Cross Breeds

How can I stop my cats from fighting or being aggressive with one another?

I have 2 cats and we recently moved into an apartment with a friend, who has his own cat. The first week, the cats all got along, but now 3 weeks in, they are all very aggressive with each and one of the cats expelled urine on top of a wooden dresser (which has never been done before). Any one have suggestions or been in this situation? We are going to get a 2nd litter box, but I am worried there may be more to the problem.

Public Comments

1. Yikes. First of all, with three cats, you need at least FOUR litter boxes - one per cat, plus one extra. Second, are all the cats spayed or neutered? Cats are soooo territorial, and they'll 'mark' their territory if an intruder appears. If the spraying doesn't stop, you're going to have to either make sure all the cats are spayed/neutered. Meanwhile, make sure the dresser where the cat expelled the urine has been thoroughly cleaned (preferably with a bleach/water solution, but on a wooden dresser, don't use bleach - try a white vinegar/water solution instead, mixing about 2-3 parts vinegar to 10 parts water). As it sounds like these are all adult cats, you may have to try some segregation measures for a time. Keep your cats in a room, away from the other cat. When you're home, let them all mingle. In time, their curiosity of each other might just overtake their aggressive tendencies, especially if they've been seperated for a time during the day. Good luck - and it might be advantageous to you to get some new toys for all the cats to play with and share? They will each mark the toys with their scent, and that'd be another way to acclimate the 'strange' cat to your cats.