Expert: Ali - 5/14/2009

Question
Hi,

I have a female 2 year old cat. Two months I adopted a second cat - a male kitten 5 months old at that time. I did the whole slow introduction thing and they both seemed really receptive to one another and they got along well initially. Then the kitten started chasing my older cat and i chalked it off to him just playing. But recently the chasing has become very aggressive, with the kitten stalking and hiding behind furniture and attacking/chasing my older cat at full speed, often ending with him pouncing on her. And the older cat ends up screaming or hissing at the end of it all. This is happening more and more often. Sometimes i also see my older cat chasing the kitten, but that is much less frequent, and much less agressive too.

My question is - is this aggression? Or is the kitten just trying to play? I feel really bad for my older cat because she seems to hate it - she hisses and yells, and has become a bit more timid. She used to love play time, but ever since the new kitten arrived, the kitten has been dominating the play scene (i drag toys around on strings for them to chase), and my older cat now hides behind the curtains instead of joining in the play.

I don't think my older cat hates the kitten, because she often goes to lick and groom him, but he attacks/swats her and starts getting aggressive when she licks him and it turns into a fight. But they do sleep together on the same bed at night and there is not any other signs of aggressions other than what i've described.

What should i do to end this dominance by the new kitten? I thought usually the problems are the other way around where the old cat terrorized the new one! Should i find a different home for the new kitten or do you think it'll be fine when he grows up? Is he just playing? Does my older cat know that he's playing? The kitten is 7 months old now. Both have been fixed.

Thank you so much for any help!

Answer
Maler,

It may be worth seeking the advice of a holistic veterinarian, this is a vet trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies which can include homeopathy, acupuncture, Reiki or massage to name a few. My own vet is a holistic practitioner who uses homeopathy, sometimes instead of using drugs, other times to complement traditional therapies. Homeopathy is based on the principle that like cures like. I've found that cats tend to respond very well to homeopathic remedies and in my opinion alternative treatments are actually a better way to treat cats in certain situations, although I recommend that you seek the advice of a veterinarian with experience using alternative therapies and follow the advice you're given by a vet you trust. If you aren't entirely comfortable with treatment recommendations you could try seeking a second opinion, that's your right as the caregiver your cats depend on. I try to keep my cats' care as natural as possible, however I recognize that there are situations that require the use of traditional medicine on it's own or in combination with alternative treatments.

If the remedy that I've recommended isn't doing the trick it's not a bad idea to go to a holistic vet or back to your local health food store or other retailer and ask to see the chart for Bach Flower Essences. You'll might find a remedy that's effective, safe and gentle. It's important to realize that homeopathy can sometimes be compared to peeling an onion in that there are sometimes problems underneath the initial issue that require treatment. Homeopathy is a drug free way to cure certain health and behavioral issues and unlike the pharmaceutical approach if a cat receives the wrong remedy it's not likely to cause any serious side effects or complications for your kitty.

You might find a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy helpful in this situation. It's a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure, I've used this remedy many times over the years in a variety of situations and it's been a safe, effective way of dealing with cats who have been traumatized, abused, abandoned, or under-socialized to the point of being generally fearful of all people. You can usually find Rescue Remedy in health food stores, naturopathic pharmacies, some mainstream pharmacies carry it in the aisle with vitamins/nutritional supplements and I believe that you can purchase this remedy online as well. I'd suggest that you add about 8-10 drops of Rescue Remedy to fresh bowls of water each morning. The reason that I don't recommend administering the remedy directly by mouth except in case of emergency is because the flower essences are preserved in a grape alcohol solution and cats aren't terribly fond of the taste or smell.

If either cat needs a more immediate helping hand I recommend gently massaging a single drop of Rescue Remedy into the relatively fur free area in front of the cat's ears which will allow the remedy to be absorbed into the skin. This remedy will help to calm your older cat and may help to take the younger cat's need for dominance down in intensity. Rescue Remedy is a perfectly safe remedy to use provided that we exercise common sense. Some pet parents have concerns about the possibility that they can overdose their cats on this remedy. You could actually administer this remedy at several times the recommended dosage without causing harmful effects in your cats, the doses I recommend are ones I've used before on many cats with success. If the remedy doesn't work the worst that will happen is that things will stay the same between the cats and you'll have to look for another solution.

Vigorous interactive play sessions with a kitty tease may help to lower your younger cat's energy levels. You could also try things like installing a bird feeder filled with a bird seed mix designed to attract small song birds - your cats will both enjoy looking out the window at their very own kitty TV channel. If you live in an apartment you can try out the Cat Sitter DVD series, as far as I know there are 3 videos in the series. The first two videos feature footage of mice and other small mammals as well as birds and other wildlife. The third video is meant for cats that enjoy watching fish. These cat moves are meant to be played when the cats are alone in the house without the distraction of human company. If you do decide to give these videos a try I'd recommend that you clear off the top of the television and nearby shelves because cats can become quite excited and they usually want to check behind the television to see where the mouse, bird, etc went. Most cats will appreciate a comfy chair being pulled up so that they can watch their movie while sitting close enough to the television to touch their prey.

If you want another option to drain excess kitty energy is to harness train your younger kitty and take him out for short, supervised walks on a leash - just remember, you aren't walking the cat, he's walking you. If you try to get the unconditional obedience from a cat on a leash that you'd expect from a dog there's a good chance the whole exercise will leave you both very frustrated and not very fulfilled. If you do decide to walk the cat be sure that you keep him away from lawns where pesticides are being used...You may also want to consider building a special kitty enclosure, somewhat similar to a dog run, except that it needs to be covered on all four sides to prevent accidental escapes. Chicken wire or wire screening works well if you do want to build a cat run. The safest option for providing your cats with some outdoor walks would be to pick up a cat stroller (yes, I know it sounds crazy, but they exist, in fact many pet specialty stores sell them) and you can buy cat grass for them to eat in your yard, that way you have control over what's going into the cats and they get the benefit of fresh air and walks with their human caregiver.