PLEASE help! Cat Aggression w/ new baby on the way

[jadynprice]

My husband and I have two indoor only cats. One named Lyric, who is about 3-4 years old and is declawed in the front (from her previous owner) and is a very calm, loving cat. We also have a younger cat, about 1.5 years old named Nala, who is not declawed and has always been very playful. We have had Lyric for about 2 years and Nala for about a year. They have ALWAYS got along, they do play and rough house but it has never been aggressive or mean. They have also moved with us twice and had absolutely no issues with the environment changes. They are good cats. I am expecting a new baby in about 3-4 weeks but their behavior has not been changed by it at all in the past 8 months. I've slowly introduced them to the nursery and baby things so they will not be so surprised with a newborn in the house. However, about 3 weeks ago, I was getting ready for work and the cats were just hanging out like usual, when out of the blue, Nala started VICIOUSLY attacking Lyric. Fur was flying, they were both hissing, it was very scary. I split them up and went to work thinking that they may have just played too hard and gotten angry with each other since it was such a sudden change in behavior. However, while I was at work, there was another incident while my husband was home. Nala was trying to hurt and attack Lyric.Lyric got so scared during these attacks that she peed herself twice. My husband ended up putting Nala in the garage with food, water, toys and a litter box to keep them separate. NOTHING in their environment had or has changed. They have the same food, water, litter, everything. We made a vet appointment for the next day for Nala to try to see what was going on. I have NEVER seen a cat's behavior change in a matter of seconds where it seemed like a switch just flipped. It was so bizarre. The vet ended up saying that Nala had a tender spot on her back and if that she injured it playing with Lyric, she could be acting aggressive towards Lyric for that reason and gave us pain killers for Nala. Nala spent the next few days on pain killers in a separate bedroom from Lyric. However, there were a couple of other attacks during this time when Nala would run out of the room to attack Lyric when we go in to change her litter, refill her food, etc. These attacks are so brutal that Nala has ripped out 3 of her claws trying to hurt her sister. We ended up taking Lyric to my parent's house for 2 weeks so we could try to see what Nala's deal was. At the check up with Nala's vet, she basically told us that her back still hurt and did not even clean out the wounds on her paws from her claws being ripped out. I understand that her back could be hurt, but if it's that serious, how is she still managing to run, jump and attack? I was very upset with the vet and am trying to find a new one. About a week after Lyric had been at my parents, Nala was at home looking out the window and growling at every neighborhood cat that would go by. She even tried to attack our big, outside dog through the screen door. It is important to say that Nala has not changed her demeanor towards us humans AT ALL. She is totally calm and collected and serene with us, it is just other animals she is lashing out at. Lyric came back home today and we tried to reintroduce them with leashes but Nala still had the same reaction. Nala is back in the separate bedroom and I am really upset with how things are turning out. I do not want to bring our baby into a dangerous situation, but I don't want to give away Nala just because it's inconvenient, I want to help her and figure this out. I have no idea what to do, and the vet was less than helpful. I just want them to get along like normal and I am desperate for any insight. I understand me being pregnant could have something to do with it, but I thought that would be a gradual change in her behavior, not something that switched over in a couple of seconds on some random days. And if it is related to my pregnancy, why hasn't her behavior changed with me? Why only other animals? I really just want them to coexist like they have been doing for over a year and this has to be figured out before we can bring a baby home. Please help this mom to be

 

[crystalluvscats]

I have had this problem also. I am not a cat expert or a vet but I can share a trick that totally worked for not one but  two of my cats . I tried everything i could think of and a friend of mine ask me to try this and sure enough worked both times. Some may think its a little cruel but i think its fine just own personal opinion if you would like to give it a go.. Anyways , very simple. Get a spray bottle, but a new one cause one around the house may have toxic stuff in it that may still exist after washing.. Put water in it and make sure u carry it where ever you go around the house/ make it handy and every time the cat has an outburst spray the water bottle close to him. You dont have to spray directly on him either.. The sound of the spray bottle spraying will startle him  and he will  stop fighting  imediatelly  and run away from that situation  . It usually takes  few times but it does work. he will relate whatever it is he is doing at the time  to the sound of the spray bottle and he wont want none of that.  it really is the sound that he wont like.. took a couple days for mine with an inccident here n there that week but nothing after that. if my cats do something they shouldnt  that is harmful only  I use this trick and it works every time.  But you cant use this for every little thing.. dont want to confuse him with the lesson your tryin to teach which is no fighting and you dont want to get him used to the sound either to ware it wont work anymore.. for example if he is walking towards the other cat i wouldn't spray it.. But if he is in bouncing position, or hair standing while to close to other cat i would..   hope you figure this all out hun before baby comes home.. the aggressive cat is more than likely hurting or not feeling good .. normally cats dont flip this way unless their sick , in pain or afraid..  def get a new vet and have a new look over him.. he probably really isnt feeling good or hurting somewhere. loosing a claw like that is so painful i am sure and he may have nerve damage from that and  could be bothering him now and on going.. Best of luck Hun.. and congrats with the baby coming  soon.. 

 

[talkingpeanut]

I think your cats are reacting to your changing hormones.

I do not recommend using the spray bottle. It teaches your cats to be scared of you and can damage your relationship, but won't teach them that the action you are trying to prevent is wrong. It may also make them more stressed, and more aggressive with one another.

Instead, I think you should do a reintroduction. Keep them apart, feed them on opposite sides of a door, and let them associate one another with positive things. Once they are not showing aggression at feeding time, you can start to play with them together and bond them again.

Good luck! I'm sure this is upsetting.

 

[jadynprice]

We will start doing that. I was hoping a couple weeks away from each other would have helped, so this is our next option. If it is because of my hormones, why is she only lashing out at other animals and is completely normal with me and my husband? It is definitely stressful environment for all of us and I'm hoping a new vet can give us new answers before a new baby comes into the mix. Thank you for the advice.

 

[talkingpeanut]

It's called redirected aggression. Very stressful!

It's also worth taking them both to the vet to make sure all is well. Health changes can lead to behavioral changes.

 

[aislinn]

This is definitely a case of redirected aggression. When she sees the outside cats: and has no way to attack them, she turns on her housemate. It's an instinctive reaction to a perceived invasion of their territory. Both cats must be separated otherwise the attacks will continue, making the situation worse. They must be slowly reintroduced, with positive reinforcement like treats and praise while they are both safe from each other behind a closed door. This can take time and patience is required.

 

[aislinn]

I also think that the use of anti-anxiety meds in both cats might be a good idea. Reintroductions after serious fighting are very difficult. The aggressor and the victim will have to be calm. How stressful this must be for you as well with a new baby on the way. I hope this is an easy fix.