CAT OWNERS! Please help, new male cat being over-territorial with existing male cat. Any advice please?

[snooks]

I'm asking for advice on behalf of a close friend who has recently adopted a rescued male cat. The new cat (quite elderly) is doing what cats do, ie trying to establish his territory over the younger, existing male cat in the house by chasing him, hissing etc.

This has been going on for about a month I believe and not really improving. My friend desperately doesn't want to return the new cat to the rescue centre, but obviously feels awful to her existing cat.

Any tips for helping them, errrm, bond?
(new cat btw is great with people and laydee cats, just not boy cats). Thanks.

anyone please? unhappy cats waiting...

Is either cat neutered?

oh yes, neutered/chipped/wormed etc (friend is very responsible with all that stuff) - although I presume you're asking because of the overly male behaviour?

bump??

I too, now have 2 male cats. Had the latest, younger rescue for 3 weeks now and he is doing the winding up and challenging too...difference is, he is also showing that he knows he is the submissive one :

My new cat walks away first
Old cat never walks away
When they first met, new cat was hissing and old cat stood his ground in a face off..new cat walked away.

I always feed old cat first, make new boy wait, and I kept on picking up and cuddling old cat in front of new, so new got the iodea thet old cat is the alpha male.

Does your friend do these things?

If the old cat is now a nervous wreck and is not standing his ground, hmmm maybe a problem. However if the new cat keeps challenging and the old one stays his ground then I think its something they have to work through.

hi lovesdogsandcats, thanks for your reply.

I'm not sure if my friend is doing the things you suggest, I am going to email her straight after this. It sounds like it would definitely help I think.

I got the impression from her that the 'established' cat is being submissive to the newbie, but I will check this too. She is really keen to make this work but obviously doesn't want to distress the older cat so if you think of any other tips please let me know (btw the 'established' male cat we are talking about has seen various other rescued cats come and go during the last few years so is usually good at accepting new ones - by 'come and go' I mean of natural causes!)

Thanks again.

Think I've read about this. It's not uncommon that a stray tom adopts a house and the owners take him in, neuter him and feed him and then he plays havoc with the older established cats in the house.

TBH, I think there wassn't an easy solution - it was in the book as a warning. It may be that he has to be rehomed.

It might have been one of the 'cat detective' books - I can't remember.

devonblue yes the lady from the car rescue place advises that my friend return him there - friend is also putting feelers out to rehome him via people she knows if it comes to that. I think she's really torn by what is the right thing to do all round....

car rescue??? duh, CAT rescue

Maybe he would be best as the only cat n the household, but I can understand that it's not that easy. She probably feels terribly responsible for him.

If the established cat has accepted other cats coming before, yet with this one is behaving submissively, then yes it could be a problem.
I would see just HOW submissive older cat is behaving. Find out if older cat is behaving more submissively than he usually does, or , is he behaving just as he normally does, it is just that this new cat is very dominant and so making him look submissive. If new cat hisses etc what does he do? If he is running away and cannot be relaxed in his own home, then I think new cat will have to go back to rescue.

She's given it a month already so wont be accused of not persisting! Her older cat must come first!

devonblue she does feel incredibly responsible for him, the new cat is elderly and she really doesn't want to send him back

I am toying with the idea of taking him (already have one female) but our cat is already semi-tortured by the dses (not really, I wouldn't let them but I'm not sure I want to introduce any more friction into her life). Hard decision.

LDAC, thanks, I will find out about his (older cat's) behaviour. It's so hard isn't it because you just want to keep them all (I've been there).