Blind cat suddenly hates her brother

[toulousesmomma]

I have had my cat Luna (who is blind) for two years now and she has always been around my other cat Toulouse (male fixed, 11 years). When she was a baby they were great friends and up till just recently they got along wonderfully and cuddled and groomed each other constantly. They would even sleep side by side most nights. A little over a week ago I noticed Luna growling at Toulouse when he was not even near her. It has progressively gotten worse. He will be fast asleep on the bed and she gets up on the bed to cuddle with me and then smells him or feels him and then starts swatting growling and hissing at him, while hes asleep. When they are on the floor if he is walking towards her she growls hisses and will get up and move toward him and swat at him. The first night she was growling at him I thought she was hurt because this was so out of character for her so I took her to the emergency vet. They felt her all over and did vitals and an exam but couldnt find anything. They did not recommend getting any labs done and said it was probably behavioral. They are both fixed and are indoor only cats. Toulouse does not usually fight back or do anything when Luna swats or growls at him, he just looks confused and walks away. I did move them twice this year but the house this started in she had been in for over a week. When I moved them the first time she was completely normal and was in an environment that didnt have much of the old houses smell. Then I moved her into my new house and all my furniture and things are here as well as their toys and things. Again she was completely normal with Toulouse for the first week and some change but randomly started acting this way. I also want to note there are two dogs in the house, one that she lived with since she was a baby and a new one. She is not behaving defensively with either of the dogs, its only Toulouse. I had another cat, Messi (female spayed), who was with us the entire time too and I thought maybe she had done something while I was away that caused Luna’s behavior to change. Messi is a temperamental cat that doesn’t like other cats except for Toulouse. When Luna’s abnormal behavior started I reached out to my old partner who had lived with Messi previously and asked him to take her which he did. That did not seem to help at all. I have spoken with one cat behavioralist and we have tried several things but nothing has worked and the issue has gotten progressively worse and worse. Luna’s behavior hasn’t been super consistent either over the last two months. There have been a few times where she has groomed him or allowed him to groom her for a short while before she growls and gets up. I have the feliway multicat diffuser and have had it for a little over a month. I have tried separating them which is difficult to do in my home. I kept Toulouse in the bathroom for a few days and Luna in my room. This worked for a while but Toulouse began to get depressed and stopped eating. He also has been dealing with some urinary issues. I got them both exams and blood work done to make sure nothing was medically wrong with them that could be causing the behavior. Both their labs were good and Toulouse has since been treated for the urinary tract infection. I moved into this house with another person who has a dog and this dog is not good with cats so the cats cannot always have free reign of the house. they get free reign at night and when the dog is at daycare or out with my roommate. but most of the time the cats choose to be in my room anyway even if they have access to the rest of the house. Luna has started growling when she is on the bed even if Toulouse is not in the room. Last night I was trying to sleep in my bed and she was on the end of the bed and if i readjusted or moved she would growl. And most of the time she growls for a good while before actually getting up and moving. I do think she is more vocal since she is blind. This morning both cats were in my room and Toulouse was by my bedroom door and luna was on the bed and she was growling. I have unfortunately gotten to a point where I’m experiencing burn out and find myself getting easily mad and frustrated which I know makes the situation 10x worse but I sorta pushed her off the bed because I was trying to sleep. She ran into Toulouse and hissed and growled and ran away. Toulouse followed her and really gently swatted at her and she yowled and ran around the room in circles and bumping into things. I had to lock her in the bathroom because she would not settle down. I am at my breaking point. I love her and Toulouse so incredibly much and I do not want to rehome either of them but she is clearly unhappy and I don’t know how to help her anymore. The only thing I have not tried that my other behaviorist said to do was to keep them both locked in my room for a while and feed and do everything in this room. I have not done that because if she is growling I cannot sleep or study. I was using a free behaviorist and after a while the trainer basically said she thinks its environment and likely wont change till I move again. I have taken Luna to work with me (i work at an animalshelter) multiple times and she has never acted like this, she has met other animals and been in different environments many times and has never shown signs of fear stress or anxiety. I took her on a road trip to my friends families house and to niagra falls park (leashed of course). i am completely vexed by her behavior. if toulouse is locked in another room, luna is completely fine but its gotten to the point where if he is even in the hall way and she is in my room she will growl and hiss at any movement.I just got her some vet approved CBD oil yesterday too. i was so desperate i even had someone come ‘cleanse’ the house of any possible spirits or negative energy and i dont even necessarily believe in that kind of thing. i have tried everything i can think of. can someone please help? this has been going on almost three months now and no improvement. its making my life miserable. i contacted another professional trainer but its 450$ for a zoom call and i simply cannot afford that

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So exactly how long have you been in this new house? I think your cats, you, and maybe everyone else in the house is stressed out. It's terrific that Luna being blind has adapted so well to previous unfamiliar areas! But, maybe this move, along with the dog issue, and Toulouse' illness, has put her 'over the edge' right now. Illness in one cat can cause aggression in another. So, Toulouse' UTI and the medications could cause him to put off different scents than he did before. Almost like non-recognition aggression. How long has it been since Toulouse was off medication and has been cleared of his urinary issues? If one or both is still going on, that could be part of the problem.

It is going to be hard with your current environment (and, I do think the environment is having an impact) to try to use introduction techniques between your two cats, but you just might have to figure out a way to do it. Here are a couple of TCS articles (see links below) that might help you make a determination on how you could best move forward to try to resolve the situation.

Hopefully, other members will come along soon with some 'tricks' that worked for them when confronted with a similar situation.
How To Deal With Non-recognition Aggression In Cats – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
This is a house with a yard, correct? I'm a little unclear, first you said a week, then you said three months. In any case, I have a couple of thougts, and I don't really think it's the cat-unfriendly dog.

So, two things could be going on, like FeebysOwner is referring to. One, I'd get a good blacklight and check everywhere for signs of pee spots from previous feline or other fourlegged inhabitants, and clean them when you find them with Nature's Miracle or other enzymatic cleaner.

I realize you've said that she's been fine when you've taken her in to work with you, however if there are no old pee spots from another cat in the house, there's something going on outside that she can either hear, smell or both.

Put up a camera so that you can see what's happening outside.

In the meanwhile until this gets squared away, I know you said it's complicated but you need to figure out how to give her a room just for herself for a little while (obviously not your room--somewhere neutral), with all her things and play cat music every now and then (ie; not 24/7). There's Cat In My Arms on spotify and elsewhere, there's RelaxMyCat and also MusicForCats, and even just classical harp music - these are surprisingly effective in helping a cat to relax.

 

[ArchyCat]

Just a thought.

Many cat owners (aka staff) have observed that if they take one of several cats for a vet visit, the stay at home cats will reject the cat that visited the vet. At least for several days. The reason is that the cat gained a new/different oder on the vet visit. Have you done anything that might change Toulouse's oder? Washed him, applied a topical medication or flea medication? Anything that might change his oder?

Read some of the site articles about introducing strange (new) cats. Try the same procedure with Luna and Touloue.

Good luck and please keep us updated!

 

[toulousesmomma]

Hi. So exactly how long have you been in this new house? I think your cats, you, and maybe everyone else in the house is stressed out. It's terrific that Luna being blind has adapted so well to previous unfamiliar areas! But, maybe this move, along with the dog issue, and Toulouse' illness, has put her 'over the edge' right now. Illness in one cat can cause aggression in another. So, Toulouse' UTI and the medications could cause him to put off different scents than he did before. Almost like non-recognition aggression. How long has it been since Toulouse was off medication and has been cleared of his urinary issues? If one or both is still going on, that could be part of the problem.

It is going to be hard with your current environment (and, I do think the environment is having an impact) to try to use introduction techniques between your two cats, but you just might have to figure out a way to do it. Here are a couple of TCS articles (see links below) that might help you make a determination on how you could best move forward to try to resolve the situation.

Hopefully, other members will come along soon with some 'tricks' that worked for them when confronted with a similar situation.
How To Deal With Non-recognition Aggression In Cats – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

thank you for your input! we moved into the house in late november. she was okay with toulouse for the first two weeks or so but then suddenly started acting like this with him. also he has a long history of urinary issues and has had flare ups multiple times around her before and he wasnt having the issue when her behavior first changed. i will check out those links thank you so much

 

[toulousesmomma]

Hi!
This is a house with a yard, correct? I'm a little unclear, first you said a week, then you said three months. In any case, I have a couple of thougts, and I don't really think it's the cat-unfriendly dog.

So, two things could be going on, like FeebysOwner is referring to. One, I'd get a good blacklight and check everywhere for signs of pee spots from previous feline or other fourlegged inhabitants, and clean them when you find them with Nature's Miracle or other enzymatic cleaner.

I realize you've said that she's been fine when you've taken her in to work with you, however if there are no old pee spots from another cat in the house, there's something going on outside that she can either hear, smell or both.

Put up a camera so that you can see what's happening outside.

In the meanwhile until this gets squared away, I know you said it's complicated but you need to figure out how to give her a room just for herself for a little while (obviously not your room--somewhere neutral), with all her things and play cat music every now and then (ie; not 24/7). There's Cat In My Arms on spotify and elsewhere, there's RelaxMyCat and also MusicForCats, and even just classical harp music - these are surprisingly effective in helping a cat to relax.

Sorry! It started in late November and has continued through till now. The begining of my original post was what I had written to the cat behaviorist when it first started. I do have a yard but the window in my bedroom is not overlooking the yard or street it's actually connected to a small balcony. Her behavior is the same in every part of the house too. I am also home most days at all times. There are some dogs next door to us that bark but it was the same in our old house that she grew up in. I'll get the black light and check for pee spots, I'm sure there is plenty because the old tenants had 3 dogs. It's just strange to me that that would bother her so much that she would attack Toulouse And I did start keeping her in my bedroom, its the only room in my house that I'm able to keep her enclosed. The bathroom isn't large enough and no other rooms have doors as its an open layout style house. I've been playing the cat music by David Tein and also "cat tv" which is some birds and nature sounds. She seems fine in my room when Toulouse is not in here. She is fine with my dog still. Also I'm not sure if I mentioned it in my original post but her behavior with him hasn't been consistent either. There have been times during the last three months where she has groomed him randomly but then would stop and sniff and then hiss. Or she will be asleep and he will come to groom her and she allows it for a while and then she will sniff him and hiss and growl. Almost like she doesn't realize who it is at first and then when she does shes like"oh no not you" or something. I am planning on getting some cameras too just to observe her behavior when I'm not in the room.

 

[toulousesmomma]

Just a thought.

Many cat owners (aka staff) have observed that if they take one of several cats for a vet visit, the stay at home cats will reject the cat that visited the vet. At least for several days. The reason is that the cat gained a new/different oder on the vet visit. Have you done anything that might change Toulouse's oder? Washed him, applied a topical medication or flea medication? Anything that might change his oder?

Read some of the site articles about introducing strange (new) cats. Try the same procedure with Luna and Touloue.

Good luck and please keep us updated!

I have not. I've taken him to the vet before and shes never had an issue with him after. And when the behavior first started I had not taken him anywhere recently.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Everything else about Luna is fine, right? Eating, drinking, litter box use all OK? And, she is only reacting negatively toward Toulouse, correct? I think you initially mentioned her growling at you, but you haven't mentioned it again - so, I am guessing that her behavior is only toward Toulouse. Then, there is something going on with him that she is reacting to. Has he had his mouth checked recently? Perhaps, there is something going on from that aspect - decayed tooth or gum infection, etc. If not his mouth, maybe something to do with a respiratory issue that has yet to be detected? What about a food change that makes his mouth smell funny to her?

She is smelling something different about him, and when she picks up on that smell, she is reacting negatively to it. I mentioned his mouth because she might not pick up on it right away - until his mouth is nearer to her nose. Or, in the event of a respiratory issue, it would be the same idea - he gets his face nearer to her nose and then she picks up on the smell.

 

[toulousesmomma]

Yeah she is eating drinking and using the litter box. Still playful and cuddling. She does hiss and growl at me but ONLY when Toulouse is around and she has smelled him. For example, just now Toulouse was laying beside me asleep. Luna got onto the bed and was purring and came over to me chirping but then got on my chest and bent her head down to smell and smelled Toulouse and began to growl. As she was walking away I was talking calmly to her and pet her head and she growled and hissed. He has had his mouth checked and he definitely needs a dental. Hes an old boy. He has one scheduled for the 3rd of March which was the earliest I could get. Also they never just eat one type of food. I give them a mixture of different brands and proteins to keep them interested (they don't have bowel issues either because of this so don't worry) It could be he has a bad tooth but I'll know for sure I guess after the dental.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before either but she will sometimes be laying on the bed asleep and feel him walking and start growling before he gets near her. I THINK she is better with him after they haven't been around each other for a while but I'm not sure. It is hard to see a pattern to be honest. It's not always consistent. I ordered another feliway multicat diffuser.
I thought about giving Toulouse a bath. She already is hissing and growling at him so it can't hurt right? I have to wait till I get paid again to get the black light and urine cleaner though.Again I really appreciate your input. Even if nothing I try helps it is nice to know there are people out there who care and have been through similar things.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I thought about giving Toulouse a bath. She already is hissing and growling at him so it can't hurt right?

Much to your dismay, it might require bathing both of them with the same stuff. After all, if he gets a bath, he is still going to smell differently.
Ever thought about the old vanilla trick? Ode to vanilla extract | TheCatSite It might be a simpler step before you resort to bathing him/them. I've never tried it, but have heard about it on this site.

 

[toulousesmomma]

thats a smart idea!!! ill try that today!!!

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[toulousesmomma]

vanilla didnt seem to do anything. shes been more growly with him today than normal. just now he was on the bottom left corner of my bed. luna came up to me on the top right corner so on the same bed but as far from him as possible. he was asleep and she suddenly turned her head towards him and started growling and jumped off the bed its so strange. earlier today he walked right past her and she sniffed him and did not growl. i dont understand why it is so inconsistent... and i can feed her literally right in front of him with no issues. she will eat treats near him no problem.

 

[Furballsmom]

Did you ever have a chance to see if there's another animal outside your house/apartment?

 

[toulousesmomma]

i mean my neighbors have dogs but aside from that i dont think theres anything. i live in the city and have a large privacy fence and am on the second floor so even if there was an animal i doubt luna could hear or smell it from my bedroom.

 

[Furballsmom]

Is she improving at all? I guess I'm wondering if maybe she should go along to that vet check as well.