Cats HATE each other - help

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About 4 months ago we adopted a cat (female 13 months) and a kitten (female 8 weeks)they aren't related, cat lost her kittens, kitten was last of family left at the rescue.

At first they got on great, first meeting the cat was cleaning and fussing her and over a couple of weeks the baby would suckle on her and they would cuddle up all the time.

Now they wont even be near each other, they hiss and meow loudly, it's mainly the big one kicking off, they will sit in the same room etc but if one passes the other on the stairs they have to have a pop, what can I do to chill them out??

Just like to add the instigator seems to be the big one but she is very laid back with everyone else, even let's my two year old pick her up (supervised) and give her a fuss without a sound.

Feliway plug in? They are probably just having a sort out as to who is boss once they make up there minds peace should be restored

Maybe she's reacting to the kitten as to one of her own? Mothers are often mean to their own kittens when they grow - it's a 'kicking them out' sort of thing.

Are they both neutered?

Yes they where both neutered when we got them, at first I thought she was teaching her to hunt as she was pouncing out from behind doors and under the bed but now it's more than that, iv never seen it get physical but they can be screeching at each other on the landing and wake me up at night

May be a silly question but... is a plug in like a cat air freshener? Can we smell it?

Mine are like this. Both sister They had to go together as the rescue said they were inseparable. (They used to sleep entwined) and when one went to the vets, the other broke her heart. But they actively avoid each other and will occasionally take a swipe at the other. At first I thought they hated each other but I think it's just a bit of play fighting. There are never claws. One of them is very dominant and she just likes to remind her sister who is boss. I think they are typical siblings with a love hate relationship. Woke up the other day to them curled up next to each other and actually touching. Was gobsmacked!

No you won't smell the plug in, they're very good ime.

Got high shelves or cat trees so they can each have their own space?

8 weeks would be early to neuter a kitten. Absolutely not impossible if the shelter was acting very carefully - but still quite tight. Are you sure?

Gosh yes. Even we would probably not try to neuter an 8 week old kitten, and we neuter at the soonest possible moment. Are you sure??

I'm sure, they won't let any kittens leave without being done, she had a little shaved patch on her side in front of her back leg and A tiny sewn up scar, they have plenty of beds, a cat tree, quiet hiding places etc

OK.

Do they go outside at all? And how much time do you give them in games and activities?

They are in and out all day, they both bring me lots of dead shrews/birds/moths/worms and once a baby rabbit so they keep busy! I don't do activities with them as such but make sure I have a sit down and a fuss with them both when they are around

So the stairs are now the accepted 'battleground'?

Stairs, doorways, the cat flap, anywhere they have to pass too closely, but they will sit in each other's company on chairs opposite sides of the table for example, hopefully it's something they will grow out of

Fingers crossed that that's so. It might be no bad thing, though, to introduce some actual games at places that might be 'friction points' - e.g. the stairs - so that they can get their minds off each other and not develop a 'thing' about the other cat.

Good luck with them.

PS - my own Seniorboy has a (completely unreasoning) hatred of The Lodger, who is a glorious and sociable young cat with perfect manners. It's exhausting when you're in the middle of it, I know.

Our two cats are sisters and hate each other. Feliway takes the edge off it a bit but the new Feliway Friends plug in (I sound like an ad here) does a much better job - they no longer hiss at each other at all. Worth a try.

Do I need to go to a pet type place? Popping to Asda now, be handy if I can pick a plug in up there. Open to any suggestions of games I can play with them?

Order on line it'll be far cheaper than the shops. Expect to post about £18 approx even on eBay.

Ime toys with feathers on the end of fishing lines are the best.

Cheapest we have found are via Animed, but delivery is very quick. Asda tend just to have the ordinary Feliway not the "don't hate your flatmate" variety.

Is that the technical term chop?

It would be if I worked for their marketing department