# My cats are suddenly very aggressive to each other....



## Gini (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and have joined as I'm desperate to help my 2 cats who have gone from loving each other to bits to trying to kill each other and I have no idea what to do. I got them (together) about 6 months ago.

Charlie is an 18 month old female who I had Neutered in early November. Chester is a 23 month old male who was already neutered when I got him. They are both indoor cats and have always been together in an indoor home.

They have lived totally in harmony - searching if they can't see the other and grooming, cuddling up on the sofa. Charlie (the girl) is ridiculously friendly and Chester is nervous of new people and a bit skittish but once he gets to know you likes to jump up for a cuddle and some head bumps.

Last week out of nowhere they have started attacking each other - not playfighting as they have always played together. There doesn't seem to be an aggressor - they both hissing, yowling and launching at eachother. Luckily the only damage so far is a little nick on Chesters nose but i fear it could be much worse if it happens again.

I should point out that none of the aggression is directed at me or my partner - they are as sweet as always. Chester appears to have got even friendlier demanding any spare hand be stroking him.

I've currently got them separated (rotating who is locked in a room so they can become familiar to each-other scent) and am trying to feed them either side of the same door but the one who is locked away cries incessantly and quite frankly its breaking my heart.

I have feliway all over the place. Not sure what to do next - if they even spy each other through the crack in the door as I try to squeeze through there are growls and they try to slip through the crack to get at eachother.

I do believe i had a rat under the floor boards (its baited down there so would be gone by now) and have read about displaced aggression - could this be it? Or is that only if they see another cat?

If there's anyone out there with any advice I would be soooo grateful. The thought of having to give one away is unthinkable:-(

Many Thanks


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Sorry to hear of this problem with your cats. There seem to be quite a few instances lately of this kind of thing happening between cats who were previously good pals.....perhaps it's something to do with the time of year, I don't know.

As this change has been sudden and quite drastic, I am wondering if there have been any sudden recent changes in their environment. e.g. any new additions to the household, either human or animal ? Or any guests staying? Or workman coming in to work on the house. Or anything that might be introducing strange scents to the house. 

Did one cat go to the vet immediately before the aggression began? 
(if so one cat may have been spooked by the vet scent brought home by the other one). The visit you mention for spaying in early November would only be significant if the bad feeling between the two cats had erupted immediately afterwards.

Have you made any recent changes to the cats' diet? i.e. within the past couple of months?

Another possibility is one of the cats may have an underlying health problem. Cats are very clever at hiding pain and discomfort, but a health problem might manifest itself in irritable behaviour, though I would expect this behaviour to extend to everyone in the household, not just towards the other cat. But it is worth exploring this as a possibility -- one example is a urine infection, not always outwardly apparent, but liable to cause misery for the cat. So I would consider getting both cats checked by the vet.

I would put both cats on a course of Zylkene, a supplement which is well tolerated and effective at calming stressed cats. It can be bought on line from pet pharmacies such as Medic Animal. 

As shutting one cat away seems to be upsetting and stressing them, it may be better to use the cage method instead to keep them from attacking each other. This means acquiring a wire folding dog cage (about £20 from Amazon), large enough to put bedding, litter tray and water bowl in. Then setting the cage up in the living room or kitchen, and putting one cat in the cage for short periods, whilst the other cat roams free in the same room. Then change over, putting the other cat in the cage whilst the other roams free in the room. I wouldn't leave either cat shut in the cage for more than an hour at a time, and for a maximum of 2 or 3 periods a day. The rest of the time you may need to keep them separate, but I would scent swap constantly, by rubbing a soft cloth around the face and neck of one cat, then round the other cat, and repeat several times. 

Also, try a laser pen to get them to play together with you. The moment they begin fighting remove one cat from the fray to calm things down, then give both cats treats or pinches of powdered cat nip to distract them. Then continue with the play. 

Hopefully they will gradually cease to see each other as such a threat as they do atm, and even if they don't become bosom buddies again they will hopefully be able to tolerate each other.

Edit: if it seems that one cat is the main aggressor, it may be more effective to put him/her in the cage for the short periods mentioned above, rather than turn and turn about.


----------



## mary1967 (Dec 27, 2012)

hi i have much the same problem. pink knickers might have caused ours we think lol, hi chillminx. mine have been fine today because they are in sepaerate area. my house is fairly open plan so one is in the lounge and the other has run of house. they are swapped over each morning and happily eating from each others bowls and using littertrays. we are sleeping with ours. hubby in lounge and me in bed lol. that way they not being punished. they have peeked at each other today and thats it because they had major row the other day. spend time with both and live seperate for a while and dont let the cats feel left out. we find this is working at mo. have ordered zyklene and laser light to play with both at same time. all cheap on line. we have felliway and it has only made the aggression less. i have also booked vets for monday for general check up so fingers crossed we do something right. i do feel sorry for you and the cats it is heartbreaking and tiring. best of luck


----------



## Gini (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi, 

Thanks for the replies - so nice to have some support here!

I thought I'd give a quick update in case it might help others on here. 

I took the cats to the vets to get them checked out (and their claws clipped) and they said they were both fine (I was worried about her slightly swollen tummy and constant hunger in addition to the aggression) and was told to let them out together so they could sort it out. They gave me some anti-anxiety medication, which had no effect, and i bought Feliway spray and drowned the house in it - again to no effect.

Chester (the male) started to act submissively but she still went for him viciously and he started spending his whole life on the wardrobe (couldn't eat etc) as she would sit at the bottom waiting for him to come down to attack him ( she can't get up there). Needless to say I separated them again as Chester was miserable.

I noticed a worm popping out her bum (ewww) so wormed them both thinking that might have been what's wrong... no effect on the aggression.

Watching Charlie she seemed to be getting worse, she was meowing ALL the time, different types so not just hungry noises but wasn't in any pain when picked up or anything. Her hunger seemed to be insatiable too. Her tummy was still swollen - so I took her back to the vet as i'd rather be annoying to the vet than risk them missing something.

She had blood tests and an ultrasound which came back clear, although they said her mammory glands were swollen and producing a little blood when squeezed.

It turns out she had a hormone imbalance - something akin to a false pregnancy - which accounts for pretty much most her symptoms. She was neutered in Nov I'm sure that is likely to have played with her hormones.

The vet prescribed Gavastop (i think that's what its called) - and the meowing/ hunger has decreased and they are out together - he is still a little wary as she gives him occasional slaps, signs of dominance, but no hissing, warning yowls or violence. I came down the other night and they were on the sofa together - so it seems to be working. Peace, for now, seems to be restored! Hurrah!


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Gini - I am very, very pleased to hear of the improvement in the situation -- brilliant news! Well done for persevering with the vet to find the cause of the swollen tummy and hunger! A hormone imbalance!

It just goes to show there is _always_ a logical reason why cats behave as they do, and it's up to us humans to try and figure it out and put it right for them if we can. 

I expect it will take Chester a little while to trust Charlie again, as he has suffered a lot of bullying from her, poor little fellow! But hopefully, in time, they will be completely fine together, even if they are not bosom pals.

Thank you for letting us know.


----------

