unacceptable behavior

I just adopted a female tuxedo cat about a year old from a rescue place. I had just adopted a male 10 month old Maine Coon cat who acts normal. However, the first week she hid, only coming out to eat, or occasionally to sit on my lap (and purr). He would stay outside of her hidey hole, waiting to play. The second week she started coming out and attacked him several times. Now he is attacking her as often as she is attacking him. They are having hair-flying tussles. This is especially not appreciated at 5 am.

Also, she will suddenly viciously bite me when I am petting her. What is her problem? What is the cure?

I would guess that they are working out who is going to be "top cat" around the place. For your part, I would just make sure you have some time alone with just the female, some calm time together, even if it is just sitting with her, allowing her to get used to you more. I would make sure you also have "quality time" alone with him, so he knows he is still loved. Perhaps their squabbles will subside ...

Others will chime in, I am sure ...

Welcome to Pettalk! Spencer has the most personal experience with this, so his good advice is worth listening too, Logan and others I know can offer great insight as well.

One thing I would add is that they are both "acting normal". Cats have individual personalities like people do.

I would agree with Karen that they are battling for "top cat" status around the house - cats are territorial by nature. Is there any way you can find out the "past lives" of your fur babies?

Some behavior may be a result of past treatment. Patience and a loving, trusting environment can do wonders, though - good luck! Would love to see pictures of your adopted kitties!

I've always allowed at least a 10 to 15 day period of adjustment when introducing another cat into a household. It's true that now they're fighting for top cat position. I'm sure that given some time they will get used to each other's presence. Don't expect them to love each other, but I'll bet they learn to tolerate each other as time goes on.

I'm supposing that I'm fortunate in this department. Of all my furkids, there are only 3 (females) that do not get along with each other, and this aversion appears to be seasonal. It is of a curiosity that some of them are involved in so little trouble with whomever they are with - Snow Tiger and Fawn, for example.

Cats require long adjustment periods - anywhere from 2 weeks to several months. You should seperate the cats for awhile and slowly start to re-introduce them. Do what Spencer said about getting each of their scents on a towel and then swapping towels so they can get used to smelling the other. For instance, rub the male with a towel and then put it under the female's food bowl then do the same thing with the female. After doing this for a little while, start feeding them on opposite sides of a door so they're eating right next to each other but there's a door in between. Let them get used to each other's scent for a week or even two before allowing them to see each other again. Even if it doesn't work out after that, I'd still give a longer adjustment period and see if they could work things out.

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Originally posted by aly
...Do what Spencer said about getting each of their scents on a towel and then swapping towels so they can get used to smelling the other.

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I have to this whenever I take one of the Beans to the vet, otherwise it takes days of hissing before they re-adjust to each other.:rolleyes:


elainlev - It took almost a month or 2 before Mocha would accept Bonzo. It was terrible for a while...no body was happy but, now they are best of friends, for the most part.:)

My two boys, Clyde and Scooter have lived together for almost 3 years, and they STILL fight. Of course it is much less often, and they usually will just give each other a quick slap and move on. They are never going to be friends, but they have learned to tolerated each other for the most part, and will avoid each other most of the time. I lived in a 1 bedroom apartment with each other, and they just got used to being in different rooms.
Last night the boys did have a rather heated "arguement" that ended with Scooter scratching Clyde on the nose, and Clyde spiking Scooter (and losing a claw in the process). Today they are giving each other a wide bearth.
It does take time, but the cats will work things out where they will either like each other or tolerate each other.

We got Lamoni in 1990 and Fifi in 1997. They still chase each other around some. We encourage this. Even when they wake us up in the middle of the night. With both of us working (and I am still out of workright now) they spend their days all alone in the house. We want them to be able to amuse themselves when we are gone.

We have trained them to play with each other rather than trying to kill each other. :o

Lamoni sleeps in the yellow recliner in the living room. Often Fifi can be found on the arm of that same chair. Sometimes both cats are on the sam chair at te same time. One time I saw them both laying in the seat of the chair together, asleep. :)

My two older cats did not appreciate it when my son brought home two rescued kittens that had been abandoned but now the older ones seem to like the adventure and will seek the kittens out to play "slap fight" w/ them. It's become a game they all enjoy :D :cool: give it time... Laurie

My cats are not playing with each other. She hides and violently attacks him. There is cat fur (chunks) in several places. On Thursday, there were splotches of blood.

I put her in the bathroom for a day, to keep them alive. Now I'll see if she is more peacable.

Most of the time she cowers when I come near her. I have never hurt her. If I toss a toy near her, she runs away.

I'm thinking that adopting rescued cats is not an easy task. The first day she was here, a month ago, I did the towel thing. Doesn't seem to have helped.

You know, we have never had this problem with Abys. We bring a kitten home let him or her have the run of the house the 1st 24-36 hours while the incumbents are kept in the basement. Then we let them up, and there's a hissing fest, then a-sniffing, and then a brief period of alternately playing with and disciplining the new baby. I think getting adults to accept a kitten my be easier than getting them to accept another grown cat, but I also think the breed has made our lives very pleasant in this aspect.

It seems as though she is coming around. They still fight but I haven't found large traces of fur lying around the house.

Bandit is the kitten (just a year old) and he was here a couple of weeks before she arrived here. We looked for a year-old female to be a companion. Maybe some day.

Thanks for everyone's help. I've attached their pictures.

Bandit's picture was not sent. here it is. He is a Maine Coon Cat.

So glad to hear there's progress! Some day, they may even be friends (but not when you're watching! ;) )