We just adopted two cats, our existing cat is not happy

by J
(Canada)

I share a house with two other people and have had my cat for about 6 years. I adopted her from a shelter and the lady said she had been abused prior to her being in the shelter, and she didn't get along with male cats. So, she's always been the only cat in the house, I had a dog for a while and she was more or less fine with that because he was a very timid dog, and she did bully him a bit but it was never truly violent. When I moved in with my first roommate, she had a cat (a male) and the two did NOT get along. They were both "fixed" but still my cat would mark the house every now and then and she would attack him constantly, making that horrible hissing sound and bringing out the claws. She started urinating all over the house, sometimes it looks like it may have blood in it and almost daily there were puddles on the floor in the morning. I made sure that her tray was clean and everything but she would sometimes urinate around it. She was always howling and just seemed generally very dominant. He disappeared a few weeks back and my roommates and I decided we would get another cat. We ended up adopting two. My cat is not impressed. They two new cats are brothers, very sweet, extremely affectionate, and already totally comfortable. We just got them today, but they already seem very adjusted, they didn't hide at all just explored the house. And then we brought my cat in...she started hissing, urinated on the floor and attacked both the males. We're not too sure how to get them used to each other and I'm afraid that my cat will never settle down and get along with them. She never seemed to like the first cat. Is she just afraid of other cats altogether and can't live with them? Will she ever get used to them being here? And what should I do about the urination?


Answer by Kate
Well it sounds like your cat will never get along with other cats if that has been her reaction both times with other cats. this is not unusual as some cats just aren't that socailble and there really bisn't much you can do to make them get along. Sometimes the best you can hope for is that they just tolerate each other and eacg other a wide berth. As for the urination, well this will continue as long as your cat feels unhappy or insecure about the presence of the other cats, again you cannot stop this behavior, it is the way cats communicate both their anxiety and their territory. If their is blood in it though i would take her to the vets as she may have a urinary infection which will need treatment.
the only thing i can suggest is that you try reintroducing the cats using the method described here under the cat training menu, this will be a slow process but may help to calm the situation.