# How long do i give it before i seperate my cats?



## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

hello there i am new here so the subject has probably been discussed before. I have 2 gorgeous pixie bobs both girls (sisters) and the lady i got them off really wanted to rehome them together (i originally was getting only 1 cat) so i took both. They loved each other for the first 16 months then one started growling and punching the other. Now the slight growling is turning into proper fighting although no blood drawn yet and it ends fairly quickly. The cat that growls is possibly scared of the other who at first ignored but is now fighting back. I love them both and dont know which to rehome if i need to and i have tried the plug in feliway for a month now with no affect. i am going to try serene um drops to see if they work. But how long should i keep them together to see if they get over their hatred? A friend will maybe have 1 but not for 6 months because she is in a rental til then. Can anyone say they have tried serene um drops for fighting cats? i am so sad to get rid of one. 
thanks
georgina

i will get round to posting a piccie


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## broccoli (Jul 1, 2011)

if theres no blood drawn, it may be normal sibling stuff. how are they after the fights?

assume both are spayed?


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## Golgotha_tramp (Feb 27, 2011)

Hi I'm new to cats but have they got separate litter trays, food bowls, beds and hidey holes etc.

Sometimes even the most in love cats need some time alone and their own space, otherwise they may fight.


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## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

broccoli said:


> if theres no blood drawn, it may be normal sibling stuff. how are they after the fights?
> 
> assume both are spayed?


Maybe it is normal but i dont know cats as well as dogs. They avoid each other after a fight and any other time well that is to say the Lola avoids Charlie and hisses if she see her. Yes they are both spayed. It is a fact that there are quite a few cats in the neighbourhood too which i understand may be affecting Lola and why she is scared of Charlie now. I wondered if this will always be the situation or whether the other cats being around is something she would get used to - after all its not Charlie she should be scared of. if Lola didnt hiss Charlie would just chill as well. Anyway i am off for some serene um drops so i will keep you updated.

Its weird though that sometimes like today they will walk past each other without a problem albeit they wont stop for a chat!! Other days its a hiss and a punch and now more regularly the hiss and punch is a full on scrap. I picked up Lola yesterday to take her into the bedroom and she hissed when we walked in as if in anticipation of Charlie being there!!! which she wasnt!!


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## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

Golgotha_tramp said:


> Hi I'm new to cats but have they got separate litter trays, food bowls, beds and hidey holes etc.
> 
> Sometimes even the most in love cats need some time alone and their own space, otherwise they may fight.


hi ther
they have seperate food bowls and they no longer use litter tray (much to our neighbours dismay!!)Lola tends to hide under my bed whilst Charlie tends to sit on my sons bed on the top floor of house.

I think its got to be a territorial thing with there being so many other cats in neighbourhood. I wanted to keep them inside but they pushed past me everytime the door opened and with 2 kids as well it was impossible to keep the door closed. Now i have put in a microchip cat flap as a few months ago a cat did get in but surely this would not still affect situation??


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## Sonybear (Feb 1, 2011)

I have posted previously about my two cats but they are sisters that haven't got on for the last 6 years, but they have found a way to work around it and now rather than intervene I just leave them to get on with it....Like you there is never any blood drawn just the odd hiss, spit they don't fight anymore (they did initially) but I think its more for show as the short haired cat would no doubt prefer to be top cat all the time!

The only thing I did do was get two litter trays as the dominant cat was guarding one of them which meant accidents from the other girl (solved the issue), but I see you don't need to have litter trays. I do feed them in separate rooms as this is when most of the squabbling takes place suprisingly the more gentle cat wins these arguments.

I guess what I am trying to say is that when they first started hating each other I was so worried about whether they could ever live together again and whether it would be fairer to give one up but at this current moment one is curled up on my bed and the other is asleep on my hubbys gym bag purring so I guess they must be happy.

My hubby wont be happy about all the white hair now covering his black gym bag, whoops  

We have loads of cats that come into our garden and some they will tolerate and others they will gang up on together, I don't have a cat flap so I cant comment on whether the previous visit by another cat may still be causing issues.


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## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

hi sony bear 

i hope they will learn to live in the same house even if they arent best of friends. It still would be a shame they cant like each other as i got the 2 thinking they would need company (my dog is 14 years so wont be around forever) and they both love her! 6 months should be long enough to see if they stop fighting i think. 

Just given Lola the serene um drops so i will see if it makes a difference. Might need them myself as the kids have driven me potty in the summer hols!
cheers for replies


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## 11cocopops (Aug 28, 2011)

Just another comment hopefully to provide some positivity!

I have two male cats, not brothers but were born and brought up in the same room by the breeder so they dont know any different.

They growl like dogs at times, not so much hiss but fight, ears back staring at least other one paw raised until someone makes the first hit! 

But then they will sleep on the same couch, lying on their backs purring away and often clean each other too.

We have two litter trays, separate feeding bowls as one does dominate, and lots of scratch posts and beds. We have just started feeding small portions regularly so they finish whats in the bowl rather than leaving food out throughout the day. This way we can watch they both eat out of their own bowl.

So long as they arent getting injured I would hold out!


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## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

hi cocopops i will hold out a bit. I have given both serene um drops and not sure if its making a difference or not still little bit of growling and avoiding each other. Today though Charlie chased lola all the way upstairs and under the bed where that is Lolas hidy hole so not happy with Charlie for invading lolas space . I will keep yo posted but so far these Felways and potions dont live up to their reviews !! This is how they used to be asleep on the same sofa or at least in the same room just chilling!


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## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

just a quick update. Still problems Lola growling constantly and bashing Charlie everytime she gets too near. Poor Charlie does seem to be nervous and will assess the room before wondering in just in case. Still not hurting each other though but Charlie is a bit dumb and hangs around whilst being growled at i mean why doesnt she just leave the room??? Its not as if she is egging Lola its just i think she doesnt quite know what to do

Any way so much for serene um drops and felliway. Obviously got a cat thats immune. I will update if they get to be friends or if i have to rehome.


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## 11cocopops (Aug 28, 2011)

Sad to here things aren't getting better. 

I worked until recently at a rehoming centre, and we were very strict on ensuring all cats and dogs went to a perfect home. Holding out for the right family i.e. in your case no other cats! and always vetting homes to make sure they are suitable and in the right location for an outdoor cat. It was very common that a family had to bring in one of their two cats who had got on well for years and then suddenly turned. Unfortunately cats dont think of our feelings in this situation!

If this is the only option you have left, at least you know a suitable forever home will be found. Just make sure you go through a rescue centre rather than sites like Gumtree, where everyone is after a free/cheap pet for a week until they get bored!

But I would seek vet advice first just in case they think of something none of us have! And remember one vet is very different to the next so maybe get a second opinion if not...

Best of luck!!! x


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## brianmf (Aug 9, 2011)

georgiesharp said:


> just a quick update. Still problems Lola growling constantly and bashing Charlie everytime she gets too near. Poor Charlie does seem to be nervous and will assess the room before wondering in just in case. Still not hurting each other though but Charlie is a bit dumb and hangs around whilst being growled at i mean why doesnt she just leave the room??? Its not as if she is egging Lola its just i think she doesnt quite know what to do
> 
> Any way so much for serene um drops and felliway. Obviously got a cat thats immune. I will update if they get to be friends or if i have to rehome.


This sounds very similar to our half-brothers Max and Sam (See: He hates his returning brother). They have loved each other for 8 years but since Max went missing for 4 days, the friendship has been broken. Max just can't understand why Sam is now aggressive. He really loves his companion and is clearly distressed by this sudden change.
I hope that you and I both see an improvement in the relationships before too long. It's distressing for us to see this feudal behaviour.


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## georgiesharp (Aug 25, 2011)

yes brian its awful to watch and we humans probably worry about it more than the cat that is getting bashed! I am still persevering until the time comes that they really do damage to each other. I read somewhere on here that it could take up to a year for them to learn to get on. Not sure if thats the case with cats that did get on then didnt or if its just for new cats that are introduced but i will leave it longer. I hope you can persevere too as its not nice deciding to give one up and choosing. I hope it doesnt happen to us. Take care


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## Catlover2 (Oct 12, 2009)

Hi there

Can't help particulary - I'm having similar probs with my NFC and my PB. Nice to see another PB owner on here. Would be interested to know where you got yours from? Drop me a PM maybe?

x


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

haven't thoroughly read the whole thread cos i can't be arsed  but...

have you tried serene-ums, feliway diffuser and cat vits and minerals? 
there are vits and mins tablets or licks etc available from most petshops, just like us, cats need certain things and without them they can manifest as unhappiness (like us when we get hormonal at period time, taking a multivit can sometimes help to deal with the bodies change in need for particular vits etc during that time) same things happen to animals, so it's worth trying along with the serene-um and feliway.

I've got a feliway and serene-ums for our bubs cos she's completely changed personality recently, similar problems you're having.

you can also try giving agro cat a space of her own, we shut bubs in our bedroom (she likes it trust me, she picks the carpet when she want's out, obviously only when we're in) so the other 2 can't get to her and annoy her. If it's hard to do this, try spraying feliway on her fave spot and see if you can keep the other cat away from there.

We also feed bubs away from the other 2 as she gets very defensive of her food and if she feels too threatened she just runs away and doesn't eat. it doesn't help that neeper has the habit of vampiring both the other cats if she isn't fed quickly enough or they're hogging the only bowl of food that's left (hogging = eating lol).

she's only in the kitchen, the other 2 are a meter away lol but it seems to keep her calmer.

have you taken agro cat to the vets to make sure it's not a urine infection or other problem? did you say they were both spayed, i didn't notice it, might be worth considering.

hope thats of some help. it's worth trying those first for at least 4 months as it can take a while for things to work and attitudes to change.

good luck mate  fingers crossed for kitties.


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