Advice Needed, Mother and Son Cats Suddenly Started Fighting

I have two cats, a female called Truffle (6 1/2 yrs) and her son Treacle (4 1/2 yrs) They're both 'fixed'

They've always lived together, since we had them at 18 months and 5 months old. They play fight, and sometimes snuggle up together. If they're separated, or one of them has gone to sleep and the other doesn't know where they'll search for the other.

Treacle has recently developed a water infection, we took him to the vet as soon as we noticed something was up and he was given an antibiotic shot and a course of tablets. Truffle had her regular jabs.

We got them home, and the settled down, both on the back of the sofa. However, about three or four hours later Treacle had a lot of saliva (a side effect of the anti-biotic we'd been warned about) Before I knew what was happening they started to fight - really fight, this was no play fight :?. Treacle got a bloodied nose and a scratch before I separated them.

Now, whenever the see each other they fight again, really viciously. We've had to separate them. Now they stay in different rooms. I've taken two panels out of the bottom of the door and put a strong plastic mesh there instead so they can see and smell each other but they're still hissing and mewling at each other.

Can anyone suggest what's caused this, and how long they're likely to be at each other's throats? Also, is there anything we can do to help? We've tried fussing one after the other to transfer the scents between them but as they've never been separated I'm not sure this is an issue. They travel to and from the vet in separate carriers, but the doors face each other so they can always see us and each other.

This is becoming extremely distressing for both us and especially the male, Treacle, who after the first and second fights wouldn't even let us near him let alone the other cat! :cry:

[EDIT - We've also tried Seren-UM and have a felliway diffuser going now]
Thanks in advance,
Brian.

 

Hi and welcome to Auspet. It could be from a lot of things. Here is a link below that has tons of info. Perhaps you'll find your answer there. Scroll down to the 3rd section that says AGGRESSION IN MULTI CAT HOUSEHOLDS in purple.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Poin ... avior.html

 

Thanks for the link Chessmind, there are some really good articles there.

It also encourages me as the advice is almost exactly what we've done. :y_the_best:

Things were better this morning, they are both sniffing each other through the mesh and there are no bushy tails or hissing any more. They each have their meals either side of the mesh now, only separated by a few inches and there's no problem.

Treacle needs to go back to the vet to have the shots he had to miss because of the antibiotics, so we plan to leave them separated until after he comes home and settles back in just in case he smells "wrong" to Truffle.

I've also read that cats won't show when they are unwell in case it's taken as a sign of weakness, so he may just have overreacted when Truffle wanted to play fight and they've frightened each other.

I'll keep the updates coming so people can read and see that things can improve!

I've got some images to go here, but I need to post more before I'm allowed!

 

:? We slipped up a little and Treacle sneaked into the kitchen while I was coming through the door. They sniffed each other and we left them together for a while as they seemed to be getting on. We were just thinking we should split them again as to not push our luck when they went for each other again. They got over it more quickly than before and are sniffing at the door again, but it reminded us that we need to take it slowly!

 

Friends Again At Last!

After several weeks of feeding the two cats next to each other, either side of the wire we started to feed them in the same place but with the door open.

We gradually moved the bowls into the same room, and then started leaving the two in the same room after they'd eaten. For a while Treacle would be very wary and run out of the room when he'd finish but he soon got his courage up and was soon trying to steal Truffle's food as he used to.

Last weekend, I left them in the kitchen together after they'd eaten breakfast and they seemed fine. Suddenly they made a lunge for each other, but in the same way I knew that it was no play fight when all this started, I knew this was a play fight.

Now they're back together and much happier! This is them surveying the land from the landing window:

 

Some 'after' photos of now happy cats

Here are some pictures (one to start with) of the once again happy family.

The pair, checking out the view from the upstairs landing window


Treacle asleep on my leg


Treacle in his favorite sleeping spot, just over the radiator in the sun


Treacle and Truffle on their blanket


Truffle when she was quite young


Truffle looking at something, food or Treacle probably.

 

I'm glad they're happy together again! They are both lovely looking kitties! I like the picture of them looking out the window together.

 

They both look adorable. Lovely photos!

 

Such cute pictures. Pretty kitties. I'm glad they are getting along again and things have settled down for all of you.

My kitties have had issues sometimes when one returns from the Vet but thank goodness it has always been temporary.

 

They are beautiful! Milo likes to hiss at our other kitties after they come back from the vet so I used to put a drop of vanilla extract at the base of their tails so they smell the same. It's so heartwarming to see the duo being friendly again.

 

Great pictures. Nice looking cats. I'm glad they are doing better together. That is great news. Thanks for posting the pics. It was good to see the little trouble makers. :mrgreen: