My cats still fight after 3 months of trying. What should I do?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

  Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

  Published on May 14th, 2017

  I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem! Unfortunately, this can sometimes happen - cats who got along well as kittens may not like each other much once they both reach social maturity. So it's possible that they just may not be compatible housemates, sadly :( If you want to see if this is something that can be worked out successfully, I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate both cats in person and help you understand why they are fighting. He/she can also put together a detailed plan to work on the problem, and may also recommend medication for one or both cats to help with the aggression. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

  

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  Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

  Veterinarian

  Published on December 22nd, 2017

  Dominance is complex and unfortunately, there is no timeline for when that happens. You can also have a situation where the cats simply do not like each other (just like it happens with people sometimes). If it has been going on for a long time, I would be afraid that is more likely the cause. You can try a pheromone diffuser, special Prescription Calm Diet food by Royal Canin, providing tall cat trees with hiding areas on the top and you could even talk to your vet about trying Prozac on Batman. I hope this helps to give you some ideas to create peace in your home. Please post again with any further questions.

  

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  Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on April 26th, 2017

  How frustrating! Cats can be very hard to "read'. There is almost certainly a reason for the fighting, but it can be very hard for us humans to notice what the reason was because we don't speak Cat. I recommend separating them again, give them a break apart for at least a week, and then restarting the introduction much slower this time. If you introduced them over a week before, do it over 3-4 weeks this time. If you took a month to introduce them last time, take 3 months now. Some cats need a LOT of time to warm up. When you are introducing them, only let them interact or be in the same room if they are both completely relaxed. Often feeding both cats, on separate sides of the room is a good way to start this process. If you try again, and they still fight, I recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist right away. The more they "practice" fighting, the harder it will be to ever get them to stop. Some cats even need to be on medications in order to get along.

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful