How do I get my new male cat to stop chasing my female cat. She is scared of being attacked!

Question

I have a spayed 3 year old female cat and I have just got a neutered 14 year old cat (or so the owner said he was that old). I have had the male cat now for a month. Every time the female cat is down on the floor the male cat will chase her and then she gets scared and attacks him. I don't know what to do!! She stays on top of the cabinets now and is miserable. Getting rid of the male cat is not an optional because he was a family pet but had to come to me because of living circumstances. Help!!!

Answer 1

they do that there to

Answer 2

Your own peace of mind will suffer too if you don't come up with a solution. You could keep the cats in separate areas and see if that doesn't calm them down. The new cat is staking its territory, which is what all animals do. But your own cat is suffering because of it. You could try medicating (getting a sedative for the male). However,i f things don't improve you'll have to make a decision about finding another home for the male cat.

Answer 3

Have you all ready tried re-introducing them to one another by isolating the "newbie" to a particular room, with a screen or gate across the door so they can see and smell each other, but they can't fight each other?

We are a multi-rescue family and not all of them get along all the time.

I had one altered female that I brought home with me that had been dumped at the vet clinic where I worked; and it took her one year before she finally settled in and seemed happy among our brood.

It really wasn't the other cats that picked on her that much, it was more her attitude, and my fault as I tended to be a bit over protective of her and Sophia soon learned that if she screamed and cried if one of the other cats even looked at her cross ways I'd come running.

I finally got so I would only sneak around corners to see if she was actually being attacked, or if she was just hollering to get some attention and get one of the other cats in trouble.

Once I caught on to her game and didn't come every time she cried then she began to either settle things on her own, or stopped being so sensitive.  I also noticed that another smaller cat we rescued would run from an older altered female as long as I was home, and stayed in our bedroom most of the time.  But while I was gone during the day I always came home that evening and found Sootie right out in the middle of the room, resting normally, among the others and the one that she would normally run from.  I think that in rare occasions our cats can train us to be their protector while at the same time, taking it a little too far.  Kind of like a child who gets "too attached and dependent" on it's mother and learns how to cry "wolf".

I have a squirt bottle that I keep filled with water in the refrigerator.  But I don't use it that often because I have found that just clapping my hands and saying "no" quite forcefully works just as well.

That keeps any one cat from feeling "picked on"; and it gets everyones attention and breaks up the disagreement.

We recently adopted an 8 year old altered female who developed arthritus in her left front shoulder.  She was a bit of a handful for the first month she lived with us as she would not let any of our resident cats or dogs within a certain radius of her.  She would lay in the middle of the living room rug, smack her tail on the floor and dare any of the other residents to come near.

I stayed out of their business and let the pets work things out as much as they could on their own.  Our dogs stayed clear of her.  So that was no problem at all.  The resident cats were just curious, until they got tired of Bella's hisses. Once they started hissing back at Bella then she began to calm down some.  It actually took Bella getting used to her new home and her new life, before she could begin to relax and allow the introductions that were necessary among the animals. It was nearly a month before Bella even let the other cats close enough to sniff her.

As long as it is your resident female that has the upper hand when the newbie male chases her, and the female isn't just running from the male and hiding I would probably try to stay out of their fights (keep both of their nails trimmed good and of course, if the two begin to engage in a serious biting fight then you may have to use a squirt bottle or holler "no" and clap) and let them sort their relationship out.

There is no set time on how long it can take for two or more cats to get adjusted to each other.  Some may never "love" each other, but they may learn to respect each others space, and can live "around"each other and you as their human.

Try not to show either cat too much partiality, and if you do want to do something special for one or the other try setting on the floor with both of them and offering each of them the same treat (I use boiled skinless, boneless chicken breast I boil in water and keep on hand in the refrigerator).  They will probably work it out.  Try not to worry too much unless you notice that your little female is being pushed away from her food /water or litter box.

Answer 4

Your female is probably used to being the only cat in the house and is not used to having another cat in her territory.  The male cat is staking out his territory and the female cat is fearful of this.  Don't separate them, and I can understand her being miserable, but just show the female cat that the male cat is cool, get them playing together with the same toy!  (Laser pointers work well for this)  let each of them see that the other one is cool and they will be okay with each other.  Separating them will only make it worse when they get put back together.  

Answer 5

are you sure it has been neutered  and besides not all cats get along!

try feeding them separatelyly separate if you can and start again by introducingg them slowly again and act as though he is a total different cat.are you stopping himfrom approachingg her what you could do get a spray bottle of water and every time he chases her squirt him a water pistal is better and every time she hits him squirt her. he is trying to show hisDomencee.  

Answer 6

Put them apart. Did the female do anything??