Cats acting aggressive toward each other for the first time.

[jetgirl43]

Hello! I need help. I have two male, approximately 7-8 month old, half-brother kittens, and they're being slightly more aggressive than they normally would be when they are just rough housing. These are the only things that have changed in their recent scheduling:

1.) They were neutered about a week and a half ago.

2.) Today is the first day that I have taken their cones off and trusted them without them all day, which has gone splendidly, actually, up until this point.

3.) They have separate food dishes that have water bowls as well, but I switched the water to a pie pan so they could get more water, and make less of a mess (a tip I learned here earlier this week). 

4.) We bought a fish and rearranged the apartment (although, I genuinely believe they haven't noticed the former of the two). 

and finally, 5.) My boyfriend and I bought them new toys.

I gave them their new toys, and they were completely fine and VERY excited, more excited than normal, but once they got close to each other, the elder cat started growling. At first I thought it was my boyfriend snoring, and then I came to find out my cats were hissing and growling at each other. We haven't bought them toys since before the neuter (probably around Christmas, go figure), but they've never had a problem with sharing before, why would they have a problem AFTER getting neutered? Could it be because they have pent up energy from having cones on for so long? I'm just bummed that they normally share everything and get along pleasantly and now they're hissing and snipping. It also makes me afraid that I won't be able to pull one of them off of the other without hurting myself, or worse, startling them even more. 

Very new here, and I appreciate any advise or feedback. Looking forward to hearing from you all!

 

[drbobcat]

It's a little early after their operations to become concerned with their behavior.  Sometimes, cats don't like the smells of the other cat after they've been neutered, some remnants of the vets office or whatever.  Try rubbing them with each others' bedding, toys, blankets, anything that makes them smell alike.  Monitor their behavior.  If you think they're too aggressive, separate them for awhile and then re-introduce them.  I remember two shelter siblings who were inseparable before they came to the shelter and then hissed at each other all the time.  This was just after they were neutered.  They never were comfortable with each other after that, but got along fine with the other cats.  Those Feliway dispensers might work too.

 

[happybird]

Do the new toys have any catnip in them? Cats can react to catnip in different ways, spacey, lovey or sometimes growly. It might be just what you thought, pent up energy from being in the cones for a while. Plus, I know my cats act weird when we move stuff around.

Add up all those things, plus the different smells lingering from the vet, plus the boys, themselves, smelling different to one another since the neutering and I can see some aggression happening. Hopefully, after few days, they should calm down and become reacquainted with one another. DrBobCat has some great suggestions to help the process

I hope things are more peaceful around your house soon!

 

[jetgirl43]

Thank you so much for the responses! The cats have seemed to calm down a bit; they seem to realize that there are tons of toys for both of them. 

Thank you very much!!!!