Looking for major HELP. We bought a male kitten to be a friend for our 18 month female Princess. 6 weeks on and she can't be near him, like she is afraid & he's a cocky wee lad, want to creep up & annoy but she won't have any of it. Now she stays out for long periods, even would rather shelter in the shed or trees than coming home. When we eventually get her in she has become very unsociable although she has always been hard work.

What advice is there as this can't continue & i would hate to even consider rehoming Prince, is is an adorable wee kitten.

Hi there and welcome

The first thing I would ask is how did you go about introducing them? It should be a slow process of keeping them separate and then scent swapping etc - it may be necessary to take them back to the beginning as if they've never met and starting over. Your female has a new cat invading her territory, so it is natural for her to be upset. It may be that you did do the full introduction process but went a bit too fast - it should be at her pace if he is as confident and cocky as you say!

It may be worth watching a few episodes of 'My Cat from Hell' as that has plenty of episodes that cover cats not getting on and reintroductions etc and the book 'Cat v Cat' by Pam Johnson-Bennett is a must have for a multi-cat household.

Do you have a cat tree and plenty of places for your female to escape to if your male is too boisterous for her? She needs to be able to get up high where he can't pursue and torment her.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

You didn't say what type of male cat you got for your Princess! Domestic? Another bengal? When introducing two cats, it must be a slow go! I'm guessing your Princess was a bit shy anyway. I'm not sure why some people think getting another cat is going to create a great companion for an existing cat. It can, but then some encounter problems like this.

I don't know that starting over with introductions and a safe room would work in this case. It's been 6 weeks. It is obvious Princess does not like this other cat. I'm hoping you have multiple cat trees, lots of cat toys, lots of cat beds in your home. Do you feed them together in the same general area? Do you engage them both in play at the same time, so the distraction is the toy and not the other cat?

My Cat From Hell has many episodes dealing with this. You can view them on the Animal Planet website or just google the name of the show. Know that while 6 weeks seems like a long time, it really isn't. The main thing is that your little girl regain her confidence. Jackson Galaxy also has Spirit Essenses which are holistic remedies and there is probably one that might work for you. Some people like them, some people do not. The fact that Princess is not wanting to be in the house says a lot. She needs to be an indoor cat and you're giving her the opportunity to run away and find a new home. Does this happen? Absolutely!!! I'm caring for a cat that ran away from his home 3 blocks away. He was being bullied by his brother and he's found peace in our home (even though we have a bengal). Your little lady is going to have to face the fact that there is another cat in the house.

Unfortunately, this is going to take time and lots of patience in working with both cats. They may never end up being snuggle bunnies with each other, but they should be able to tolerate and co-exist in the same house.

Good luck.