Hi - I'm realling hoping someone can help with this one as we've tried just about everything....
We are a 5 cat household - all house cats who have everything they could ever need.
Our cats are: Hannah, a 12 year old long hair rescued from a farm - kind natured girl. Harriet, an 8 year old tortie who is sweet and loving. Henry, the 8 year old top dog, grey tabby - if there's bother, he's in it. And finally two 4 year old brothers Norris and Benny, hand reared not by us. Very affectionate, quiet little guys who are very close.

OK - just before New Year we were woken by the sound you should never have to hear from a cat. Norris had hurt his leg somehow and was in terrible pain. Blue light to the vet where it was confirmed he had a spiral fracture of his left rear femur. A mess. The vets thought they would be able to save the leg and it was pinned and after a couple of days he was sent home, scaffold and all.
The mend broke down however, the intact bit of bone had fractured into bits and there was no option but for him to lose his leg. We found the thought of this unbearably hard - but research on the net trawled up some positives and as there was no choice we concentrated on these.
Norris came home the next day and was instantly a different cat. He had obviously been in so much pain for the past week and was very relieved. He had a few days on box rest and was itching to get out.
And then the problems started - Henry was instantly terrified of this weird smelling cat in a cage . Fair enough - different cat in his house. Things would settle down as the smell subsided and we got rid of the cage. He was agressive towards Norris from then on.
The one time we actually left the house Henry thumped Norris all over, blood up the walls and poor Norris peed his pants. I had cut Henrys claws quite short the day before just in case, but he still managed it.
Norris has since been scared stiff of Henry who has turned fear into this constant stalkiing and hounding of Norris.
The other cats in the house are just their normal, happy selves. Henry and Norris used to get on, you could say they were nearly partners in crime. We now don't trust Henry to be near Norris unsupervised and Henry spends time in the re-established cage when we're out, and in a bedroom with me or my husband at night. Just so Norris isnt worried by him and he can learn to use 3legs in peace as it's still quite early days.
Obviously this arrangement really can't go on and we need any ideas to avoid the possibility of having to rehome anyone. We have Feliway plugged in around the house and have tried gentle reintroductions such as playing with them together - Henry in the cage and Norris outside it. It just takes a stare from Henry or a meow and Norris is off, like a rocket to hide under the bed upstairs.
Has anyone had any luck with herbal remedies? I'm looking at them next.
Any help would be so appreciated......

Frustrated cat mother - Mary

Hi Mary

This sounds to me like a behavioral issue but its posted in Health and nutrition forum, so it might be better to post it elsewhere.

But some thoughts that come to mind:

1. Smell - cats work on smell. Their first sense is sense of smell. Even though they were best mates, now that one smells like hospital, the other considers him an intruder simply as he smells different. So you could try and work on a smell, which is the first thing I did when all mine 5 moved in one by one and it worked: if at all possible give them both a bath with the same cat shampoo. Then rub them over with tuna brine. Then put them together in the same room, supervised. Not only they will smell the same, they will also taste good and hopefully even attempt to lick each other clean. This may bring Henry's territorial issues down, but Norris is likely to stay terrified of him for a while. Give him time.
2. HORMONS: Has Henry been spayed? If no, please do consider. It will lower levels of his male hormones and make him less aggressive and less roaming.
3. PARENTING: I would also keep them in the same room, for some cold turkey remedies - when you are there with them of course. Whenever Henry attempts a stare or makes an aggressive move, spray him with water and say a firm NO. Just like with kids, as a mum, you need to set the rules of what is an acceptable behavior. On the same level, if Henry behaves well around Norris, give him lots of praise and yummy treats so he starts associating Norris with treats. With Norris, give him also lots of praise and encouragement when he is around Henry.
4. HIERARCHY - I adopted 6 cats over the last 14 years and decided quickly on cold turkey approach to meeting each other. Just put them in the same room and let them establish their own hierarchy. My CC moved in as a stray, and though socialising means bullying. He scared other 3 off, bullied them for a month and then others had had enough and turned on him one by one. He quickly realised that his bullying days were over and changed 100% ! Even little one who is a tiny lil pickle is his boss now, while CC is a size of a yoga ball So dont give up on Norris, give him time to recover his strenght, and who knows he might even teach Henry a lesson himself in a month
5. DISABILITY - Cats on 3 legs do just fine. They just need a little time to readjust the gravity situation but it won't bother him in a month or two at all. In fact he'll probably get much more attention they all the others together Was laughing while reading this site, check it out: Advice for Three Legged Cats « Three-Legged Cat

Finally, please don't re-home either one, they just need time to re-acquaint. Just work on smell! Our human noses are nowhere near the capabilities of the fine feline noses!

Please let me know how it goes.

Regards
Misslady
The humble servant of 5 regal purebred British Alleyway cats!

Thanks for taking the time to reply to us Misslady - everything you say is really helpful. It was my first time on here and I realised I'd posted in the wrong section so I may well put something in the behavioural bit too.

Henry has been spayed and has never been agressive before now - it is completely out of character. He diverted the agression to me and bit me really hard once when I got between him and Norris too.

Norris is doing really well with his mobility, although he struggles to jump to the places he used to, he will happily hurl himself off the furniture/kitchen bench etc and now that he has learned to adjust because he's a bit lightweight at the rear he can make a very graceful landing!

We are currently trying homeopathic remedies. A Dominance remedy combined with Belladonna for Henry and a Confidence remedy for Norris and I have to say Norris is calming down a bit and just today has been playing with his brother for the first time. Someone recommended a pheromone collar for them both but these are hard to find and I've only managed to get one, so it'll be for Henry.

We did try letting Henry and Norris have time together with us. We were armed with water pistols. We may as well have not been here as Henry was blind to our reactions and our water treatment. You had to see it to believe how focussed he was.

We are still keeping the pair of them seperate for now. Norris is making such good progress it is good for his confidence and Im guessing in a week or two he'll be even better and in a better position to deal with Henry. I think most of Norris' fear may have stemmed from his inability to get away from Henry and once he's mastered his legs things will change.

We have found we've become really protective of Norris and Im not ashamed of that - I just hope it's not clouding the common sense and we are doing right for him.

Thank you for the link to Advice for TLCs - its great and I will see what comes back from folk on there too.

Thank you again for taking time to give us some suggestions, it was very kind of you and fear not, we have decided that no matter what it takes, all the posse will be staying together. xx