys I said NO obviously but I really do not like them fighting I do not know wat to do for the best anymore feel like crying :-(
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 23, 2012, 00:12:11 AM
So have you seperated them and are you reintroducing them?

Thats the way to go along with the other things suggested.

TBH your Oh is just copping out and you need to take control of the situation, dont let them fight, seperate with a pillow and herd one of them out into a different room and close the door.
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: JackSpratt on March 23, 2012, 09:15:32 AM
Ok, cats that are REALLY fighting aren't happy. Sorry to say that. :hug: I assume you've tried all the things like feliway, rescue remedy and zylkene? Also, making sure there are lots of hidey holes, high spots and general areas the cats can claim as "theirs."

If you have and there's still major disruption you might have to think about trying to find a home for one of the cats seeming unhappy. Trust me, I know how hard that is. :hug:
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Smudgey on March 24, 2012, 09:56:00 AM
As we all know Jackspratt rehoming is very very difficult will try zyklene and feliway on order now
the fighting has really only been since Smudge was poorly and had to have Antibiotics I spooked them both too and that is when all the aggression started  :(
Gill yes have seperated them they were not together at all times anyway only evenings and weekends and supervised Zak is sooo quick I did not manage to get there 1st  :(
My hubby just does not want to stress Smudge out He does care about him but does seem to prefer the easy option I am more stubborn and will persevere
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 24, 2012, 12:23:07 PM
pleased you will persevere and even if you dont get there first, you get there asap and stopthe fight using a pillow.

i understand quick cos have the same problem with lupin and just had to stop him attacking misa who is twice his size but is such a gentle boy.

lupin was just taking out his frustration against me on misa, lupin wants to go outside and i am not ready.
Title: Re: Multicat household advice needed
Post by: JackSpratt on March 25, 2012, 12:07:35 PM
Rehoming was only mentioned as a last option. ;)

Hence me asking if you'd tried any of the calming substances on offer. Hope one of them works and you get a little peace back.