Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Tabbi jealous aggresive cats

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/22/2009


Question
Hi Tabbi.

Please will you help with the below.

I currently have 2 cats - an eight year old female and a one and a half year old male (not thoroughbreds). She's always been the love of my life, however I got him to keep her company as we work long hours.

Ever since we got him, she has been incredibly jealous of him and they've fought like cat and dog. It is now however getting to a stage where they fight daily and it is getting incredibly vicious - to the point where they are really hurting each other.

I love them both. If I give her a bit of love and attention, he gets very upset with me and will either withdraw and keep to himself, or attack her and if I give him a bit of love and attention, she will ignore me and becomes all depressed.

Please let me know what I should be doing and should not be doing in order to have a peaceful loving home again.

Thankyou!!

Tania.

Answer
Tania,

I'm very sorry I didn't answer your question earlier but the hard drive in my computer died and I was just able to get it replaced.

My personal opinion is the re-home the younger cat to restore harmony to your home again.

Your older cat is approximately 48 years old and the younger one is a teenager in human years. If the older cat has been happy this long being alone then bringing in another cat at this stage in her life will upset her greatly. It can cause her to have behavior and emotional problems, and could also cause her health problems from the stress.

When you get a companion for a cat it's best to get one about the same age and temperament.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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