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Cat confined for the sake of another



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 10th 04, 02:52 PM
Calvin Rice
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Default Cat confined for the sake of another

I have a cat that has been confined to either my windowed half-basement or
a bedroom of his own ever since last August. He was a stray cat that I
finally accepted and had neutered because he wouldn't go away, and he had
started marking his territory. He stopped the marking, and was/is devoted
to me, but he would not stop manacing one of my male cats, whom he was
driving farther and farther from the house. My cats are all indoor/outdoor,
coming and going as they please, except the confined one.

I let him out one afternoon a few weeks ago, but he went right back to
stalking the same cat as before, who screams and runs from him. With my
other male cat, age seven months, there's no problem, because I have been
letting the kitten have long daily visits with him for months, and they
are friends. The kitten is also friends with the male who is menaced.

My female cat has no problem with the former stray because she is dominant
over him. I would love to let the confined cat go free, but just don't
see any way to stop his aggressiveness toward one cat. With me, by the
way, he is great, wanting to be near me almost all the time. I visit him
often, and sleep with him, but he isn't happy being confined unless either
the young cat or I are with him.

Is there any way out of this situation?

Calvin Rice
  #2  
Old April 10th 04, 04:21 PM
Karen Chuplis
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Default

in article , Calvin Rice at
wrote on 4/10/04 8:52 AM:

I have a cat that has been confined to either my windowed half-basement or
a bedroom of his own ever since last August. He was a stray cat that I
finally accepted and had neutered because he wouldn't go away, and he had
started marking his territory. He stopped the marking, and was/is devoted
to me, but he would not stop manacing one of my male cats, whom he was
driving farther and farther from the house. My cats are all indoor/outdoor,
coming and going as they please, except the confined one.

I let him out one afternoon a few weeks ago, but he went right back to
stalking the same cat as before, who screams and runs from him. With my
other male cat, age seven months, there's no problem, because I have been
letting the kitten have long daily visits with him for months, and they
are friends. The kitten is also friends with the male who is menaced.

My female cat has no problem with the former stray because she is dominant
over him. I would love to let the confined cat go free, but just don't
see any way to stop his aggressiveness toward one cat. With me, by the
way, he is great, wanting to be near me almost all the time. I visit him
often, and sleep with him, but he isn't happy being confined unless either
the young cat or I are with him.

Is there any way out of this situation?

Calvin Rice


When you let him out with the other cat, can you distract him from his
stalking with food or play? I was thinking you could graaaadually wean him
from this behaviour by starting the distraction the moment he starts
stalking. I do not have the severe problem you have, but this method has
really, really helped with one of my cats that annoys another one. The
minute the distraction no longer works, then time out is necessary. it's
gotten so that I can actually just put her in the bedroom and not even close
the door, but she stays in there and cools off on her own. It may take quite
a while, but it seems like this kind of desensitization, as it were, should
work.

Karen

  #3  
Old April 10th 04, 04:21 PM
Karen Chuplis
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

in article , Calvin Rice at
wrote on 4/10/04 8:52 AM:

I have a cat that has been confined to either my windowed half-basement or
a bedroom of his own ever since last August. He was a stray cat that I
finally accepted and had neutered because he wouldn't go away, and he had
started marking his territory. He stopped the marking, and was/is devoted
to me, but he would not stop manacing one of my male cats, whom he was
driving farther and farther from the house. My cats are all indoor/outdoor,
coming and going as they please, except the confined one.

I let him out one afternoon a few weeks ago, but he went right back to
stalking the same cat as before, who screams and runs from him. With my
other male cat, age seven months, there's no problem, because I have been
letting the kitten have long daily visits with him for months, and they
are friends. The kitten is also friends with the male who is menaced.

My female cat has no problem with the former stray because she is dominant
over him. I would love to let the confined cat go free, but just don't
see any way to stop his aggressiveness toward one cat. With me, by the
way, he is great, wanting to be near me almost all the time. I visit him
often, and sleep with him, but he isn't happy being confined unless either
the young cat or I are with him.

Is there any way out of this situation?

Calvin Rice


When you let him out with the other cat, can you distract him from his
stalking with food or play? I was thinking you could graaaadually wean him
from this behaviour by starting the distraction the moment he starts
stalking. I do not have the severe problem you have, but this method has
really, really helped with one of my cats that annoys another one. The
minute the distraction no longer works, then time out is necessary. it's
gotten so that I can actually just put her in the bedroom and not even close
the door, but she stays in there and cools off on her own. It may take quite
a while, but it seems like this kind of desensitization, as it were, should
work.

Karen

  #4  
Old April 10th 04, 11:21 PM
Calvin Rice
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Posts: n/a
Default

Karen Chuplis wrote in message ...

When you let him out with the other cat, can you distract him from his
stalking with food or play? I was thinking you could graaaadually wean him
from this behaviour by starting the distraction the moment he starts
stalking. I do not have the severe problem you have, but this method has
really, really helped with one of my cats that annoys another one. The
minute the distraction no longer works, then time out is necessary. it's
gotten so that I can actually just put her in the bedroom and not even close
the door, but she stays in there and cools off on her own. It may take quite
a while, but it seems like this kind of desensitization, as it were, should
work.


Thank you. I will try what you say, starting tomorrow afternoon. I'll
plan some distractions ahead of time, and be ready when he starts the
stalking.

-cr
  #5  
Old April 10th 04, 11:21 PM
Calvin Rice
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Karen Chuplis wrote in message ...

When you let him out with the other cat, can you distract him from his
stalking with food or play? I was thinking you could graaaadually wean him
from this behaviour by starting the distraction the moment he starts
stalking. I do not have the severe problem you have, but this method has
really, really helped with one of my cats that annoys another one. The
minute the distraction no longer works, then time out is necessary. it's
gotten so that I can actually just put her in the bedroom and not even close
the door, but she stays in there and cools off on her own. It may take quite
a while, but it seems like this kind of desensitization, as it were, should
work.


Thank you. I will try what you say, starting tomorrow afternoon. I'll
plan some distractions ahead of time, and be ready when he starts the
stalking.

-cr
  #6  
Old April 11th 04, 01:30 AM
Tracy
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Posts: n/a
Default

In the end, the two cats are going to have to work it out and the
confinement is only delaying the inevitable. Upsetting as the bullying
behavior is to witness, it is unlikely that it will go on forever, or
that one cat will genuinely hurt each other. But you aren't giving
them a chance to settle their hierarchial issues once and for all.

You will need to let them confront each other periodically. Do it when
you're around for a fairly short period of time and pick a space that
each cat can escape from. Expect a lot of hissing, stalking, chasing
and maybe some wrestling. You can try sharply clapping your hands to
see if that deters an attack, but other wise don't interfere. Slowly
make the sessions a little more frequent and a little longer. You can
try it unsupervised (still inside) after 5-10 sessions and the cats
have gotten used to the idea that they are forced to be in proximity
to each other periodically. After a few sessions, they should be able
to coexist with only occaisional bouts of hostility and you can slowly
reintroduce the outdoors. They will probably always chase and stalk
each other and they may well have regular spats, but that isn't
necessarily the end of the world. But they will learn how to live
together.
  #7  
Old April 11th 04, 01:30 AM
Tracy
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Posts: n/a
Default

In the end, the two cats are going to have to work it out and the
confinement is only delaying the inevitable. Upsetting as the bullying
behavior is to witness, it is unlikely that it will go on forever, or
that one cat will genuinely hurt each other. But you aren't giving
them a chance to settle their hierarchial issues once and for all.

You will need to let them confront each other periodically. Do it when
you're around for a fairly short period of time and pick a space that
each cat can escape from. Expect a lot of hissing, stalking, chasing
and maybe some wrestling. You can try sharply clapping your hands to
see if that deters an attack, but other wise don't interfere. Slowly
make the sessions a little more frequent and a little longer. You can
try it unsupervised (still inside) after 5-10 sessions and the cats
have gotten used to the idea that they are forced to be in proximity
to each other periodically. After a few sessions, they should be able
to coexist with only occaisional bouts of hostility and you can slowly
reintroduce the outdoors. They will probably always chase and stalk
each other and they may well have regular spats, but that isn't
necessarily the end of the world. But they will learn how to live
together.
  #10  
Old April 11th 04, 02:31 PM
Calvin Rice
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

(Tracy) wrote in message . com...
In the end, the two cats are going to have to work it out and the
confinement is only delaying the inevitable. Upsetting as the bullying
behavior is to witness, it is unlikely that it will go on forever, or
that one cat will genuinely hurt each other. But you aren't giving
them a chance to settle their hierarchial issues once and for all.


You will need to let them confront each other periodically. Do it when
you're around for a fairly short period of time and pick a space that
each cat can escape from. Expect a lot of hissing, stalking, chasing
and maybe some wrestling. You can try sharply clapping your hands to
see if that deters an attack, but other wise don't interfere. Slowly
make the sessions a little more frequent and a little longer. You can
try it unsupervised (still inside) after 5-10 sessions and the cats
have gotten used to the idea that they are forced to be in proximity
to each other periodically. After a few sessions, they should be able
to coexist with only occaisional bouts of hostility and you can slowly
reintroduce the outdoors. They will probably always chase and stalk
each other and they may well have regular spats, but that isn't
necessarily the end of the world. But they will learn how to live
together.


Essentially I tried this last year. The effect was to drive my two male
cats, one of which has been missing since the day after I confined the
bully, farther and farther away from the house. I could not, and cannot
stand having my happy home ruined by a stray. So confining was the only
answer I could think of.

I know the difference between friendly cat play, chasing, wrestling, etc,
which I love and encourage, and this horrible behaviour, which is a
nightmare. I will confine this cat for the rest of its life if necessary,
rather than let him spoil the other cat's home.

After the former stray cat was neutered, he lived with us as free as
the other cats for two and a half months. But the problem of him menacing
the other males got steadily worse, and finally intolerable.

-cr
 




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