cat introduction

Question
"We got a new cat and the introduction to our other animals seemed to go well.  Now A day or so after introduction the new cat became aggressive toward the older male cat.  The new one is a male also.  Both are neutered.  The new cat was neutered just before we got him.  My old cat is scared and acting differently.  He has abandoned his favorite perch, lays under a bench most of the time and panics when ever we pick him up and he sees the new one. What can i do?  Does the new cat still have testosterone in his system."  My old cat used to have a companion so he is used to being submissive.  Our other cat died last year.  

Answer
Hi Bridgette,

Did you use a cat intro protocol? If not I would Google one and use that. If you did follow an intro protocol then I would go back and restart the intro part and do it a little bit longer. You need to spend some quality time with your older guy. Take him into a room with just you and him. There you can use this time to groom, pet, and feed him special treats. This will help him.

The testosterone levels in the other will take a few weeks to drop after being neutered. He will mellow out soon. When both are together you need to be watchful and stop any aggressive behavior. Use a spray bottle on the aggressor. He should get the message. It will take a few weeks. They will sort it out between them. Just be ready to step in if things get out of hand. You can also get something called Feliway Comfort Zone. It mimics a cat's happy pheromones and helps calm the household. If there are still problems talk to your vet about medications for the aggressor to help with the rough spots. Good luck.

Ciao, Karen