HELP! Two rescue cats that apparently got on well....they really don't!

[Ela]

but do not forget that CP must take a cat back if you need it to happen but will try and delay cos they dont want it back   

Please do not tar all CP branches with the same brush although I am not saying that does not happen. I expect there is always one to spoil things and get us a bad name.

I personally feel once we home a cat we have a responsibility to it and our branch would take a cat back no matter how long, years if necessary after it had been re-homed. Also we also would bring these cats as soon as a space became available and if it were really urgent we would pay for a cattery pen until we have a free pen.

[JenGeorgieBob]

sadly, the peace and quiet and calm lasted about an hour.
Benji won't come downstairs at all, I tried shutting the bedroom door to encourage him downstairs and he tried to come down, but as soon as he saw Milo, he reversed and sat on the landing crying. Benji also has runny poo again, so is obviously stressed.
Milo is confident but is also suffering, as he loves knowing what we are doing, is very into everything but every time he came upstairs in the night, he ended up fighting with Benji who only feels safe in the bedroom.
They both have 2 litter trays each (one for wee and one for poo, although they both pee and poo in the same tray) but Milo keeps going upstairs to use Benji's tray (as well as using his own trays!) which seems to be a little distressing for Benji.
I am home a lot of the time and try to keep them both entertained, I have Da Bird and cubes for them, but whatever toy goes to Benji (including a mouse that he came with) Milo goes up and fights Benji then steals the toy! (and I have two of most of them!)
Milo is very food oriented, so I have put small amounts of dried food in empty tissue boxes and so on which keeps him entertained.
I think its all driving me slightly crazy! 
I am worried for Benji as he seems to be the one that is the most upset and I am worried because of his stress related gastroenteritas
And, very selfishly I know, but I don't think I could take 3 to 4 weeks of screaming fighting cats in the night, neither can my fiance, so we are again left considering splitting them up.
Thanks for all your help
Jen

[Ela]

Looks like things are now improving.

.I know I often have two cats in who have lived together a long time, in fact I have two now (Social services case), they came in about 10 days ago and it was only yesterday that all was peace and harmony again between them. Change of circumstances sadly does sometime bring about the behaviour in the topic.

[Millys Mum]

2 adults that dont previously know each other can take a little while to sort out their pecking order, however it sounds like they have done this!
Would love to see pics and fingers crossed peace continues 

[Janeyk]

I e-mailed cats protection and they said they ideally like the cats to spend 3 to 4 weeks settling in and establishing boundaries and to give them a chance together, they also recommended Feliway. However, I went out to University and have come back (dreading the fighting scenes on my return) and have come back to peace!!!????!!! there is no hissing, no fighting, they sat in the kitchen within touching distance of eachother sniffing as I gave them treats together (little bits of chicken) so now I dont know whats going on????? they are both calmly sitting in the living room acting like butter wouldn't melt! In the same room together!!!! 
I will see how things progress...

maybe something just went on between them  which they've now sorted  fingers crossed xx

[Lesley Frankie]

We got 2 of our boys from a shelter at the same time. It took them a few weeks to settle down together and there was quite a bit of fighting going on . At times we wondered whether it was going to work out but eventually, they sorted things out although they have never really become friends. They tolerate eachother but that may have more to do with their personalities. Basil would have probably been happy as an only cat. I would give it more time, they possibly need to realise that there is room, food and cuddles enough for both of them. Good luck.

[Fire Fox]

Maybe you could try clicker training with them, apparently it can be quite successful for behaviour problems. Definitely try the Feliway so many good reports, there is also Zylkene which is meant to help relax cats. Do you have enough litter trays for the two of them, and do you have lots of things to keep them occupied whilst you are not home? My Noah is indoor only and he LOVES his Bergan Turbo Track (Purrs shop). 

[Mark]

but will try and delay cos they dont want it back 

CP will always take a cat back and we make people sign to say that if they have to give a cat up, they must return it to us and not to another person or rescue.

[Stuart]

keeping my fingers crossed 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Keeping fingers crossed but do not forget that CP must take a cat back if you need it to happen but will try and delay cos they dont want it back 

[Dawn F]

lucky you!!!  maybe it was just the shock of moving house that freaked them a bit - hope things stay happy!

[JenGeorgieBob]

I e-mailed cats protection and they said they ideally like the cats to spend 3 to 4 weeks settling in and establishing boundaries and to give them a chance together, they also recommended Feliway. However, I went out to University and have come back (dreading the fighting scenes on my return) and have come back to peace!!!????!!! there is no hissing, no fighting, they sat in the kitchen within touching distance of eachother sniffing as I gave them treats together (little bits of chicken) so now I dont know whats going on????? they are both calmly sitting in the living room acting like butter wouldn't melt! In the same room together!!!! 
I will see how things progress...

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

i would ring cp and speak tom their rehoming officer, its best for all concerned to get this sorted out quick. cats that fight and injure eack other are high;y un;ike;y to ever get on until one becomes so terrified and stresses that it spends it life hiding,

i am sure that mulo will get another home.

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

I agree, you are doing the right thing by keeping just one as if there is tension, they will be stressed and unhappy. It can develop into bullying of the less confident one or could mean they end up with stress-related health problems later on so you are definitely doing the right thing.
Please remember you are still offering Benji a loving home and Milo will find one soon enough. Hopefully CP will home him as an only cat if he needs it. He may just want to be 'king of the castle!'

[Mark]

I think it it better to act now. A stressed cat is an unhappy cat. He will get over it. It can take a while for things to settle down but there is no guarantee they ever will - I would speak to them. 

It is possible that cats that seem to get on in one environment, don't in another.

I almost pass Bredhurst on my way to Hadlow College every Thursday & Friday and I keep meaning to have a look in (I volunteer for Canterbury CP).

[JenGeorgieBob]

Thanks, I have sent them an e-mail now, I just find it quite upsetting and feel like I'm really letting Milo down, as me and my fiance have already discussed this and feel it would be best if Milo were returned (if that were the only option) and now I feel like I have given upon Milo and failed him, sorry I'm a bit of a sappy person. Milo really is a lovely cat, he is playful and talks to you and likes to know where you are and what you are doing, and see what you are doing, he is very pretty too.
Thanks for your help
Jen

[Janeyk]

Sorry to hear this, I would tell CP what is happening 

[Dawn F]

I'd contact them - the same thing happened to us with Star and Amber - came as a pair and loathe each other - four years on they still aren't fans but co-exist with careful management of litter trays and food stations - we would have returned star ourselves but knew that the rescue they came from pts hard to home cats

[JenGeorgieBob]

Ok, I adopted Benji and Milo on Friday from Cats Protection in Bredhurst. They were kept together in an FIV unit until Benji was adopted. Sadly Benji suffered from stress related gastro-enteritus (spelling! sorry!) and was brought back to the Cats Protection. We wanted to adopt Milo and his new room-mate Jammy but apparently they hated eachother, and Benji was mentioned, so we came home with these chaps, having been told they got on well together. (they had been apart for about 2 weeks)
When we first got home, Benji was by far the most confident of the two, I think, having so recently been in a home environment. Milo, who was the most confident at Cats protection was very frightened of the space, but relaxed a lot more when interacting with us and receiving attention.
They both seemed to be settling in well, we had them in the 2nd bedroom together and heard no fighting, they started scratching at the door to be let out, so we did and Milo became more confident which is kind of where the problems started. Benji does NOT like Milo, he hisses and growls (but doesn't attack) Milo ignores the hissing and growling and will go right up into Benji's face and start fighting. Milo is a slim-lined fighting machine, but Benji is a bit roly-poly and has an old spinal injury that means he walks with a wobble and his tail flicks around constantly, so not really a fighting machine as such. The fighting seemed to occur around places where Milo could hide and jump out (behind the sofa, under the bed in between drawers on castors) we have since eliminated these 'hidey' places. They were left for about 6 hours yesterday with free-run of the house and had a fight! fur everywhere and a little stress-poo from Benji (he also got some of it on his tail) there are no real injuries, a couple of slight scratches. This has left Benji upset, he no longer comes downstairs and hides upstairs all the time, he didnt eat his food yesterday, but this morning I fed him in a different room from Milo and he ate it all. Benji is no longer as confident as he was when we first got him on Friday! At night time Milo stays downstairs and Benji upstairs and a nighttime of cuddles seems to have improved Benji's confidence a little as he came downstairs this morning and stayed in the same room as Milo for about 10 minutes.
The situation really isn't fair on either of the cats, Milo is always being told off and poor Benji is just not happy, what do we do? Should I contact Cats Protection about the problems I am having? Is it too early for me to be worrying, as it is really stressing me out and I am worried about the cats quality of life!
They both also have very different personalities from what I can tell so far. Benji is quite calm and likes to take things easy. Milo is into EVERYTHING very vocal (I would think he had some Bengal in him!) Milo seems to seek out interaction with Benji, but they just don't seem to get on!
I should add, Milo can open all the doors in our house (he jumps up and pulls the leaver down) so keeping him in a different room is not an option, sadly.
Sorry for the long post, I just really need some help with these guys!
Thanks
Jen