Cat training

meoklmrk91

I have seen posters on here say that cats can be trained and I was wondering if anyone could help out with this longstanding issue.

I have 2 cats, one who is 9 and the other who is nearly 2. They have lived together for over a year now and they still hate each other. Honestly I don't want them to sleep together, groom each other etc. it would just be nice to go one day without hearing hissing and growling.

The younger cat stays inside most of the time, she likes it better I think, she is very much a pet and loves humans. When the older cat comes to the door or window to be lt in the younger one will bawl at us to let her in. Once we do the fun begins, younger cat goes into hunt mode, eyes huge, end of the tail flickering and crouching down, she then pounces on the other cat who hisses, growls and paws at her, the younger cat never hisses or growls but will often paw at the older one basically in order to piss her off I think. She just non stop harasses her from the moment she comes in. Older cat had a kidney infection earlier in the year no doubt due to the stress of this, and she is getting on a bit now I don't think this is doing her any favours. We have to lock the younger cat in the utility room at night otherwise we are woken up by this.

I would really like to find a solution to this, I can't help but think a few years down the line when older cat will most definitely not be able for this....

I should add I have tried to make loud noises such as clapping or dropping something in order to snap younger cat out of her stalking mode, doesn't work. I often have to stand in between the both of them now so older cat can have something to eat and drink.

SillyMangoX

Have you tried using feliway or anything like that around them? Or getting them both to play with the same toy? Like for example you have a feather on a stick and flap it around for both of them to hunt. Or maybe throw down a bit of catnip. My 2 cats fight a lot, well, the male tries to kill the female a lot :rolleyes: but if we tire them out with a game and a bit of nip, they usually go mental for a half hour then settle down to sleep for the rest of the night!

meoklmrk91

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Have you tried using feliway or anything like that around them? Or getting them both to play with the same toy? Like for example you have a feather on a stick and flap it around for both of them to hunt. Or maybe throw down a bit of catnip. My 2 cats fight a lot, well, the male tries to kill the female a lot :rolleyes: but if we tire them out with a game and a bit of nip, they usually go mental for a half hour then settle down to sleep for the rest of the night!

Feliway, no I've never even heard of it. As for playing older cat us very aloof, wants nothing to do with toys and hasn't since she was a kitten, younger cat loves to play, laser is a particular favourite, I can never seem to tire her out though, she just has boundless energy. Takes off on sprints throughout the house, up and down the stairs on a daily basis, she is a bit mad :P.

I will look into the feliway, kind if willing to try anything at this stage, anyone have any reviews?

SillyMangoX

I bought the feliway diffuser (plug in thingy) to try and stop my 2 fighting and it did lessen the incidences, but I bought the concentrated spray as well and found that one very good, just spray it around places where the cats are likely to be together, places where they like to rub their faces and it seems to relax them a bit. Some people don't think it works at all but I suppose it depends on the individual cat. I also used a homoeopathic remedy to help calm my guy down, now I don't know how much of an effect it really has (homoeopathy is a controversial subject really!) but there's been no rows since I gave it!

lubie76

+1 for the feliway plug in and if you need something stronger, you can buy calming capsules for cats called zylkene which have a powder you can just sprinkle on food or cat milk as they seem to like the taste of them.

They are harmless and there are no reported side effects just makes them a little drowsy. Ask your vet about them if you want a prof opinion but I have used them for introducing new cats and travelling in car to cattery and they do work. You can purchase on Amazon too.

meoklmrk91

Hey guys,

I am a little apprehensive about using the diffuser, I have asthma and diffusers always seem to send me into a choking fit and seeing as they are quite expensive I really don't want to take the chance. The spray sounds good though, so I will definitely try to get my hands on it. As for the zylkene well I guessits something else to look at if needs be. Thanks very much for your suggestions, MUCH! appreciated.

SillyMangoX

I'm asthmatic too and normally I would choke at a diffuser but I didn't notice any effect from this one, there is absolutely no smell at all (to us anyway - different story for the cats!) so there is no sweet perfumy heavy chokey feeling. (if that's what sets you off, that's what gets me coughing anyway!)

meoklmrk91

SillyMangoX wrote: »

I'm asthmatic too and normally I would choke at a diffuser but I didn't notice any effect from this one, there is absolutely no smell at all (to us anyway - different story for the cats!) so there is no sweet perfumy heavy chokey feeling. (if that's what sets you off, that's what gets me coughing anyway!)

I may give it a go then but will try the spray first, still a little apprehensive as the asthma is annoying enough as it is. Can you recommend a retailer, preferably online, where I can get the feliway products?

SillyMangoX

I bought it in my vets as I got it for cost price, I was working there at the time, but I'm sure petmeds.co.uk or vetuk.co.uk supply them, though I'm not sure how shipping works out!

meoklmrk91

SillyMangoX wrote: »

I bought it in my vets as I got it for cost price, I was working there at the time, but I'm sure petmeds.co.uk or vetuk.co.uk supply them, though I'm not sure how shipping works out!

Thanks, will give it a go anyway. Like I said it would just be nice to have them not fighting all the time and for the older lady to be able to get some peace. :rolleyes:

lubie76

+1 for the zylkene if things get bad. I feel your pain as i have 3 cats who don't particularly like each other and had a rescue cat last year for a couple of weeks. It was bloody mayhem.
Multi cat households really aren't ideal unless you're lucky enough to cats who actually get on. The only thing id say is the older they get the more they seem to tolerate each other and seem to appreciate their own space by just ignoring each other. It will get better.

Pumpkinseeds

My 2 cats squabble a lot one is about 6 years old and just over 8 kilos and the other about 4.5 kilos so that doesn't help. The older heavier chap is the main offender although our younger former feral is sneakier and will often give the other fella a sly whack as he passes by.

The Feliway is brilliant, its a cat pheremone which humans can't smell. It covers about 400sq metres. We keep it plugged in by the sofa where they spend most of their time:rolleyes: and it does make a huge difference and calms things down. I forget about it being there until things start getting a bit tense and when I check it its run out, so that'll give you an idea how effective it is.

We also got a Da Bird toy and refills from Amazon to try to get some weight off him. It gets them both going nuts and has improved the younger chaps confidence. Our heavier chap was a lazy bundle but now if I'm upstairs he'll come running up on the off chance that I'll get the Da Bird out to play:)

iora_rua

There was a very entertaining series on Animal Planet called 'My Cat from Hell', featuring a weird 'cat-whisperer' type by the name of Jackson Galaxy. There seem to be repeats every so often, so catch it if you can (I recorded the last lot on SKY +), but he dealt with all sorts of cat problems from cats attacking their owners, other cats - and generally wrecking their own houses and occasionally the neighbours' properties!

Most of the problems he sorted with simple and sometimes obvious solutions - more play, feathers tied to a piece of string, giving cats observation areas off the floor. I think I remember seeing a web page for him which might be a start, but certainly he had some brilliant ideas for keeping the peace!

Do hope you get order restored soon ...

Pumpkinseeds

Yeah Jackson Galaxy is fantastic, it was on My cat from Hell that we discovered the Da Bird toy. He has a facebook page with lots of tips. I'm reading his biography at the moment about how he learned his trade, so to speak, from a disbled cat he fostered then adopted from the shelter he worked for in America. Its a lovely and interesting read although very sad at times.

Qualitymark

You might also try simply picking the aggressor cat up and putting it out of the room every time it starts this nonsense. This has worked with ever cat I've ever had; it also works for keeping them off surfaces where you prepare food - take them down off the surface every time and they'll soon stop going up.

The other thing when you have bullying is to be sure that you have two lots of food, two comfortable beds and two covered litter trays, at opposite ends of the house, and keep an eye to make sure both cats are able to eat, sleep and evacuate in peace.

It's also good to reward the cats when they're both nice to each other, keeping some handy treats (chopped cooked liver is good; give it to both of them at the same time; make sure it's fresh and don't use it for a second day) to give them when they're pleasant to each other.

iora_rua

I expect the OPs feline problems have been sorted by now, but thought some of you on here might be interested in an online reminder I've just had re 'My Cat from Hell'.

Series 1 - Episode 2/6 today at 22:00 on Travel & Living
Series 1 - Episode 2/6 tomorrow at 01:00 on Travel & Living

Qualitymark

Can cats be trained?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYqOtHykYx8

Kloecor

Same thing happened my two cats. The older cat decided to move in with a neighbour! She's now been living there for about 4 years now haha. I'm not sure anything can be done about it. Same thing with humans, we either like each other or we don't.