Catio Causing Hissy Fits After Being Shut For The Winter

[TobiDaDog]

This last fall I had a small outdoor enclosure built for my two. At the time Reese was just a kitten, but Sir was so good about sharing the space with her. Come winter we had to shut it up to keep the cold from coming in. Now the weather is warming so I opened the window today and showed it to both cats.

They crowded in together and began sniffing at the fresh outside air. And then Reese bumped against Sir and he freaked and started hissing up a storm at her! She backed off and went to the other side (really it was almost as if she shrugged, she didn't care a lick)

When she approached a while later he was fine, them BAM, she touched him again and he turned once more and began to spit at her.

After that he wanted to come back in. It really surprised me! He usually RACES for the door to try to escape when it's opened, whereas Reese wants nothing to do with the outside world. She's been sitting in the window seat as happy as a lark while he's gone off to sulk somewhere. I tried to shut it earlier and she tried to claw it back open.

The hissing though...is it going to cause problems? These guys have always gotten along. They're the best of friends!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Wow. Maybe give up the outdoor space and go back to before. Reese might claw a day or two, but she should return to where she was before you re-opened the space. If that doesn't work, you are going to have to give them alternate times on the catio. That's my first thoughts about this anyway - and, assuming I really understand what's going on. Any elaboration that might help?

 

[TobiDaDog]

Wow. Maybe give up the outdoor space and go back to before. Reese might claw a day or two, but she should return to where she was before you re-opened the space. If that doesn't work, you are going to have to give them alternate times on the catio. That's my first thoughts about this anyway - and, assuming I really understand what's going on. Any elaboration that might help?

That's just it! No elaboration...they were fine, they spent a little time in the catio, and now he wants nothing to do with her. Even after she went back into the house he hissed at her.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think she is claiming that space as her own and letting Sir know it. And, he is not OK with that! Until other members come along with better advice - and they will eventually - I would suggest that they each have their alone time on the catio. You may just have to build separate places for each of them to go to within in it. Then, you just need to direct each one to one space or the other. Over time, once they get over the 'once again newness' of it, it will probably settle down.

 

[susanm9006]

I think they just both got wound up and jumpy with the excitement of the catio being open and got hissy. I would leave the catio open and let them sort it out themselves.

 

[TobiDaDog]

Update: He hissed at her on and off for two days straight and even gave her an angry growl/yowl once. Thankfully she's easy natured and just walks away instead of engaging. By this weekend they were sleeping rump to rump again.

Today I noticed that he had had some diarrhea, so I'm now thinking that he hasn't been feeling well. I'm keeping a very close eye on him.

 

[Kflowers]

If he's still doing it when well, I'd get a black light and check the outside of the catio. Toms cats are every where and pushy about it.

 

[Willowy]

I think they just both got wound up and jumpy with the excitement of the catio being open and got hissy. I would leave the catio open and let them sort it out themselves.

This is my guess, too. And maybe he smelled something outside.

 

[DreamerRose]

Yes. All those strange new scents put the cats on high alert. My two crowd the slider to the deck to watch for wildlife and other cats. If a raccoon or strange cat shows up, they both howl and growl and if one touches the other, they erupt in a ball of screaming and hissing. One time, the multi-colored ball rolled through the kitchen, the dining room, and on into the living room. Fur was literally flying. It took quite a while for them to calm down.