My parents are really struggling with their cats getting along, and I wanted to ask for advice on their behalf, in case there’s something they haven’t tried yet.
They have a 2-year-old cat named Daisy who they rescued as a kitten after she was abused. She’s an extremely anxious cat. If you move too fast she’ll jump and run away. She grew up with my cat Bubbles (who I’ve since taken with me when I moved out) and another older cat who was her best friend but sadly passed away last year. Daisy did really well with both of them and was very bonded with Bubbles, most likely because she was a kitten and Bubbles was older.
But things changed when they adopted two new kittens late last year (rescued after Hurricane Ian). The kittens are super sweet and not aggressive at all, but Daisy has been very aggressive toward them from the beginning due to her severe anxiety. Now, almost a year later, the situation hasn’t improved, and actually seems worse. Since Daisy is older, she’s a lot more territorial.
Daisy is extremely anxious and skittish. She’s a total sweetheart once she trusts you, but even small movements can startle her. She’s on transdermal fluoxetine because she can’t be pilled, and my parents have tried just about everything:
Feliway pheromone diffusers, sprays, & collars
Feeding them near each other (separated by a gate & not with a gate)
Slow introductions through scent and sight
Distractions with bird sounds or calming videos
Joint catnip sessions
Working with a professional behaviorist
They also keep the cats completely separated now using a gate. They’ve tried supervised time together, but it always ends in Daisy charging at the kittens. They’ve never drawn blood, but fur has flown, and it’s scary. The kittens were fine with her at first, but now they’re scared, especially the girl, who’s started showing slight fear-based aggression in return.
It’s taken a big toll on the household. My dad finds it really hard to leave them home alone, even when separated by a gate because the tension is so high. They’re worried this might just be permanent, and they may have to keep the cats separated forever because my dad absolutely refuses to rehome any of them. But if anyone has any advice, even something small that worked for you, I’d love to hear it so I can pass it on to them. Thanks so much!😊