Q: We took in a stray kitten and now she's fighting with our other cat. The kitten is also peeing and pooping outside her litter box. Both cats are females. Also, the older cat is angry at me and doesn't sleep with me anymore. How can they live in harmony? -- K.G., Bristol, Conn.

A: "Imagine your spouse adding another person to your marriage," Stocking says. "That's how your existing cat feels. It's not that the cat isn't sleeping with you because she's angry; it's because of anxiety. And anxiety explains why the kitten is missing the box. Your goal is to fix their relationship."

It's a good idea to start from scratch, so to speak. Place the kitten in a sanctuary room, such as an office or second bedroom, with a litter box, food and water bowl (on the opposite side of the room as the box) and toys. Spend time in there talking and playing with her.

Plug in a Feliway diffuser or two in the part of your home where older cats hangs out. Add one in the sanctuary room, too. Feliway is a copy of a comforting hormone cats mark their territory with; it's like aromatherapy for cats. The secret to success is patience; give it a week or two. Your job is to do nothing so the cats cool off and relax.

After a few weeks, begin exchanging bedding and other objects belonging to the two cats. Gradually, take some objects of the kitten's and place them near the older cat's food dish (so when the cat eats she smells objects belonging to the kitten). Let your kitten get a whiff of items belonging to the adult cat.

Before you finally introduce the cats again (after at least a month), add a third litter box to the existing two. Remember to scoop all of them daily.

The first several times you allow the cats together, do so only for a very tasty treat, such as salmon or tuna. You want them to believe they only get this yummy treat when the other cat is around. Begin with only seconds of togetherness, gradually extending the time they're in the same room.

Expect some hissing and posturing when you finally allow both cats full use of the house. Meanwhile, encourage the behavior you want by offering treats and petting for those moments the two cats are acting civil toward one another.

Q: I rescued an elderly border collie mix. At the time, I was not financially prepared, but the dog was living in horrible conditions. I've tried to be a loving, responsible pet owner, but I can no longer afford to provide Rimadyl for pain relief. I located an over-the-counter product, a joint therapy for cats. I'm hoping this can provide transition relief until I'm able to look into getting my dog back on Rimadyl, or maybe Deramaxx, which I learned about in your column. Will this cat medication hurt my dog? -- B.E.G., Orlando, Fla.

A: "It's unlikely the over-the-counter cat pain reliever will hurt your dog. Unfortunately, it won't help, either," Stocking says.

Since money is tight for you (and most of us these days), wasting money seems silly. If you can't afford any of the prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Etogesic or Previcox, consider asking your vet about plain, old-fashioned aspirin. While any drug can create an adverse response, aspirin (also a NSAID) was creating too many serious GI (gastrointestinal) problems in dogs, so lots of other drugs were developed and are being used successfully. While any of the NSAIDs specifically manufactured for pets can also cause side effects, they are considered safer than aspirin. Depending on your dog's overall health, aspirin may be your only realistic option, however. Please don't make a decision about whether or not to use aspirin or the dosage without consulting your vet.

Q: I've rescued several feral cats with ear mite problems. Most of them don't allow human contact. Is there anything I could put in their food to treat ear mites? -- S.W., Richmond, Va.

A: I don't know if you've taken these cats indoors; not the best idea if they're truly feral. The best option, in my opinion, and Stocking agrees, is trap-neuter-return (TNR). This program involves trapping feral cats, having them spayed/neutered, vaccinated for rabies and perhaps treated for fleas, ear mites, etc. Friendly kitties are then adopted through a participating shelter. All others are returned to their colonies to live out their lives. The colony cats may be provided with supplemental food and watched over by caretakers. Learn more at www.alleycat.org.

You might also ask your veterinarian about ivermectin to treat the mites, which could be added to the feral cats' food.

user comments (6)

user redbud says...

Why should feral cats not be brought into the house? They can be tamed if given enough time. Reabandoning these poor cats to languish outdoors is animal cruelty! The problem with TNR is that cats are given a higher value than any other creature and are then allowed to wreak havok on our natural resources. TNR undermines the concept of keeping cats indoors and it will never solve the problem of feral and free roaming cats in our communities. Enact and enforce strict anti-roaming and licensing laws for cats and prohibit TNR whenever posssible.

Posted 9:18 AM, 11.26.08 | Permalink

user lisbonite says...

Clearly you have little to no experience with cats, much less feral cats. I'd love to see you try to bring a feral indoors!

Posted 12:30 PM, 11.26.08 | Permalink

user redbud says...

If you cannot handle the cats then maybe you should not be working with them. Feral cats CAN be tamed and acclimated to a life indoors. TNR people like to take the easy road and keep them outdoors but this should not be allowed due to their detrimental effects on the environment. If you want to continue to torture your feral cats by keeping them outdoors then you should at least contain them to ease the destruction of our native species.

Posted 1:04 PM, 11.26.08 | Permalink

user lisbonite says...

So please, share your story. I'd love to hear about how you've brought 20 feral cats into your home, tamed them, and had them live long healthy lives. Please, tell us how you've "handled" feral cats. Your assertion that managed colonies are tortured reveals only your ignorance and lack of experience with feral colonies. Humans are much more detrimental to the environment than cats or any other species. Have any plans to contain them as well?

Posted 1:20 PM, 11.26.08 | Permalink

user redbud says...

I never said twenty you did. One to three at a time can be worked with easily. They may never become lap cats but at leaset they are safe indoors and not killing everything they can catch. Feral cat colonies are most certainly torture to the cats. The cats are exposed to the elements, disease, internal and external parasites and further abuse by humans. They usually cannot be retrapped so their vaccination expire. TNR is a lose lose situation. The misguided caregivers feel warm and fuzzy about theselves and the cats continue to suffer. A little soul searching should shed some light on this for you. Wake up and realize that you are serving yourself, not the cats!

Posted 1:39 PM, 11.26.08 | Permalink

user lisbonite says...

finding homes for 1 to 3 TAME cats at a time is an impossibility- ask your local shelter and rescues. given that thousands of tame cats in howard county ALONE are killed everyyear due to a shortage of homes, bringing ferals cats indoors is not only cruel to the cats but also impossible due to a shortage of homes. TNR is the most humane solution to a situation that already exists. all managed colonies have access to shelter and are monitored on a daily basis. living outdoors doesn't mean they are homeless nor does it equate to suffering.

Posted 7:15 PM, 11.26.08 | Permalink