Can you find Rocky a new home? That is my only thought at this time. Are they outside much? or mainly inside cats. It is a tough decision to make.

Wow, I am so sorry to hear this. I watched an episode of "my cat from hell" and he addressed this issue.

They started by keeping them in separate rooms, but could smell and hear each other under the door.

They then graduated to a baby gate type set up so they could also see each other and get re-aquainted. (but not jump over)
I dont recall the time frame this all happened..

If you are able to keep him...he just may be your new alpha. It's natural for them to define boundaries.

I hope it gets sorted out soon. I wish you good luck and speedy recovery!

I know that you didn't like the answer that I gave you before but I still believe that is the best answer. Annie deserves her happy home and Rocky deserves the same....and there is someone out there who will give it to him...

This post was edited by ruthieg__tx on Wed, May 15, 13 at 13:24

I just have to tell you to watch that cat bite. Last fall I did the same thing of separating cats, and the attack cat bit me. I ended up spending four days in the hospital, getting antibiotics. It had become infected, and I had red streaks running up my arm. ER personnel said they have this happening way too often, as cats have pointed teeth and huge bacteria problems this way.

Right now I am concerned about your health since a cat bite is a very very serious injury and often leads to complications including cat scratch fever. My husband was bitten on the hand beside the thumb in that thick area that has lots of nerves he did develop cat scratch fever and it was a difficult road for him for a while.
Did they give you any type of antibiotics or ointments for the injury? Please take care of yourself!
It is just awful you and the cats have had such a bad time of it.
I am so sorry, you try to do something good and end up hurt.

I had the hissing and staring and fluffing up when I introduced new cats at my house too back when I had cats, but eventually they all calmed down and decided to get along since no one was leaving. With in a year they were all curled up in a ball sleeping together. My thought is if it is Annie that has this bad temper and has shown this before Rocky ever showed up why not talk to the vet about putting her on a very mild antidepressant which they give to alter behavior in animals. The person to be talking to is definitely your vet! they know animal behavior issues and how to treat them. You may not have to get rid of any with the assistance of the vet and some medication for a while. That is most definitely where I would start.

Good idea about calling the vet. Thanks, Raven--I swear, the blood left my brain when this happened.

I received good care at the urgent care center, and came home with antibiotics to take for 10 days. I had four puncture wounds, and then one big tooth ripped deeply into my wrist for about 1.5". The doctor said it just missed an artery. Fortunately, it's my left hand and I'm right-handed.

Many years ago my right hand was horribly injured (teeth and claws) by a cat. I didn't seek medical attention until my vet told me to get help immediately. By then infection had set in, and I almost lost the large knuckle of my index finger. So this time I took the wound quite seriously. Besides, it bled like crazy, and I could see it was deep.

Phyllis, you really had an ordeal! They told me to watch for red streaks here too. I had that from a rose thorn a few years ago. Fortunately I didn't have to be hospitalized--although it ended up requiring surgery to remove the point of the thorn, which was resting on a tendon and nerve.

First of all take care of your hand. My daughter's hand became badly infected when her friendly cat ran outside and she picked him up . She needed two courses of antibiotics but it healed well. My take is NOT to get rid of friendly Rocky in this kitten time at the shelter. You love him ,and he loves you. Annie who has a mean streak should be the one given some sort of tranquilizer to calm her down. Since this is her preponderance , it's not right to punish Rocky who may not find a home. How old is Annie? As I said before she looks just like MY Annie who also gets into it with Henry, but they just stare and meow at each other. I doubt your two will ever be friends like mine aren't, but with calming meds, maybe Annie's aggression can be calmed down. Xanax for the cat...lol

My two cents.. I agree with the above post... Annie is and has been the trouble maker. Rocky maybe just could not take it anymore, we all reach that point. I know this has to be a hard decision for you. I had to make a similar one but mine was pretty easy after about two incidents I'd say... I had a cat I got as a kitten, cute as a bug, sweet until one day... just out of the blue you would be petting her and she would turn around and bite. She bit the vet, the vet tech while we had her boarded... but the day she jumped on the granddaughter's head and bit her head.. that was it.. I am sorry if it upsets anyone but I took her to the shelter, there was no place in my house for a cat that attacks a child...

The vet office just called me back. One suggestion was to make Annie an outside cat. That's a possibility. She used to be a barn cat, then was inside/outside here, then a few years ago became inside only. I'd rather not, but it's still a possibility.

The other suggestion was mentioned here as well: medicating Annie. So I have an appointment for her tomorrow. The vet can examine her and see if she has any wounds, and talk to me about medicating her.

Thanks for your help and concern.

so dreadfully sorry you've been hurt...i had 3 cats all siblings, and the male would boss one sister and a allow the other...ironically they ended up being the only 2 when sister passed...i hate the idea of making one outside kitty, but at least you're still in control....

I am sorry about the bite....I've had some bad bites myself. Well, I guess I am different than the others. I have a lot of cats. Some cats never get along with others. Some will sit at the food and defy the others to get a bite. Eventually they work it out. If they got in a fight, such as you describe, I would break it up, but once they settle on their hierarchy, they adjust. I would put Rocky outside part of the time and let him get used to some new things, new territory, and let him back in to sleep, or when he wants back in. I have never had to get rid of a cat for their aggression....however, it's up to you. If it is more than you want to deal with, find another home for him. I might add....cat bites are very bad on other cats too....so you don't want that to happen either.

No suggestions as I am not a cat person, but I feel badly for all involved. Hope you heal quickly and find a solution to your problem.

I agree with Marilyn's opinion that they'll work things out eventually. That is what happened in the case of 2 of ours who got into awful fights (looked like a cartoon, all you could see was a round, blurry ball of fur with flying paws and claws).

We were never bitten, but one of the kitties ended up with a nasty bite abscess and had to go on antibios. I asked the vet about meds and she said valium works quite well. But they worked things out before we resorted to that and though they still aren't friends, they have made progress to the point where they can even lie close to each other now.

They do still have disagreements, but nothing like before. Just some verbalizing and slapping each other, which everyone can live with.

Wow, that was a doozy! I'm sorry you had to endure that and so hope you can figure out a good solution to your fighting kitties. My neighbor orange and white was so docile when he was younger, but eventually decided to challenge anther neighbor cat for territory, (my yard,) and won. I think a third cat has won out recently though, as I see him all the time and o&w more rarely.

One thought, if you medicate Annie, will she be able to defend herself if Rocky goes after her again? I don't know much about these things, I guess.

Oh Susan. How awful. Are you in much pain? Please take care of your hand - well I know you will - you're a smart lady.

I wish I had some wonderfully reassuring words of advice - but I don't know anything about feline behavior. I hope your vet has some suggestions that will help. I'm sure he's been confronted with this situation before so you'll have to report back and let us know what he says.

Good luck!

if you medicate Annie, will she be able to defend herself if Rocky goes after her again?

Good point. I don't know either. It's something I'll discuss with the vet if we go that route.

Thanks so much, everyone, for your responses. I'm going to read them again tomorrow. I was surprised at how this experience affected me. I'm not easily rattled, but I was a wreck after the fighting and the cat bite. I suppose it didn't help that I hadn't had any food since the evening before. Whatever the reason, I haven't really felt 100% all day. Hopefully a good night's sleep will help. Thanks again!

Take care of your hand. I hope it heals quickly.

When our last cat, Stormy, joined us, I thought she & Magic would never get along. She is very laid-back. Magic mostly is too, but wasn't happy about another cat intruding on his territory. It took a good six months before they got along and even after that they had spats occasionally. They are now best buds, but they still sometimes have their disagreements. Our other cat, India, is Magic's brother and she doesn't have a very pleasant personality. She gets mad if the others even get too close to her. Mostly they just avoid her & she avoids them.

Hopefully you can either medicate Annie or make her an outside cat & still keep Rocky. Rocky sounds very sweet. Best wishes to you.

I hope your hand heals and that the cats learn to get along.

2 of my cats ( a mother and daughter) got into a bloody fight once inside the house when a neighbor's cat visited at the outside door. It only happened the once and although they have never been best buddies they had always tolerated each other and did so again after the fight. Hoping your two can learn to like each other... see if you can find some of the "Cat from Hell" episodes on line. They really are very informative!!

I'll look for "Cat from Hell"--thanks!

It just occurred to me that maybe Rocky's paws were hurting, and that made him less tolerant of Annie. Last night he took a big leap off the back of the loveseat--right onto the top of the extremely hot woodstove. He flew off instantly, but it must have burned. He licked his paws a lot afterward. I checked, and they looked okay, and he was soon getting around normally. But I wonder.....

BTW, in all the years I've had cats and a woodstove, that never happened before.

It must be shocking to have something like this happen so suddenly.

DD's XBF brought her a pair of kittens he heard mewing and stuck in a pipe in the ground where he was hunting. No mama to be found. A tiny male and female, needing to be bottle fed. They were fine growing up together.

Forward a couple of hunting seasons and another kitten shows up abandoned in the woods. A tiny male, Pork Chop, follows the other M. everywhere. They all play. But as PC matured, something happened in the mix and peeing outside the litter box and even on furniture became a problem. Lots of damage. I won't go into all DD did (in vane) to get it to stop, but just saying that outright fighting is not the only way they show hostility. And she could never be really sure who was doing what.

PC developed some malady and was fine and playful one minute, gone the next. No more inappropriate peeing. We still aren't sure which one it was, or maybe all.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you! I agree with what you said about Rocky being less tolerant of Annie since his paws were not 100%. I'm glad you're taking Annie to be checked, but please remember to mention Rocky's "burned" paws to the vet, too. Their paw pads are very sensitive and I wouldn't want for him to be in pain.

Get rid of the cat that started the fight. The situation will not likely improve and you can not be around every second when these two combatants are together. You can not have "happy" cats with this much antagonism about.

No advice, but I'm so sorry to hear about the situation with your cats. It has to be just heart breaking. I hope one of the great suggestions above work out for you.

First, I'm sorry you got bit. Hope you heal up fast. I have no real advice on the cats. Sounds like Annie's the problem. Hope it all works out and they declare a truce.

outright fighting is not the only way they show hostility

Funny you should say that, Breenthumb. I came downstairs this morning and discovered that one of the cats had peed on top of an antique table during the night. I have a tendency to blame Annie, but this time she was locked up, and so was Rocky.

Pogo and Annie were so skittish this morning. Pogo usually spends some time in my bedroom after I get up, but he didn't stay this time. Peachy was afraid to come downstairs. They were nervous, and I was nervous. I played with Rocky a lot before Pogo and Peachy joined us downstairs, hoping to discharge some of his energy. He has an abundance of it.

Then a few minutes ago Peachy (much smaller than Rocky) hissed at him, and he took a step toward her. That was all it took to make me want to put an end to this situation, at least for now. So I put Rocky outside.

I know he'll want to come in. I have loved seeing him enjoying the comforts of home. But we'll try this for awhile, and continue to give the situation some thought. At least in the warm weather Rocky will have lots of human companionship outdoors, as we're a family of gardeners.

I cancelled the vet appointment. Annie has never been easy to handle, and when I showed up she hid under the bed. The last thing I want is to risk another cat bite. I changed the dressing this morning, and my hand and wrist are swollen, red, and hot. I hope the Augmentin takes care of the infection.

My thanks again to all.