new cat in household

Question
QUESTION: I have a 7 year old female cat with claws and 2 months ago introduced a 3 year old female with no claws. Introduced them slowly as per all advice I could find & things seemed ok. My old cat likes to be out in Summer & therefore the 2 haven't had much interaction. Now its turning slightly cooler she is coming indoors but repeatedly being ambushed by the newcomer! The existing cat is well socialized around all animals and the newcomer is not, the existing cat will not stand up to the newcomer and him afraid she is being "driven out". Will this behavior worsen over time? What can I do to nip it in the bud?

ANSWER: Hi Kaye,

Sorry to hear about the difficulties you are having with your two cats.  There are a few things you don't mention in your question that might provide solutions to the problem.  Firstly, are both cats spayed?  If not, spaying the younger cat would calm her behaviour (as well as preventing unwanted kittens, obviously!)  Secondly, when you say the younger cat is "ambushing" the older one, is she attacking her or could her behaviour be playful?  Are you seeing signs of stress in your older cat that suggest she feels attacked by the younger one?  Thirdly, you don't mention how long ago you introduced them - if it is still fairly early days, the situation could still settle down.  Remember that some cats never become best friends, they just learn to co-exist, so the occasional hiss isn't a big drama if both cats seem happy and feel safe in their environment.

Assuming that the younger cat is definitely showing aggression towards the older one, there are a few things you can do to make them both happier.  Firstly, ensure that there are enough sleeping places and litter boxes in the house (if you use them) so that there is no conflict between the cats about what belongs to who.  All cats need a private place to sleep where they won't be disturbed by people or other cats, and the higher off the ground, the better.  Secondly, invest in a Feliway diffuser from your vet or pet shop (lots of competitive prices online).  These emit a scent that you can't smell but that is comforting to cats, and this will help calm the situation down.  A single device is big enough to cover an average-sized house.  Thirdly, play with your younger cat as much as possible, with interactive toys such as Da Bird (available online) which requires you to wave a stick around while the cat chases the feathers hanging from it!  This will help to wear out your younger cat and help her redirect her aggression onto her toys, so that she will feel less fired up and ready to attack when she sees your older cat.

Please be assured that your older cat is unlikely to be driven away by the younger one as cats are territorial animals and she will not want to lose her home without a fight!  By calming the younger cat as much as you can, you can hopefully provide a happier environment for them both and avoid either of them needing to leave.

Best of luck with this.

Take care
Annie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your quick reply! Both cats are desexed. I wondered if the new cat was feeling more vulnerable due to the fact she has no claws and, in turn, if the old cat realises that the new one has no claws and therefore is being submissive. It is certainly not like the old one to give in with neighbourhood cats! She doesnt fight with them but certainly stands her ground ( also with dogs too!)Maybe I am over analysing though....do you think my theory is possible? I introduced them very slowly 2 months ago and followed all the tips i could find. Hopefully they will find a common ground soon. Thanks again!

Answer
Hi Kaye,

It's quite hard to say whether this theory is true and I'd have thought it would be more likely that your older cat would stand up to the newer one more if she realises she has no claws to fight her, especially as you say that she isn't usually submissive.

Thanks for the additional info.  To put your mind at rest, two months isn't a very long time at all and you could find it takes a few weeks longer before the two of them are comfortable in each other's company.  It took around four months for the newest addition to my feline family to settle properly.  It sounds as if you have done everything right, so do try redirecting the younger cat's aggression onto toys and see if this solves the problem.

Take care
Annie