Pet advice

[michel]

Thank you very much, I have sent your post as an e-mail to my wife who is in bed not feeling too well; silly isn't it ? I guess we'll 'meet' at tea time.

 

[Valjean]

Squint-eyed cat is generally very sweet and gentle but she has an irresistable urge to attack Tuxie Tripod wonder cat. Hissing at her gives her pause and brandishing a squirt bottle is only partially effective. She knows she will be squirted and probably given a time-out in the cat carrier if I catch her at it, but the urge seems irresistable.
Tuxie has retreated to my bedroom and rarely comes out unless I'm seated here at the computer in the kitchen. Even then she has to slink along the wall behind the couches to get to me.
How can I get Squint-eyed cat to leave her alone?

 

[mostly harmless]

Squint-eyed cat is generally very sweet and gentle but she has an irresistable urge to attack Tuxie Tripod wonder cat. Hissing at her gives her pause and brandishing a squirt bottle is only partially effective. She knows she will be squirted and probably given a time-out in the cat carrier if I catch her at it, but the urge seems irresistable.
Tuxie has retreated to my bedroom and rarely comes out unless I'm seated here at the computer in the kitchen. Even then she has to slink along the wall behind the couches to get to me.
How can I get Squint-eyed cat to leave her alone?

How long have they been living together?

 

[Valjean]

Squint-eyed cat had an eye infection when I found her and spent a year isolated from the rest of the household by a mesh door. The cats could see and smell each other and even touch noses through the mesh, but were physically isolated, so they were quite familiar with each other when the door was finally opened. She's had the run of the house for a couple years now. She's gradually become more assertive/aggressive and driven Tuxie into seclusion in the bedroom.
She knows she's not supposed to attack Tuxie and after an attack will even give herself a time-out in the cat carrier.
How can I thwart this irresistible urge?

 

[mostly harmless]

Like people, sometimes animals just don't like each other.
Maybe some short socializing sessions will help.

Get some good food (canned, something they don't usually have) and start by feeding them on opposite sides of the same room. If she goes to attack, simply pick her up and put her back at her dish. Don't say anything. Just pick her up and put her down.
I should mention to only feed small amounts at a time, as you will be doing this a couple of times a day.

Start off with twice a day. Then, as you observe them to be relaxing in each others company, gradually increase the number of times a day you feed them together.
Also, as they are tolerating each other better, move the bowls closer..
You want to work up to them eating out of their dishes next to each other.

Eventually, you should see less aggression as the presence of the other cat is equated with food.
At the end of each session, YOU separate the cats. This way there is no attacking.
I hope you find this helpful. Patience and consistency are key. Like I said though, sometimes they just don't like each other.