Expert: Dear Tabbi - 4/7/2009

Question
We adopted two male cats from a vets office.  The vet wanted them to go together because they have FIV and have become best friends for over 7 months.

One of the cats (the 4 years old) attacks the other(2 years old) every time they are together. So one lives in the basement with my daughter and the other lives upstairs with me.

We have tried rubbing each cat with the same towel so they can smell alike and even put vanilla on the backs of their heads (found these remadies on line). This has not helped.  
We try to put them together every other day and see how they act.  The older one attacks and the younger one runs and hides.  When he comes out  of hiding he is attacked again.

We have spoken to the vet and she can't understand because they got along so well together in the small room they shared.

Please help, both these cats are so sweet, playful and loveable. We want them both to be a part of our family and enjoy both of them at the same time and the run of the whole house.

Thank you,
Stacy

Answer
Stacy,

That was nice of you to adopt the 2 together. It's too bad it is not smooth sailing.

There is a very slight possibility that the younger one's illness is getting worse, or something else is wrong with it but it's not obvious. Cats sense that in people and other animals, and will attack the ill/weak/dying one. It probably is not the reason for the older cat's behavior, but when you are trying to find the reason why you need to look at ALL possibilities, however slight.

It sounds more like it is a territorial/pecking order/dominant cat issue. Sometimes though only a cat knows what it thinks and why it behaves like it does. In the small room they could have been equals, but in your big house, one is claiming it as his.

I would try starting over. I would take the cats back to the vet's office and put them in their little room together for about a week to let them go back to the 'friends' they were (if they do!). Then I would bring them back home in a carrier together and put them in one room with a litterbox, food, and water. Keep them in there together for a week or more. Then gradually let them out and extend their area. A lot of times with new people, new smells, new noises, new routines, etc. the run of a whole house at once is too overwhelming.

When are out together feed both of them some yummy cat treat, like tuna, or tinned sardines in oil. That way they will associate each other with something pleasant and not as competition, or anything negative.

Play with them interactively. A pet laser light is great for that (from Petco/PetSmart/etc.) Cats love to chase the little 'red bug' and they tend to forget about each other which helps them be together safely. Or pull a string/rope around for them to chase.

I hope this gives you some ideas. It will take some time and patience to smooth things out, but it SHOULD work out fine.

Tabbi