I got a pair of rescue cats, 12 years old, two months ago, who allegedly were 'devoted' to each other. They've settled in vvv well, vvv fast. Both are v friendly and purring cats when alone. No issues there.
But they hate each other and one has chosen to 'live' upstairs, in the bedrooms, and the other cavorts downstairs in the living room.
Upstairs cat only comes downstairs for meals and to go out/use the tray. She creeps around downstairs cat when she needs to come into the sitting room. And more often than not, one or the other one will hiss or spit, or growl - occasionally a paw swipe.
If we lock downstairs cat out of the sitting room, upstairs cat will sit on sofa with us etc. otherwise she's just upstairs. Downstairs cat will sometimes go upstairs if we are there - walk about then go downstairs again. If this happens, upstairs cat will usually leave the room after hissing at her sister then come back in when she leaves.
I'm getting so sad for upstairs cat! we all pop up to see her in either my or my son's bedroom, where she purrs and wants to play. She will sit at the foot of the stairs sometimes and try and lure us upstairs. She looks so sad!
We think they lived with a single older lady for their first 12 years and we think perhaps they had to compete for owner's attention. But now there are four of us ready to stroke play and love them! plenty to go around! So...
Do you cat experts know if we can do anything to try and rebalance things so that upstairs cat can be downstairs too and in the bosom of the cat-friendly family?
Upstairs cat is so happy when her sister isn't around - so would we be better off rehoming one of them? Although we love them both!
Thank you