When bonding cats and bun doesn't work

[juliew19673]

I know I'm all over theboard tonight but am having problems, need suggestions...

Tbone my 19 yr. old cat I knew was not going to "love" and/or accept Baxter! but this is what her life is at the moment.. I have a 1 bedroom loft apt. I basically have 2 very small rooms to block off and one LARGE area to block off, so that they both have their own area to call their own.

Tbone the cat HATES Baxter with a passion (hisses and growls, but I think this is the extent of herdominance). Baxter! has yet to challenge her ever/leaves her alone the 2 times they've been in the same room together..

Is there a way to get them to at least put up with each other? Typing this I trhik I'm screwed and will just have to keep them apart (which is fine - but would love to have them be friends)..

Any in-sight to Cat/Rabbt combined behaviour much appreciated!

 

[tort]

We didn't really have too much trouble when we brought 6 week old Zamboni home to an apartment with 5 cats. The kittens just thought of him as a new play toy and would paw at him when he came by or they would just fallow him around out of curiosity. The adult cats really weren't bothered at all just the initial smelling him to see what he was.

The two that we worried about was Ninja our big old man of the house and Luna the mother of the kittens. Ninja is very moody and chases everyone behind the TV stand for no reason than to just be a bully. Lunais our only cat that has been free to roam outside (not by choice; she would jump off our balcony on the 2nd floor) and I know she hunted while she was loose.

At first we just kept an eye on everyone when Zamboni was give his time out of the cage. Ninja would just growl and hiss at him and Luna didn't care one way or the other. After a few weeks Zamboni was running the house. He would chase and nip at the kittens and for Ninja growling at him; my fearless bunny would get close to him and thump. Luna and him would actually cuddle together on the foot stool and when she had another litter of kittens last Dec. Zamboni would be sit in her box with her and the kittens playing protector by keeping the other cats away.

We have since added 3 ferrets to your family and Zamboni has actually bonded with Nicky our first ferret and is the protector of the other two when Nicky plays too ruff with them. It's funny to watch him play tag with Nicky. He chins Nicky and takes off running and then waits for him to catch up and then lets Nicky run off and then chases after him only to repeat the process all over again.

All in all just keep an eye on the situation; at the most you may have to keep them separated and at the least they will just tolerate each other and keep their own space between them.

 

[juliew19673]

I must bump my own thread.. Tbone (the 19 year old kitty) and Baxter! the 8 month old bun are just not becoming friends - its all really due too Tbone not liking any animal..

I've had them together now on about 6 occasions, tonight being the longest and the closest they've gotten with each other and I'm worried equally for both.. At the corner of the hall I knew they were going to come face-to-face w/each other but was in the middle to interact when needed - they sniffed noses and they Tbone did the hiss/growl pat-pat with her paw on Baxter's! face (no claws, so I think thats promising), but Tbone just gets SO bent out of shape!! I really do not want her to get upset being so old, but would love for them to at least be able to "co-exist" when running about the house..

Tbone does not have long on this earth (she's healthy for her age, but she is in her twilight at best) - so perhaps I should not push this? Or perhaps her being upset is me "projecting" my concern onto her..

What do you all think? Would love to hear others insight.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Our cat is a pain in the patoot! I have to watch her constantly when Snuff is out. She's obsessed with him, I swear, she also thinks we all need a babysitter. So, needless to say when we let Snuff out we watch her like a hawk and tell her no or she goes on the porch(Enclosed)!

So, I have the same sorta problem. We have tried teaching her, by using a water spray bottle and all, but she gets so hyper that she can't help it and goes after poor Snuff, he doesn't mind too much, but we do! He should have his time too without having to be bothered.

 

[juliew19673]

Wow, so at least I'm not alone! LOL.. Has your cat every inflicted "damage" on Snuff? I'm so worried Tbone will really scratch/cut Baxter! (make sure her claws are trimmed down all of the time).. She never bites - but just wondering how bad a "good swipe" on a buns face might be?..

Yeah, I think Tbone might just be to old to have to be challenged to put up with another critter.. Baxter! doesn't really seem to careless, but Tbone just gets herself worked up into a lather about him, which can't be good for someone so old..

Its funny though she can sleep for 4 hours with Baxter! running around her, once she see's him - she's nothing but crotchy until he goes back into his pen or on the patio - and she will CHECK and make sure he's behind locked doors before settling down.. LOL..

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Nope, never any injuries, or close to it, but it worries me, which is why sometimes, we put her on the porch so he can just be a bunny! He doesn't mind her even when she swaps him, but, I feel that you need to teach animals such as cats with claws. not to do that. They can swipe part of an eye if they don't know it. So,you have to watch or use separate playtimes.