[CarZin]

Actually, 2 problems.

I have a female british short hair. She is an awesome sweet cat.
I have a new roommate with a royal son of a **** male cat. Both are a little over a year old.

Well, the girl roommate has not done a good job disciplining this male cat. He likes to take cheap shots at you like grabbing hold to the back of your leg with his claws and biting when you werent doing anything, or clawing you after you just served him food.

Basically, a **** cat. And she hasnt helped it. She hasnt gotten firm with him in the year she has had him. She has a water bottle, but doesnt seem to use it enough.

He has been in the house for a week. We let him out when we can monitor his interaction with my cat. Well, after being bit when serving him food, I was already pissed. Then he took a cheap shot later on and clawed me. I had HAD it and smacked him across the face. He obviously has never been struck before because he isnt a very happy cat right now. The water bottle hasn't worked, and I REFUSE to let him get away with this. I know from experience that hitting cats is not the best way to get the desired result, but I would settle with him FEARING me rather than having any interaction with me.

So, what other suggestions do you have for problem 1?

Problem Number 2 comes with his interaction with my cat. The new cat is a bully. My cat has struck me as being very dominant, but this cat is doing the same thing to Amanda that he does to me (taking cheap shots, not knowing when to stop...). I have just recently decided that every time he tackles my cat, he will get a lot of water on him. This seems to have settled the problem WHILE I AM AROUND, but I dont know if he will revert to the bad behavior once I am away.

I am worried for 2 reasons. If that cat harmed my cat, my ability to control myself with regards to beating the life outta of him would be gone. Not only do I love my cat (center of my world), but I spent a lot to get her ($700) and drove from North Carolina to Florida to get her. Basically, a lot invested in her.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Tiber]

well he obviously hasnt been sociallized well.. have you talked to your roomate about it? make her try to make him behave well? letting her know its not your job to make her cat have good manners, but that you will protect yourself and your cat?

Another thing you could do, if you have the time, is instead of feeling like you have to baby sit the cat, how bout trying to do some constructive working with both of the cats, and with you. He IS in a new place, and it might just be the only way he know's how to deal with a new situation.

Either way if you have the time, and you should involve his owner as well, have a little 'play date". have the handy dandy water bottle, just incase.. and watch them interact. you might want to do this one on one with him first.. just you and male... so he know's where you and him stand.. then re-introduce your cat. Be very consistant, but try to keep your anger in check.

I had a similar problem with my cousin (and neighbor)'s dog. She had an akita, and i had a norweigain elkhound and golden retriever. As the akita got to be about a year old she felt like she needed to be very dominant over my dogs. The Akita had no disciplin at all, and would flip my old retriver all the time... (she's had arthritus so it was very pain ful for her!) It would make me so mad, i'd go right out there and flip her! I didnt care if she could have ripped my head off... She knew i was mad, and she backed off. (and i'm no burely man! i'm not even a male! i was about 16 at the time) She basiclly only behaved when i was around. (having school, i couldnt watch her as much as i would like). But i somtimes wonder, if maybe i was a little too agressive, and she would re direct that to my dogs as a way to get back at me.. i dont know, after that she was always looking for my approval when she came over... But dogs are different from cats.
But i guess what i'm trying to say, is try to work it out, think of it as what you would do with two little kids. You'd try to make them play nicer together... and you'd be there to supervise, and show them how to play nice. IT doesnt seem like mr. cat know's the correct way to play, and positive reinforcment realy does work better then anger.

 

[CarZin]

Hi,

Well, we have been introducing them in moderated events.

My cat is obviously ready to co-exist. This male cat is not. We have been watching for major fights then breaking them up only if needed. After a few days of this cat constantly take pot shots at my cat, I had enough.

When I was watching them last night, everytime he would start to play rough when Amanda wasnt reciprocating, then I shot him with water.

I worry that he will revert to the bad behavior when I am not home.

I do realize he is in a new home, but he also had bad behavior around guests in the old home.

I will be making my true feelings regarding this cat next week. I have her cat all by myself for the next 4 days, so I am trying to take advantage of this event and discipline him more inline with my beliefs.

 

[Tiber]

hmm also i was thinking, on teh other hand.... have he ever scratched your cat, to the point of blood? Is she really in ALOT of danger? Instead of comming to her rescue all the time, they might need to just "duke it out" let them figure out where they stand with each other.... and they could do that with you watching, or they'll do it eventually when your gone. I donno.. just another suggestion. I bet She'll get to the point where she's had enough and really let him have it!

 

[CarZin]

Well, my cat hasnt bled yet. He has gotten a couple of clumps.

I am actually pissed at my cat. She has been very dominant. She is letting him run all over her after day 2. It usually ends up in Amanda laying on the floor. he comes to pounce on her. She hisses growls, throws paws, and runs to the next room. He follows her and continues to **** her off. He doesnt seem to tire of it, and I don't like seeing her get stressed out.

 

[sonicsink]

I don't really think you are giving this enough time..this can take weeks for them to work out...I'd say also to stop coming to the rescue of your cat all the time...you might just have to let them duke it out for a few weeks and let them work it out themselves..this might lead to a few scatches but so what..that happens to all cats...I have 16 cats and I have never had a problem with introducing a new cat, I just throw them into the mix and let them fight it out for themselves and have never had anyone sustain anything more than a few scratchs and a bruised ego and they have all ended up buddies in the end...Don't worry after a few days of your cat being beat on all the time she will snap and teach the young punk a lesson and that will be the begining of them working it all out,and like I said, you might hear hissing and fighting for up to 3 weeks or more but in the end they will be buddies..its all a normal process...and please don't beat on the new guy,he's in a strange situation too so he must be feeling all freaked out and his reaction is only normal,beating on him and scaring him won't help the situation at all,leave them be.

 

[CarZin]

The first part of your statement could be true.

And I haven't 'beat' the cat. I smacked him across the face when he clawed and bit me for no reason the 3rd time in a day.

His clawing and biting has little to do with a new situation. In his old situation, he was the same SOB cat that he is now. Something has to be done about that problem, and sitting idly by hasnt worked for a full year.

 

[Tiber]

did you cat and the new one, interacted in that year?

Sure spray him everytime he does that to you, dont let him get away with it in that respect. or when he does that to other people.

But in the part about your cat and him its seems they do to establish their lil cat heirachy like sonic said.

There's two issues. His relations with humans (you), and his relations with your cat. And they may need to be handled in different ways.

Any other suggestions people??

 

[CarZin]

I interacted with the cat in the past year, but not me and my cat.

I have actually tried to bring them together playing with string, or balls, etc. Eventually he takes a shot at Amanda.

Amanda had some emotional issues in the first 3 months I had her which were tough to fix. She was using the bathroom out of the litter box. It took a while to fix that problem, and a lot of patience, and I dont want her getting pissed at me again.