Need cat advice!

[Tafiti]

OK, I've had my cat for about 7 months, and he's around 9 or 10 months old (by vet's estimation). Just got #2 about 5 days ago, and she's probably 3 or 4 months old. Both are fixed. Basically, here's the problem:

I've never really had cats before, so this is all pretty new to me. They seem to get along OK, but after awhile, the older male cat will chase her down and pounce on top of her and bite her around the neck. This seems to be out of playfulness rather than hostility, but I don't think he realizes he's being rough, and it turns into a hissing, meowing mess after a few seconds, at which point I separate them. Is this normal? Should I let it go on and not separate them? Because I'll put him in a room for awhile and shut the door, and he starts whining endlessly. Then I'll let him out, and the same thing happens within a minute or two. However, sometimes, when he's on top of her and biting, she'll lay still, and he seems to lose interest and walks away (whining).

So what do you think? I'm still trying to get her acclimated to the brand new environment, without her having to be afraid of our cat. She's probably scared shitless. Plus, while I'm at work, I'm afraid to leave them together fearing a fight would get out of hand w/o me there to separate them.

[48pan]

1. Completely Normal

They are establishing the pecking order. Unless it starts causing injury, leave them alone.

[montanacowboy]

2. Male behavior suggests mating

When mating, the male cat will mount the back of the female and bite her around the neck -

I wonder if he still has some male testerone in his system

[intheflow]

5. Mating ritual for sure.

My best friend has a fixed male cat wo does this to her leopard print couch pillows and then proceeds to hump them. The vet just laughs and laughs.

[crispini]

3. While you are still getting her acclimated,

I would prepare a room that can be "her turf" i.e. your bedroom or something, with litter box and food, and keep them separate when you are away.

A certain amount of this is to be expected when adding a new cat -- mine still play in this way -- but the mere fact that your new one is out and about and interacting somewhat with the other cat (instead of hiding 24/7) is a good sign. I'd keep on as you are but continue separating them until they calm down. Mine were separated TOTALLY for the first three weeks, then separated when I was gone for about another month or so.

edited: spelling

[Debi]

4. Sounds to me like they're just trying to figure out who is in charge

If she tires of his agressiveness, she'll fight back. If she is demur, she'll let him do it until he gets bored. Give them time to work it out w/out coaching (but only when you're home...just in case).

[dmkinsey]

6. The books I read

Say that cats will fight like this until they establish the hierarchy and then they'll be able to move about in the same space without fighting every time they see each other.
I've had my second cat for 14 months,still no sign of coexistence.

Post #3 looks like good advice too. My smaller cat has one bedroom that she can be safe in

[ET Awful]

7. Perfectly normal behavior.

As someone else said, they're just establishing a pecking order.

Quinn still does it to Althea, but there's no hissing, and she'll squirm out from under him and take off if he gets too rough.

Then, when he's not expecting it, or just as he's falling asleep for a nap, she'll pounce on him and get her revenge.

It's totally normal :)

[Not_Giving_Up]

8. Yep...

I have three cats, they are establishing who's boss. As long as it's not serious, no growling, no blood, leave them alone, they'll settle it on their own.

[RumpusCat]

9. Sounds like dominance behavior

When a male cat climbs on top of and bites the neck of another cat, it usually means that he is trying to mount her. This can also be dominance behavior, which is probably the case for you since your cats are fixed and the younger kitty is new to the household. Probably it's a 'I'm the boss!' routine from your older cat. When she lays still she's saying, 'Alright, you are the boss' which is why he leaves her alone then.

As long as he's not hurting her I wouldn't worry too much about it--they will sort out their hierarchy after awhile. If you're afraid he'll hurt her I would invest in the E-Z Kat Training Device... which is to say, a squirt gun or spray bottle. Keep it on hand and squirt them with water when they start that up, that'll separate them and spare your hands the danger of being in the middle of a cat fight!

[koneko]

10. He is going through the motions

of mating with her. Even fixing cats won't stop the behavior. On top of it, cat sex is rough and loud. That's why it looks so violent.

Just let it go unless one of them is clearly getting hurt. It is disturbing, but it's what cats do.

[sui generis]

11. Crispini is right

your cats need a while to get acclimated and should be together only when supervised . . . at first. If one of your cats is continuously traumatized, he or she will probably begin marking behaviors and other cat psychoses.

After a while of being together supervised, they'll figure things out and you'll be able to let them roam. Give it a few weeks to settle. Get a laser pointer and let them "tag" chase it. They'll also form "hunting" rules based on hunting it together.

My chihuahua is the traffic cop - she breaks up noisy fights. Notice I said noisy fights. The cats now fight really quietly, so if they're that determined to pull fur outta each others asses, then go for it.

[Tafiti]

12. Thanks for all your help everyone!

I figured that this was the case, but I just wanted to make sure. I know how hard my (male) cat bites, and I just feel sorry for the poor little thing.

Plus, the only times I've separated them is when the fight goes on for awhile, or if it sounds like she's really getting hurt, other times it breaks itself up and I let them do their thing. The spray bottle has come in handy here as well.

I did give her her own "room", with her own food, water, litter box, and keep her in there at night (for now).

Plus, this morning, I saw her pounce and run at HIM, and he ran away. I thought, go girl!