Cat Chat Feline Forum

My friend and I just moved in together and we each have a cat. My cat Loki is naturally a more social, curious, needs-to-know-what-is-going-on cat, and her cat Willow is more reserved and cautious around most people. They are definitely not getting along. Willow has been hiding most of the time and has not eaten much, and Loki sometimes will not leave her be (creeping into my roommate’s bedroom to investigate). So far it’s only been low growling (from Willow) and hissing (from both). Any advice on how to help them get along?

Another question I had is that my cat Loki has to have special prescription food (sensitive digestion and prone to soft stools and diarrhea, both of which are terrible to clean because he is long haired), but Willow is not. She has store brand dry food (won’t eat wet food). Loki definitely will go and try to eat from her bowl, so we were going to try to do scheduled feeding, but Willow normally doesn’t eat right away, and also with the move and new cat roommate, she has barely eaten at all. So my question is does anyone have any advice on how to get her to eat and how we can go to scheduled feedings?

Thanks!

A few ideas come to mind. I am assuming that both cats were used to living in one cat households prior to you moving in together and both have been neutered or spayed. Both cats are now in new surroundings and are having to share their humans attention. All things that will cause a cat stress.

Depending on the size of the house or flat, could arrange that each has a room of its own and they time share the rest of the house until they get more used to each other. It will mean they are shut in for part of the day each but they will get used to the scent of the other around the rest of the house and hopefully there will be less hissing and growling when they do start to meet. Hopefully once she realises that she isn't getting chased by a strange cat Willow will become more confident and want to explore, you can then start letting them interact for short periods in the neutral part of the house, just make sure that they don't manage to follow the other into their safe rooms. I would say however that a bit of hissing and growling isn't to be too worried about, they are just trying to work out their pecking order. I introduced a new alpha female cat (my Mum's old cat who was used to living alone) to my three current cats over 6 months ago, there is still some hissing going on between her and my old resident cat even now. Cats will often sort things out verbally, only if there seems to be the threat of real violence would i suggest actually intervening, and then use something like a pillow to put between them, you don't want to end up in A&E yourself.

As far as the feeding problem goes, I would suggest microchip operated food bowls for each (assuming they are microchipped and if they are't I would suggest it being done as soon as possible, even if they are kept purely indoors there is always the possibility for them to escape). These food bowls will only open when the correct cat put their head through the sensor and are great if one cat has to have a special diet.