Anyone tried Feliway?

[Coconuts]

My fiance and I moved in together a couple of weekends ago. In addition to combining all of our stuff, we now have 2 cats in one house. (In an ironic twist of fate, I spent a lot of cash on a Sphynx- as in hairless, only to fall for a man who has the biggest, hairiest cat I've ever seen.) The cats are not happy with this whole arrangement. They're not actually fighting, but there's enough hissing and yowling to keep us up at night sometimes. I decided to try, basically, a Feliway scented oil fan. Has anyone else tried one of these or have any other suggestions? The Sphynx is very food motivated, but the big one has always been on the anorexic side, so getting them to associate the other with tuna did not go well.

Along the same lines, any suggestions for keeping my piggy out of the big kitty's food, but making it available to the big one (without locking him away all day)?

[Soraya]

I don't know about Feliway...but I've had friends use Bach's Rescue Remedy to keep the kitties calm while they get used to each other.

Sometimes it's just a matter of time.

[nutmeg]

Give them time. It might help to keep them separated for a while until they get used to the idea of the other kitty being in "their" territory. Smelling each other under a door.....or whatever

I would definitely feed them in a different rooms. The picky eater could easily be scared off his food by the other one. I have one of each as well. (Food motivated and food ho hum).

Food ho hum will give up her plate to the chow hound any time...it's just not that important to her. You have to make sure that "fluffy" isn't disturbed while eating.

Good luck. It always starts off pretty rough, but usually the day will come when you find them curled up together

[Coconuts]

Thanks!

We did that for the first few days (shutting one up, then the other), but now they just pound/scratch the door and make worse noises than if they're fighting (Spoiled? Our cats? Not at all! ). And they are fed in separate rooms- the funniest thing is when Diamonds eats in front of Senna- he just gives her the most disgusted look, then looks at Daddy like- "Where on earth did you find that, and why do you feed it?!"

They are getting there, but it's slow going. Diamonds was the queen when she was in the cattery, and Senna's been an only cat since he was a kitten, so we're not really starting with a Miss or Mister Congeniality to begin with.

I know it will get better, I just wish it would sooner rather than later.

[nutmeg]

Thanks!

We did that for the first few days (shutting one up, then the other), but now they just pound/scratch the door and make worse noises than if they're fighting (Spoiled? Our cats? Not at all! ). And they are fed in separate rooms- the funniest thing is when Diamonds eats in front of Senna- he just gives her the most disgusted look, then looks at Daddy like- "Where on earth did you find that, and why do you feed it?!"

They are getting there, but it's slow going. Diamonds was the queen when she was in the cattery, and Senna's been an only cat since he was a kitten, so we're not really starting with a Miss or Mister Congeniality to begin with.

I know it will get better, I just wish it would sooner rather than later.

I hear ya! My current two came together and get along fine (well most of the time) My last two were introduced after one had been here a year. They came to tolerate each other, but never became best buds. Occasionally you would find them in the same place on a cold winter's day, but that was about it.

Every cat hates a closed door. Maybe they will start getting along just to avoid being shut up! Good luck to all of you!

[ph4ever]

They are gonna have to fight it out and come to terms and establish who is the dominant one. Once that happens then life should be ok. Unless the dominant one gets a big head.

[Coconuts]

They came to tolerate each other, but never became best buds. Occasionally you would find them in the same place on a cold winter's day, but that was about it.

I know. I just keep hoping that one day Diamonds will realize that Senna has nice warm fur she can snuggle into (and that he'll let her).

[Coconuts]

They are gonna have to fight it out and come to terms and establish who is the dominant one. Once that happens then life should be ok. Unless the dominant one gets a big head.

I know you're right. I wish you weren't, I hate it when they fight, but at least they're evenly matched (Diamonds has claws, Senna's declawed but padded).
I just wish they'd choose different times to fight! It's always just after we've gone to bed, or before the alarm goes off.

[OceanCityGirl]

I can't help on the felway. I can only say I had two cats who I tried every thing possible to have them get along. I had an older male cat and added a stray male kitten to the mix, both neutered. For the first year they were best friends. Then the kitten became a much more aggressive/dominant adult. The fights were terrible. My poor older cat was frightened to live in his own house. We took him to the vet several times with skin abscesses which most likely were from the other cat scratching him and a piece of nail lodging in and causing the abscess.
We moved and at that time I tried to bring the older cat into the house first in attempt to get him some dominance. Nothing helped. Eventually I had to get rid of the younger cat who was a Maine Coon. I had to give my older cat some peace. He was living under a bed in one bedroom out of fear.
I now have a Maine Coon who we love to death. I can see he has a very dominant personality. I would never try to have him share his space with another cat.

[ph4ever]

They are gonna have to fight it out and come to terms and establish who is the dominant one. Once that happens then life should be ok. Unless the dominant one gets a big head.

I know you're right. I wish you weren't, I hate it when they fight, but at least they're evenly matched (Diamonds has claws, Senna's declawed but padded).
I just wish they'd choose different times to fight! It's always just after we've gone to bed, or before the alarm goes off.

try getting a squirt bottle - one with a good stream range. Every time they start to fight - squirt them.

[rednekkPH]

Tie their tails together and hang them over a clothesline...survivor gets to come back inside.

[ph4ever]

I can't help on the felway. I can only say I had two cats who I tried every thing possible to have them get along. I had an older male cat and added a stray male kitten to the mix, both neutered. For the first year they were best friends. Then the kitten became a much more aggressive/dominant adult. The fights were terrible. My poor older cat was frightened to live in his own house. We took him to the vet several times with skin abscesses which most likely were from the other cat scratching him and a piece of nail lodging in and causing the abscess.
We moved and at that time I tried to bring the older cat into the house first in attempt to get him some dominance. Nothing helped. Eventually I had to get rid of the younger cat who was a Maine Coon. I had to give my older cat some peace. He was living under a bed in one bedroom out of fear.
I now have a Maine Coon who we love to death. I can see he has a very dominant personality. I would never try to have him share his space with another cat.

I've heard that Maine Coons are terratorial - does yours have the 6 toes? I want a prodyctal (sp) aka Hemmingway cat so bad and I have heard that Maine Coons sometimes have that trait.

[ph4ever]

Tie their tails together and hang them over a clothesline...survivor gets to come back inside.

I don't care who you are that's funny rite dar!

[Coconuts]

Crap. We think Senna's a Maine Coon (Tom's friends had to get rid of him when he was a little kitten, and he just didn't bother to ask, but he fits the breed standard to a T).

[ph4ever]

Crap. We think Senna's a Maine Coon (Tom's friends had to get rid of him when he was a little kitten, and he just didn't bother to ask, but he fits the breed standard to a T).

get a bigger squirt bottle then

[Coconuts]

Can I fill it with Nair?

[rednekkPH]

Can I fill it with Nair?

Battery acid works better.

[OceanCityGirl]

My maine coon is a pure-bread and has the extra toe. They aren't supposed to. Breeders are supposed to eliminate that trait. He is really the coolest cat and behaves much more like a dog. He plays fetch and catches things in mid-air with the extra toe. He rolls on his back to have his stomach scratched like a dog. Unfortunately he also humps things like a dog. My college sons like to tell their friends about how he wakes them up shaking the bunk-bed because he's having relations with a blanket.
I've had cats all my life and never had a cooler one so I'd highly recommend them.
But he's very aggressive and has a strong dominant personality. It would be difficult to get him to get along with another cat.

[NYCPORT]

If you BBQ both of them with a little hot sauce your problems are over.

[iuparrothead]

Along the same lines, any suggestions for keeping my piggy out of the big kitty's food, but making it available to the big one (without locking him away all day)?

Ugh! I can totally relate! I have an obese baby cat that inhales her food and my other normal size mama cat is a grazer. The mama cat likes to pick away at her food at her leisure, but if she walks away from the dish, the baby cat will seize and hoover whatever is left... thus not allowing the mama cat to get her share. Essentially, what I had to do is feed them at regular times and in different rooms. They both get fed in the morning, but with smaller amounts so (especially with the mama cat) they eat it all and there is nothing left over. I sometimes have to pick up the mama cat and put her back by her dish several times each morning to ensure she eats all the food and the fat baby doesn't swoop in and finish it off. In the evening, I have to do the same thing, but I have a bit more time to monitor them. It's a real pain to do this, but otherwise I'd continue to overfeed one and underfeed the other. There's no other realistic solution for my situation...