Karen Chuplis wrote in message ...
It's a general environment change. It's subtle. It isn't like the
immediately change or anything. Check out www.feliway.com

Thanks, and I'll check out the website. My cats may have an unusual
environment, because they have a large environment. They have indoors,
currently dominated by the aggressive, recently adopted stray, who follows
me around like a kitten; and they have outdoors, which includes wooded
areas on both sides of the house, and a big yard. They have total freedom
to come in and out of the house year round, though of course they tend
to seek shelter and warmth when necessary. I have the feeling that Feliway
may make sense only in a smaller, more controlled environment than the one
that my cats enjoy. The only one who comes in the house during the warm
days is the female, who is dominant over the new one. But to keep the new
one from attacking the males during mealtime, I now have to close the new
one in the house at mealtime, first while I round up the others, and then
while I feed them. Of course the new one cries while I'm outside with
the others, and they hear it, and it distracts them. For two months I was
able to feed them all outside, at the same time, taking care to keep the
new one separated from the others. But about a week ago, the new one
started to be more aggressive than ever, causing my current awkward
predicament.

This whole situation has been horrific. I have this feline from hell, in
relation to my other cats, who is like an affectionate kitten with me,
who wont leave my side. He wont even eat unless I'm nearby. He will leave
his food in order to stay next to me. The other cats expect to see him
whenever I come around them.

I can't give away the new cat, because I know too few people. I can't
sentence the new cat to starvation by leaving it somewhere across the river.
I can't take him to a shelter where he will be killed after a few days.
I had him neutered, and that thankfully stopped him from marking territory,
but I never guessed that he might become closer to me than my shadow, and
also torment my other cats. It's a nightmare.

I'm sorry I got carried away.

Calvin Rice