Best friends suddenly fighting

[nbrazil]

See, my avatar - absolutely typical interaction. My Ragdoll (Artemis) and rescue (Jessie) "love" each other. Cuddle together, chase each other in marathon olympics and have been two perfect companions.

It was a beautiful day and I decided to share it with Artie on my balcony. Both he and Jessie have been out there before on a limited basis, but she is more skittish so it was just him today as she watched him walk around in the fresh air and all the outdoor smells (note, I often let fresh air in through the screen on days like this).

But something has gone wrong. Both he and her are super playful, and when I brought him back in within a few minutes I heard something I've never heard before, growling. It was Jessie! Fully crouched, ears back and everything! All Artie wanted to do was groom her!

Okay, I know about the scent identity thing - she has NEVER reacted to him coming back from the vet with anything but love. Neither of them has reacted to the rare appearance of a neighborhood tom cat (cannot get on my balcony). So I'm stunned.

I grabbed a towel and rubbed them both vigorously to share a scent - no change (well, I tried). I gave Artie a bath, no change. I fed them together as usual, and they ate together - but the moment he wanted to play she did it again - ears back, etc.

So later I even gave them their favorite treat together, she was sniffing his butt and not reacting to being right next to him. The only difference was she is usually out of control enthusiastic to grab the treats, today she just gently "accepted" them.

I have a chronic illness and today it is flaring big time and I've had one of the most stressful weeks of my life, but I will say, despite her sudden change in demeanor towards her brother, I did not over react. I'm more puzzled and frustrated.

She has never done this before, even when he comes home smelling of vet! I'm almost inclined to think there might be a health issue even though she acts totally normally otherwise. Only obvious thing is she looks like she may have a little herpes going on in her eye the past few weeks, but I've been giving her lysine and eye drops and it is getting better.

Anyway… as I see it, two possibilities. As long as they don't fight, let them work it out (but they just DID have one fight just a short while ago - he went to play as usual and when he didn't back off, she let him have it - silly boy just chased her anyway). So as long as they don't draw blood? (Note above: she was sniffing him and eating with him just 15 minutes before).

Or separate them and reintroduce them (but he will go CRAZY calling for her at the door and is!) - which is where I'm at for the moment listening to him sweetly trill for her.

I do not have the energy to play with either of them (illness) and it is breaking my heart listening to him call to her to play. I'm inclined to let them work it out - but the image of the fight haunts me.

The original foster has made these two suggestions above - I'm heartbroken to see best of friends fighting. Is there any way to tell which choice is better? (Too sick to go out and get felliway.) The previous foster said Jessie now views Artemis as a new cat, even with a bath, he is a new cat. She never had this problem before! (Both are around 18 months old.)

I really hope I will be writing back soon that they are together again. Do I have it under control either way? Oh, and if I keep them separate, do I feed them separate too?

 

[p3 and the king]

The only thing I can think of is that while you were out, something might have happened that triggered this and she misdirected her aggression at him (common for cats).  You may never know what it is... But, first thing is first, you NEED to have her looked over by her vet to rule out illness.  Then, I would do a reintroduction to see if it helps.  It may, or it may not.  I know a lot on here will suggest Feliway, but it's a coin toss if it works or not.  Some have lots of results from it, and lots have no results at all... Plus, it's expensive.  I would try the cheaper Comfort Zone diffusers or maybe the Calming Collar on her first.  I've had results with both of those but not from Feliway itself. 

 

[nbrazil]

Thank you, thank you for being a place I can share and ask questions…. it looks like "love" won.

I separated them for a few hours (Artemis stayed by the door the whole time, singing/twittering sweetly trying to entice her to play - heart wrenching) so I decided to feed them together as usual and just watch them.

He has become even more playful with age and couldn't resist her again. But instead of going up to her and pouncing (which had been resulting in her beating up on him) he turned is back, curled his tail and did his little thing of "chase me" by bouncing all around and running away. Eventually she chased him.

I just now saw her go up to him and groom him so all must be right with their world again. 

This was a MAJOR scare for me because this past week has been perhaps the most challenging for me (although my employer is working with me as much as possible, it is evident that the health issues could cost me my job and render me unemployable - it has been that bad) and I've been really stressed. 

These guys had seemed impervious to misdirected aggression (when the tom cat walks by they just ignore him), so I was EXTREMELY shook up by this! May mean in the future I'll have to take precautions after a vet visit.

Anyway - like I said, love won out… and quickly (I was soooooo not looking forward to the "have patience" aspect of cat behavior problems).

I considered myself very fortunate to have two cats that got along perfectly - and now even more so.