Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / February 2007
Cat Marking Behavior - Strange one....seriously
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jedichica - 01 Feb 2007 19:00 GMT Hi everyone! I'm new to this group so hello, first off. Second, I need your help. after hours of Google searching, I decieded to join "another" google group, but this one seems great, and I think I'll need your help.
I have recently adopted a new cat. He is a 5 year old pointed pesian with what I would call anxiety. He is doing very well here, but in his old home he had an issue with one cat and actually sat on him and urinated ON the cat. This cat would not leave the bedroom, and after I adopted the "Pee-er" the other cat has began to socialize with the other 2 cats in the previous home. Oscar (here now) is a fixed male, who aparently may have some issues with territory I'd say, and had no issues with the other 2 cats in the home.
Here comes my issue, Oscar is slowly adjusting to this home, doing well, socializing with me more and more everyday, and has not had an issue, eating, drinking and BM's are all ok, but he is very skittish and will not leave the room unless I am with him, adn then is curious but jumps at any noise. I am bring my old 5 year old male cat into the mixture this week. I have no choice in the matter, his name is "Mowgli". Mowgli has no issues with other cats, seems to provoke playing all the time, I've never seen him not adjust to an outgoing cat in his home or the other cats homes in under 24 hours, most cases 2 or 3 hours. I know Mowgli can fend for himself I think... but will my new cat have an issue and become horrible towards Mowgli? or is this just behavior among him and maybe a very unassertive male cat. Has anyone ever seen this type of "agression" before? And if so, should I expect the same thing? And what causes this type of extreme agression in cats and what can I do to prevent it in Oscars new home?
Any help would be great and if you need clarification as I know I'm all over the place here please ask for it!!
Jill
jedichica - 01 Feb 2007 19:25 GMT > Hi everyone! I'm new to this group so hello, first off. Second, I need > your help. after hours of Google searching, I decieded to join [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Jill Please Help :( I'm desperate!!
jedichica - 01 Feb 2007 19:41 GMT > Hi everyone! I'm new to this group so hello, first off. Second, I need > your help. after hours of Google searching, I decieded to join [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Jill This is Oscar if you guys want to see him and read about his behaviors :)
http://acatsview.spaces.live.com/
Rene S. - 01 Feb 2007 20:07 GMT > I have recently adopted a new cat. He is a 5 year old pointed > pesian with what I would call anxiety. He is doing very well here, but [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > should I expect the same thing? And what causes this type of extreme > agression in cats and what can I do to prevent it in Oscars new home? Hello, I'm not completely sure I understand your post, but let me give this a shot. Oscar is the new, nervous kitty and Mowgli is your resident cat. You're concerned that Oscar will become aggressive toward Mowgli. The first thing to do is to introduce the cats _very_ slowly. Do not just put them together. Keep them in separate rooms and swap their locations, so they can smell each other but not see each other. Feed them on opposite sides of a door, or try and play under the door with both at the same time. I know some people install a screen door so the cats can see and smell, but not touch. Go slowly and do not rush them.
As for Oscar, have you ruled out everything medically to make sure he doesn't have any underlying health problems? Some cats are just more nervous than other. I recently put one of mine on buspar because he was not only pulling out patches of his own fur (nothing medically wrong, checked), but would get very upset at anything. For instance, the coffee pot would turn on and he would freak out and run away. He's now doing so much better and is a happier cat. However, please discuss this with your vet first to see if it's appropriate for your cat.
Rene
jedichica - 01 Feb 2007 20:28 GMT > > I have recently adopted a new cat. He is a 5 year old pointed > > pesian with what I would call anxiety. He is doing very well here, but [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > Rene Thank you so much Rene! Oscar is my resident cat, Mowgli is the cat that is comming, he should be used to me ( he's also my cat from before, I had to move so a friend has been looking after him). Oscar was adopted last week, because of these issues with the other cats in his old home, one of them being making this less dominate cats life miserable. He was horrible to him and I have never heard of a cat sitting on another cat and urinating on him, I understand that he was just extremley territorial towards this one cat, not the others, and was removed from the home as they both were miserable, and given to me.
Mowgli is set to arrive by the end of this week, I have read about keeping them seperate, introducing slowly, scents only at first, and not pushing it. I know Oscar (the cat I have just adopted) is a very sensitive cat, where as Mowgli I think is more of an Alpha cat, I have never seen him not get along with any cat in his enviroment OR theirs, in less than 2 hours, he loves playing.
Since Oscars time with me (about a week) everything seems to be normal, but he really only wants to stay with me or in my bedroom unless I go out then he will follow skittishly if he is awake and up. There is no urinating anywhere or anything like that, all habits are normal.
I guess my concern is how do I let this not inhibit this adjustment for Oscar? I know he could easily turn, and I'm concerned. I'm expecting a minor setback but hope that he does not totally freak
Also, this peeing on other cats, is it something you have heard of? Why would he mark his territory directly on another cat that he hates, and aparently be very very mean, and since Mowgli does so well, am I correct in assuming that since he won't let Oscar push him around, things should be ok? (If introduced properly)
What does this urinating on other cats tell me about his psychie? If I see this behavior in my own home, I will definatly take him to the cet, his behavior is more extreme then the cat you describe, so I'm hoping with patience he will not be so skittish. I have a herbal relaxant from his mother.. should I give it to him the first few days?
Rene S. - 02 Feb 2007 14:31 GMT >> Thank you so much Rene! Oscar is my resident cat, Mowgli is the cat > that is comming, he should be used to me ( he's also my cat from [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > hoping with patience he will not be so skittish. I have a herbal > relaxant from his mother.. should I give it to him the first few days? Honestly, I have never heard about cats urinating on other cats. Perhaps it was stress related?
Actually, you can start giving the herbal relaxant now. (just make sure there's no tea tree oil in it, which is toxic to cats). I've used Rescue Remedy in the cats' water, which helped (and it's nice for people too!) and used Feliway diffusers and spray. All of those you can start now. There's a good web site, www.littlebigcats.com, that has information on herbs/oils for cats.
Time and patience are key. Another thing is for yourself to be calm. Animals pick up on our emotions, and if you're stressed, they will see that. You are doing a good thing in researching now vs. waiting for something to happen and reacting to it.
Rene
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