5 of 26

Write now Article Tools

My parents adopted Shelby as a kitten from the SPCA six years ago. She's utterly fearless around dogs-living side-by-side with an 80 lb Doberman sort of makes that a requirement, and as a matter of fact she's been known to discipline the poor dog by scratching his nose. Although she's shy around children, she's an attention-whore around most adults, the exception being my father, for whom she's always had a certain animosity, and the sentiment is returned.

The point is, she's not a scaredy-cat in any sense of the word. We raised her as an indoor cat since kittenhood, so she's terrified of being outside, but within her domain-the house-she's the ultimate boss, the ten pounds of feline fluff that must, under any circumstances, be appeased.

About a month ago, I found a stray kitten. Being the animal lover I am, I took her in, fed her, took her to the vet, played with her-I am now Shadow's pet human. But I visit my parents quite frequently, on account of the free food (I'm a grad student-free food is good food), the company, and the short trip. On my last trip home, I decided that it would be a good idea to introduce Shelby to Shadow.

Shelby had other ideas. In her mother's arms-Mom is Mom, even to the cat-she was calm enough, but every attempt to get her into the room where Shadow was met with blood, none of it Shelby's. She hissed when Shadow was brought to her. Shadow only stared-but kept well out of claw's reach.

Cat owners know that there's no way to get a cat to do what it doesn't want to do, and getting along with another cat is no exception. At best, you can convince them that it's worthwhile not to make enemies of the other cat. The best thing to do is to keep the newcomer in a restrained area, like a puppy crate, and give the resident cat free rein to sniff and investigate the new addition. NEVER leave the newcomer and resident alone unattended. Although cats tend to be more civilized than expected, fights can be troublesome if only because of the injuries that can be inflicted.

You must make sure each cat has its own litterbox, feeding dish, and water supply. Cats are territorial and part of the way they define their territory is by controlling access to food, the litterbox, and water. Male cats, obviously, will spray, but neutering usually fixes that problem. The resident cat, because its scent will be all over the house, will usually end up being the dominant cat, and each incoming cat will be assigned a place in the group according to some feline logic which is not always based on size and/or sex. This is not the same as the pack mentality of dogs-cats have little sense of cooperation or pack hunting, and the order is established only to keep order and allow all the cats to live without killing each other or fighting. Animals are very pragmatic, far more so than their human pets.

By ensuring that each cat has its own litterbox, feeding dish, and water supply, you are already doing a great deal towards helping the cats establish an equilibrium. You may have to put the things in different areas of the house if things are especially animostic between the cats, so that the dominant cat will not be able to cut off the more submissive one. If you have an especially territorial cat, like an un-neutered male (GET YOUR PETS SPAYED OR NEUTERED), you may have to introduce them on "neutral ground", get them to meet in a place that belongs to neither pet, and then bring them home together. It can take up to several months to establish peace in the house.

Learn more about this author, Judy Lin.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Cat fights: Making your cats get along?
We want to hear your view. Write now!