Cat scratching and pulling on the door

Question
Hi, I have had my cat Foxy Lady since she was about 8 weeks old, she is now 7 years old. About nine months ago I moved in with my partner who has a 13 year old cat. They are both neutered females, tortoise shell calicos. We moved into a large two bedroom and the cats each have two rooms separated by a door in the hallway. Iggy, the older cat is great with the separation and has had no problems. Foxy Lady however, likes to hang out near the separation door and she likes to scratch at the door and even pulls it from any space there is between the wall and the door and under the door as well. She does this mostly in the night time when she is on the opposite side of where the bedrooms are. We must keep them separated because Foxy will attack Iggy if she gets passed that door. We've tried all the different methods of trying to bring them together. At first they were fine and one day Foxy attacked and has attacked ever since if she is in the same room as Iggy. Please help me find a way to keep her happy on her side of the door and so that we can get some sleep at night. I've tried the loud noises, the water bottles, a product called fooey, nothing is working. Any advise would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Sara C.

Answer
Sara,

Calicos are one-person devoted cats. Torti calicos are territorial. You have a built-in clash right there with 2 of them.

Foxy was fine unil she got her bearings then the new home became 'her' territory because you were there and because she was younger and the more dominant of the two.

They both want to be with their people. I would let one stay with you at night then switch so both can be with their people. Torties like to hunt. Let Foxy Lady prowl the house while you keep Iggy in the bedroom, then switch that too.

Is there blood being shed and major fur flying when Foxy Lady attacks? If there isn't then let them settle their boundries and territories in their kitty way. Slaps, hisses, and growls are normal kitty communication. Torties have an attitude and are stubborn so regular training aides usually don't work.

Try feeding Foxy Lady a can of cat food before you go to bed. That helps them sleep.

Too, you can go to the vet and get some 'kitty prozac' which will help calm her down if you want to go that route.

Have you let her outside (under supervision) and let her go hunting (mice, bugs, anything that moves)?

If nothing works and if the fighting is likely to cause injury then you may have to re-home one of them as sad as that may be.

Tabbi