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posted 12-08-2003 05:54 AM         

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I have two cats. One is a tabby(5 yrs) and the other is a siemese mix(2 yrs). My wife and I are in the process of moving and the cats were sitting in the window's edge looking out when another tabby cat came by and started taunting our cats. The next thing we know our most dosile cat (the 2yr old siemese mix) is chasing and literaly tring to kill our other cat. This is quite disturbing because these two cats are the closest of friends. Now that we are in our new house, we have to keep them separated at all times. The 2yr old cat keeps trying to get at the other and actually hisses at her even though before this incident happened she had hissed once in her life. Our 5 yr old is healing in-between attacks and tries to hide. We are at a loss as to what to do. Any help would be appreciated.

Rob

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posted 12-08-2003 07:26 AM         

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It's pretty stressful to cats when we move. Are both of your female cats spayed?

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posted 12-08-2003 07:45 AM         

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yes. Both spayed. The siemese has front and back claws while the tabby has only rear claws. This puts the siemese at a huge advantage. The weird thing is that they were perfectly fine one minute and then the siemese just flipped. She is perfectly fine around people. It is just our other cat that she want's to hurt.

Now that our daughter is learning how to open doors, I don't want her to get in the middle of a cat fight.

Any thoughts?

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posted 12-08-2003 05:42 PM         

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How long have you had both cats? I know their ages, but who have you had longer? Also, are both cats now in the new house and if so for how long? In your previous house was one cat more dominant than the other?
I think there are a lot of people who can help you on this site, they just need to respond to your post.

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posted 12-08-2003 05:54 PM         

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With any type of aggression, it is important to be sure that there is no medical reason for it. I recommend that you take your two cats to your veterinarian for full physical examinations. The doctor may also recommend bloodwork depending on the outcome of the physical exams. A number of physical problems can cause aggressive behavior in cats. These include hyperthyroidism, certain forms of epilepsy, and perhaps any condition that causes pain—arthritis, impacted anal glands, dental problems, and many others. Various organic brain diseases such as tumors can also cause aggressive feline behavior. The veterinarian will be able to assess the health of the cats and if he or she finds that they are healthy, then the doctor may determine that the problem you are seeing is intercat aggression. Various studies have shown that most domestic cats in close proximity will hiss and swat at each other on some occasions. Intercat aggression may have a number of causes. These include conflicts relating to feline social hierarchy in the household, mating issues in unneutered cats, fear, territorial conflicts, and other causes that often are not well understood. To prevent injury, the cats should be separated when you are not at home to watch them. The aggressor should be placed in a less favored part of the house, like a spare bedroom, while the other cat may either have free access to the rest of the house or be placed in a favored part of the house. When the cats are together they should have different-pitched bells placed on their collars. These bells will help you to determine where the cats are and what they are doing. If the cats play well together and are quiet, they should be rewarded with food treats. Sometimes aggressive behavior between cats resolves within a few weeks or months. However, if the aggressive behavior continues, your veterinarian may decide to refer you for consultation with a veterinary behaviorist. The behavioral specialist can evaluate the nature of the aggressive episodes and recommend behavioral modification techniques and other steps as needed. In a few select cases, medication may help alter the aggressive tendencies. In your case, it may only be necessary for you to use food treats as rewards for good behavior. This positive reinforcement may diminish your older cat’s hissing and allow the cats to play well together.

I got this information off the internet. I did not write the above paragraph. Credit for the above goes to:http://www.happypetmobilevet.com/showpracfaq.cfm?FAQID=201&Private=0
Let us know how things work out.

[This message has been edited by Chessmind (edited 12-08-2003).]

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posted 12-08-2003 07:07 PM         

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I would try boarding both kitties in a facility that can put them in cages right next to each other. I would keep them there for a day or two and then reintroduce them back into the home.
While they are being boarded I would keep something in both their cages that smells like the other cat.
I would slowly reintroduce them back into the new home. I would feed the more dominant cat first. Make sure to have seperate litter boxes for them as well.

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posted 12-10-2003 09:19 AM         

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The thing that is weird is they were best friends one minute and then the siemese turned on the tabby and a war has insued. The change from friends to foe happened as fast as a stap of the finger. They used to go an do everything together. Give each other baths, play with each other, etc. We moved into our new house a few days ago. They seemed to enjoy the move (before the incident happened with the other cat) even though they could tell something was going to happen. They loved the boxes and paper and both played and had fun. Now they cannot be in the same room. The siemese runs tword the tabby and then they become a ball of screaching madness rolling all over the floor. The tabby tries to run but is at a disadvantage b/c of her lack of front claws. It would be one thing if they could walk by each other and just growl... but this isn't the case. I fear for the tabby's life. My wife has tried to re-introduce them one day at a time. Yesterday, she held the siemese and went into the room where the tabby was. The tabby and the siemese locked eyes as if the fight was on again... The tabby growled and hissed but the siemese didn't. (They were about 15-20 feet away from each other) This is probably because the tabby looses every battle and is quite mad at the siemese. Anyone know what would cause a change in behavior so suddenly?

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posted 12-10-2003 09:31 AM         

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another note... in the last homes that we have been in the tabby has been the respected older cat and the siemese has been the playful lap cat. The siemese has been eating first for a long while now so I think it has had dominance but it is not evident when they would interact outside of eating.

My wife got the tabby from a pet store when it was 6wks. We got the siemese when it was 6wks a few years later from a litter that our friend's cat had.

Any thoughts?

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posted 12-10-2003 10:52 AM         

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This sounds like territorial agression. She saw the other cat in the window and decided she wanted to be with that cat and not her friend. Perhaps she doesn't want to share her new Stray friend.

Definately take her to the vet for a check up and explain to them her recent attacks.

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posted 12-10-2003 11:27 AM         

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This is redirected aggression. I would definately board them and then reintroduce them into the home. I would board them for a week.
Ask your vet for a referral to an animal behaivorist.
One of the only ways you are going to be able to get past this is to board the cats and reintroduce them into the home as if it were a new enviornment.
Get an animal behaivorist or cat counselor who can help guide you through this.
Contact local cat rescues. If your vet dosent know of one, they might.

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posted 12-10-2003 11:39 AM         

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Thanks for all your responses. I think I definately will take them both to the vet and get intouch with an "animal behaivorist" to find out what, if anything, can be done.

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