MetaChat - Askme: Help my cats get along

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09 January 2007

Askme: Help my cats get along →[More:]Between my wife and I, we have five cats, integrating the two cat groups has been mostly uneventful. Unfortunately, for some reason, one of my cats scares the crap out of one of my wife's cats.

Edison (the little rascal, age 2) will run into the bedroom where Cider (age 12), and chase her under the bed or dress. He doesn't wrestle with her or anything, but he'll take swipes at her with his paw. She has taken to living under the bed and dresser in response (though she's always been somewhat shy). When Edison comes by, she hisses with incredible intensity.

Edison has seemed unimpressed by hissing in general (except when I do it), it may be related to the fact that he was rescued from a home with 30+ cats when he was younger.

My wife is getting really worried for Cider's health since she is a bit older. Do you bunnies have any tricks for helping cats get along?

post by: drezdn at: 12:24 | 5 comments

Edison is a teenager and Cider is middle-aged. Speaking as a set-in-my-ways middle-aged woman, I would not be overjoyed at a teenager coming to live with me and nobody asking me first if it was alright.

Is there a space in your home where Cider can be away from Edison, a room that he can be excluded from?

posted by essexjan 09 January | 13:04

I have one cat that doesn't get along with the other two, and it's been YEARS. They never will. I did find that using that "Comfort Zone with Feliway" plug-in thing helps the bullied cats feel a bit better about life. Having different cat zones helps too -- at one point I had "upstairs cats" and "downstairs cats."

posted by JanetLand 09 January | 13:43

Ooooh that comfort zone seems like it might be worth trying. Due to the layout of where we live, it's hard to permanently seperate them, especially since it would limit the travel of the other "good" cats, but I might be able to work something out.

posted by drezdn 09 January | 13:54

Or just hose all the cats down with a catnip-infused water of sorts. Everyone will be happy.

posted by youngergirl44 09 January | 14:14

Mind you, the Comfort Zone won't stop the not-getting-along, it'll just help Cider feel better and maybe stand up for herself a bit more.

posted by JanetLand 09 January | 14:17

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