Rehome aggressive cat

[Naetha]

Until 6 months ago, we had 3 chilled out, easy going cats. We decided that we had room in our house and our hearts for one more, so we got a rescue cat.

He was ever so friendly and chilled out until we introduced (very gradually) our other cats to him. Ever since then he's been aggressive and vicious to everyone - us (including 2 DCs), and the other cats.

It's very rare that we can approach him for a stroke without him scratching or biting us unless we have food, or it's the middle of the night and he's all sleepy. He constantly picks fights with our other cats - one of them in particular he absolutely terrorises - chases her all the time.

All our cats are neutered (devil-cat included), we've tried feliway diffusers, there's plenty of feeding bowls, we have a cat flap and a large safe garden, and 3 bedrooms and 3 reception rooms that the cats all have access to, so there really shouldn't be a territory issue. Not only is he terrorising our cats, he's terrorising other cats in the area.

However, when the other cats aren't around, he's much friendlier. He pops around to our neighbours and will let them stroke him, but again, not if there's another cat in sight.

To get to the point - should we re-home him? I feel we've given him enough of a chance to settle in and grow up, he's making our cats lives a misery, and he can't be that happy himself if he's affectionate when the other cats aren't around. Surely he'd be happier in a loving home with no other cats?

I hate to give up a cat for adoption (and in many ways I'd be happy to do a swap), but I just don't feel it's working.

It sounds like he would be much happier living in a house with no other cats.

sounds like he's unhappy. I think you should talk to the place you got him from, with a view to finding him somewhere else, with no young children and no other pets.

Probably quiet at first because he was scared, now he's just pissed off

THing is, he comes across as perfectly happy until you try and stroke him. He's always sprawled in front of a radiator or curled up on a bed, and always in and out of the cat flap. It seems like he's come into this house and just assumed that he's top cat and will do whatever it takes to keep himself there.

I think you're right though, for his own good he needs somewhere where he doesn't always feel he has to stamp his authority, and to give our other cats a break.

I'd hate to send him back where he came from though - do you think we could rehome him ourselves? Put an ad on freecycle, but with the proviso that we're allowed to inspect where he goes? I'd never send him somewhere he'd not be happy. I'd rather keep him than give him to a rehoming centre - they're such miserable places.

Don't freecycle him please. Talk to the CPL about rehoming, but tell them you can hang onto him until they can help you find him a suitable home, rather than him going into a shelter. They will then ensure that the new owners really are the right sort of people for him. People are more likely to respond on impulse to a freecycle advert and you are not so likely to find a truely good home.

I echo the CPL advice. Definitely the best bet.

I agree totally that rehoming is the best thing to do. Cats aren't naturally good at living in groups, despite our expectations that they should coexist in a limited space. I don't think it's anything to do with "dominance" over the others, he's probably just really stressed out and attack is the best form of defence.

Get him into a single-cat household and he'll be much happier.

Right, have spoken to a local cat rescue centre, and got some advice about how to deal with his behaviour.

I'm going to get a plant mister, and spray him whenever he's aggressive - either to us, or to the other cats.

We'll give it another 3 months or so, and hoipefully that, and the weather improving will make a difference. If we do decide to rehome him in the future, we will do what you suggested, and keep him here until they find a home for him.

Ugh, what poor advice. Spraying an already stressed out and anxious animal when he exhibits behaviour associated with his emotional state? That's really helpful

Here's a link to the Feline Advisory Bureau which will try to answer personal email enquiries within 3 days for a donation. On the page there are also links to fact sheets about behaviour.

Punishing the cat for behaviours such as those you have described is an outdated and ineffective way of dealing with what may be a very complex situation. If you have decided to give the situation more time then please consider getting help from a member of the APBC.