Cat no longer supporting the other cat

[joelito]

Hey everyone!

I have two cats; one is 5 years old girl cat, and the other one is a 1,5 years old boy cat.

The boy cat has been in the house for 1 year now. When I introduced the black cat, she was not happy, hissing a bit, but after 1 week they started playing with each other. Sometimes I saw her lifting her palm: when she was doing that the boy cat was always going on his belly and was very submissive. They were eating together and sometimes the girl cat was even licking his head.

Around 6 months ago I noticed that the girl cat did not want to use the same litter anymore, so I was buying her an own litter.

Now: around 2 months ago I was selling my apartment and took the cats into my parents place for the night - I have always done this if there was a need. This time, however, my parents had woken up early in the morning to a 'violent shout' when 'the girl cat had attacked the boy cat'. I found that very hard to believe and was extremely doubtful. But when I brought them back home I could immediately see that, indeed, the girl cat was very aggressive - and scared, and ready for a fight.

Do you have any thoughts on this?
I find it very strange that after 9 months of being together playing and eating, etc. suddenly the older step-mother cat does not approve the younger ex-kitten.

The last weeks I have been keeping them in separate rooms but this cannot continue forever, but I should find some solution.

I have had 6 cats but they have never had anything like this....

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! I would treat this as a new introduction process and see where that goes. I've included links below to the TCS articles for introducing cats. I also included a link to another article on why cats attack, in case that might give you some insight to your issue.

Also, just to be on the safe side, you might have your girl see the vet for a thorough check up - including blood work. I say this because there could be an underlying health issue that began around the time of the litter box change, and has been brewing since. Then, when the cats were at your parents' house the possible illness allowed the temporary move to another home to cause enough stress to affect her behavior even more. On the flip side, your boy could be having some health issues and that is causing a reaction from your girl. When one cat is sick, it can be either the aggressor to another cat or it can be the victim of another cat.

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
Why Do Cats Attack?

 

[rubysmama]

The male is neutered, and the female spayed, right. Are they acting normally otherwise? Eating, sleeping, litter box all ok?

A vet checkup is always a good idea if you sense something might not be right. If they're both due for checkups, it might help to take them at the same time. Sometimes visits to the vet become bonding trips between cats.

And a slow re-introduction would be the next step, per the steps in the articles FeebysOwner posted.

 

[ArtNJ]

Sounds like you have taken them to the parents before, but were the cats exposed to the noise and chaos of the movers before you got them to the parents? Stressed out cats can not infrequently experience what is called "redirected aggression" which means that one thing freaks out cat, and cat blames whatever person or animal is handy even if they had nothing to do with the stress. Usually it fades, but if they hurt each other, it can become self sustaining. Here, moving, with all the stress related to that, surely didn't help.

Agree that you should try a reintroduction. Just wanted to explain what probably happened to you.

 

[jefferd18]

It could have been the new sights, sounds, and smell of the new house that set it off.

Or it could be something like the scenario below.

This sounds like something that happened to my two cats, Darby and Jeff. When Darby was a four month old kitten Jeff took him under her wing and was the only cat in my household that would actually play with him (something he so desperately wanted). But after a year and a half, his idea of play was too rough for Jeff so she decided to ignore him. Her new attitude didn't deter Darby and he kept jumping her, even when she was trying to sleep. One day she decided she had enough and got down off the couch and proceeded to mop up the floor with him. He left her alone after that.

My point is this: are you sure he did nothing to warrant this new behavior of hers?

 

[joelito]

Hi! I would treat this as a new introduction process and see where that goes. I've included links below to the TCS articles for introducing cats. I also included a link to another article on why cats attack, in case that might give you some insight to your issue.

Also, just to be on the safe side, you might have your girl see the vet for a thorough check up - including blood work. I say this because there could be an underlying health issue that began around the time of the litter box change, and has been brewing since. Then, when the cats were at your parents' house the possible illness allowed the temporary move to another home to cause enough stress to affect her behavior even more. On the flip side, your boy could be having some health issues and that is causing a reaction from your girl. When one cat is sick, it can be either the aggressor to another cat or it can be the victim of another cat.

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
Why Do Cats Attack?

Thanks for the suggestions!
Indeed, maybe a check at the vet might be wise. But the girl cat eats and does not seem to be ill, so this did not come to mind yet... I took her away few times to my parents place alone - she was so happy, relaxed, and playful.
But at home she clearly seems 'offended' and sad by the presence of the other cat...

/J

 

[joelito]

The male is neutered, and the female spayed, right. Are they acting normally otherwise? Eating, sleeping, litter box all ok?

A vet checkup is always a good idea if you sense something might not be right. If they're both due for checkups, it might help to take them at the same time. Sometimes visits to the vet become bonding trips between cats.

And a slow re-introduction would be the next step, per the steps in the articles FeebysOwner posted.

Good questions: yes, the male is neutered, and the female spayed.

We keep separate litters, and she is very productive.

Regarding eating: the girl cat eats daily, but some days she skips the wet food (some flavours she does not like). But there has not been any periods that she would have stopped eating. Regarding sleeping: she sleeps a lot. But if the male cat is away, she is more active. But even when the male cat is in the house (in the living room) she occasionally wakes up in the night to play or to get attention (like the previous two nights).

The girl cat is very sensitive by nature. One of the most sensitive that I have seen; but when she was kitten she was extremely wild, climbing up the curtains, etc. Now that she is adult, the sensitive part is much more clearer. But I have noticed that in principle, she does not like men nor male cats, even when neutered.

The male has not been problematic at all; he is the most social and the most kind cat that I have never met. Never does anything outside of the litter. Maybe a bit too social for the girl cat. He would like to play all the time, and wants to be next to people. He never bites or uses the claws. When I travelled with him 2000 km with taxi and airplane (when I took him to my home for the first time a year ago), during the trip he did not even say a word - although everything was new to him.

While the girl cat is hissing through the door, the male cat is putting his paws under the door, and would really really like to play with the girl cat again - as in the past. He does not understand the situation. He is not aggressive at all. But when he plays he likes run and to 'jump' on the girl cat, which she (naturally!) does not like. The boy cat is two times smaller in size than the girl cat....


Yesterday, I kept the girl cat in my arms, and already 2 meters before the door (behind was the male cat) she 'froze' in my arms and was basically in panic. She is simply extremely scared. And it's really strange that everything can be triggered and changed in just one day.

I just had the male cat at the vet recently - she was totally healthy.
I think I will take the girl cat for a check up next week.

/Joel

 

[joelito]

My point is this: are you sure he did nothing to warrant this new behavior of hers?

How you describe could be very well related...

It was 5 o'clock in the morning when my parents woke up into my girl cat's scream. I was picking up the cats in the morning so nobody knows exactly what had happened then or who started... when I heard about it, my first reaction was disbelief.
If they would have been aggressive before, we would not even have been putting them into the same room.
As my mother said some months ago: "They do everything like a flock".

I think my girl cat thinks that attack is the best defense, when the other one simply likes to play...

One thing that my girl cat did not like: My boy cat is so social that wanted to eat from the same plate when the girl cat was eating. When he did that, she always left the scene. I always had to take him back into his own plate.... Although it was unpleasant, it was always peaceful.

During the last two months I few times took them to my parents as buyers were checking the house. When they were in the car inside the cat cage, they were calm to each other. No hissing from her part.

Now the house is sold. Next time when I travel with them, they are going to a new home... But before that I will take her to the vet.

 

[rubysmama]

I think I will take the girl cat for a check up next week.

That's a good idea. Just to make sure she's not unwell. Maybe the vet will have some suggestions, as well.

One thing some people try is Feliway. I've never used it, but some members find it helpful. Other members find it does nothing. It's not cheap, so not something to rush out and buy, but maybe something to look into. There's also calming treats.