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Hey all, I need some help with something that happened with my cats yesterday. This is going to be pretty long because I’m anxious and ramble-y and want to make sure I have all relevant details, I apologize.
tl;dr cats were overexcited after a change in routine, one got startled and attacked me, and has been on and off aggressive/friendly with both me and the other cat since, especially with food
Some background: Orion is 6, and we got him in 2017. He’s been hugely friendly and extroverted since the day we met him. Delphi is 3, and we got her in 2019. she was incredibly shy and scared when we got her, and for the first time Orion showed aggression when we introduced them. It took a bit, but after the introduction process they tolerated each other and even became friends, with maybe a few hisses and swats here and there. Over time, Delphi has also become WAY less shy, but it was a super gradual change. She used to flee and hide for hours at any sudden noise, and now she’ll run to investigate. We’ve had no significant issues with them until about 6 months ago, when Orion came back from a teeth cleaning and Delphi exhibited nonrecognition aggression and attacked him. That was really hard- there was a continuing power struggle with a lot of growls but no further attacks. Orion is much bigger than Delphi, but really gets pushed around by her because he’s so friendly and doesn’t want to fight. He’ll stand his ground for a bit but will eventually slink off. At this point I wouldn’t say it’s gotten back to normal, but after reintroduction, things are at least mostly amicable again. Both are 100% indoors, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, etc etc.
So, we feed the cats dry food in the morning and wet food at night. Always have. However, last week we ran out and I was waiting on a check to process, so we couldn’t buy more until a few days later, so we just did wet food twice a day. The cats loved it, no issue. I finally was able to buy dry food, and yesterday morning I was in the process of feeding them. The cats were SUPER excited and circling me, and as I was going to put the bowls down, they awkwardly sort of ran into each other and I guess got freaked out? Delphi attacked me, really badly, completely shredded my leg. I actually ended up dropping the (full) bowls from shock and fear, no doubt scaring the **** out of them even more, and I ran into the room and closed the door. I heard a brief spat between the cats, but thankfully it didn’t last. I collected myself and peeked outside, where Orion was happily vacuuming up the spilled food, and Delphi was sitting across the room growling. I took a shower, cleaned my cuts, and when I came out, Delphi was in the room, so I shut the door, cleaned up, and fed Orion. I went to go feed Delphi, and she hissed at me when I opened the door, and I was still shaken so I kind of just slid the bowl in and shut the door.
A few hours later I opened the door a crack, so she could come out if she wanted; this is what I did when they had a spats after the nonrecognition aggression and it worked as intended, but obviously this situation is different so I feel like I probably should have not. She eventually did come out, and when Orion approached her, she hissed and growled until he backed off. They both got distracted by something in the window, and after another hour, however, they were literally fast asleep next to each other on the couch like nothing happened. I was so happy and assumed all was good. I went to lay down, and Orion joined me. A minute later Delphi jumped up on the bed and hissed at Orion, but he just stayed there and she eventually begrudgingly lay down as far from him as possible. Delphi always follows me and lays down when I do, so I think she was upset that he was there first? When it came time to feed them, I decided to separate them again, and the exact same thing happened with her hissing.
Later that night, I opened the door again (again, I regret this). Delphi didn’t come out for a bit, but eventually did and sort of, like, circled around over and over. Just wandered around the apartment, into the bedroom, back out, over and over. Orion was just chilling and not in her way, so she paid him no mind. Finally, she curled up at my feet on the couch like she always does, so I was happy about that. However, I eventually got up to get ready for bed, and me moving woke her so she got up. Orion was up and about, so Delphi stalked him, hissing and backing him into a corner. I tried to make noises to distract, but she was super on him and actually tried to attack, but he got away and ducked behind the window shade. She chased him and stood by him for a while, growling and blocking him. I already planned on keeping her in the room with me overnight, so I just kept an eye out and got ready. As I was moving around, she stopped intimidating Orion and sort of followed me- when I stepped into the room, she would come in, and I would sort of timidly try to get past her so as not to startle her. I went to grab one of the litter boxes to bring in the room, and she stopped in my path. Not usually an issue, but I was nervous and hesitant. I tried to walk forward, but she hissed at me, and because I’m a coward, I backed off, put the box down, and sort of just sat on the floor and cried in frustration for a bit while she stared and growled at me from inside the room.
She lost interest after a while and wandered off, so I quickly finished up and got in bed, hoping she would come up as usual so I could shut the door. She did, so I did, and we just laid together for a bit before she initiated cuddles. I was overjoyed, and she eventually fell asleep on the other pillow next to my head.
I wake up this morning, cuddle Delphi, and feel super optimistic. I don’t want to force anything, so I decided to keep them separate for feeding. I leave the room, feed Orion, and what happens when I open the door to give Delphi her food? She hisses and growls. I sort of just stand there frozen for a minute as she does this, then finally slide the bowl in and shut the door.
Right now, Delphi is in the bedroom and Orion is out in the main area of the apartment with me. I know enough to know that Delphi was just terrified and startled and acting out of fear and confusion, and is probably further confused about being shut away in the room, and maybe when she hears me getting the food ready she gets worried? Idk. Obviously I’m not mad at her, but I am genuinely freaked out and on edge, and I’m sure she can sense it. She is just such a sweet girl and this is breaking my heart. I don’t want her to “reset” with each feeding, but I also don’t want to get hurt again and I don’t want Orion to be stressed or bullied. I would really appreciate any advice.
tl;dr cats were overexcited after a change in routine, one got startled and attacked me, and has been on and off aggressive/friendly with both me and the other cat since, especially with food
Some background: Orion is 6, and we got him in 2017. He’s been hugely friendly and extroverted since the day we met him. Delphi is 3, and we got her in 2019. she was incredibly shy and scared when we got her, and for the first time Orion showed aggression when we introduced them. It took a bit, but after the introduction process they tolerated each other and even became friends, with maybe a few hisses and swats here and there. Over time, Delphi has also become WAY less shy, but it was a super gradual change. She used to flee and hide for hours at any sudden noise, and now she’ll run to investigate. We’ve had no significant issues with them until about 6 months ago, when Orion came back from a teeth cleaning and Delphi exhibited nonrecognition aggression and attacked him. That was really hard- there was a continuing power struggle with a lot of growls but no further attacks. Orion is much bigger than Delphi, but really gets pushed around by her because he’s so friendly and doesn’t want to fight. He’ll stand his ground for a bit but will eventually slink off. At this point I wouldn’t say it’s gotten back to normal, but after reintroduction, things are at least mostly amicable again. Both are 100% indoors, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, etc etc.
So, we feed the cats dry food in the morning and wet food at night. Always have. However, last week we ran out and I was waiting on a check to process, so we couldn’t buy more until a few days later, so we just did wet food twice a day. The cats loved it, no issue. I finally was able to buy dry food, and yesterday morning I was in the process of feeding them. The cats were SUPER excited and circling me, and as I was going to put the bowls down, they awkwardly sort of ran into each other and I guess got freaked out? Delphi attacked me, really badly, completely shredded my leg. I actually ended up dropping the (full) bowls from shock and fear, no doubt scaring the **** out of them even more, and I ran into the room and closed the door. I heard a brief spat between the cats, but thankfully it didn’t last. I collected myself and peeked outside, where Orion was happily vacuuming up the spilled food, and Delphi was sitting across the room growling. I took a shower, cleaned my cuts, and when I came out, Delphi was in the room, so I shut the door, cleaned up, and fed Orion. I went to go feed Delphi, and she hissed at me when I opened the door, and I was still shaken so I kind of just slid the bowl in and shut the door.
A few hours later I opened the door a crack, so she could come out if she wanted; this is what I did when they had a spats after the nonrecognition aggression and it worked as intended, but obviously this situation is different so I feel like I probably should have not. She eventually did come out, and when Orion approached her, she hissed and growled until he backed off. They both got distracted by something in the window, and after another hour, however, they were literally fast asleep next to each other on the couch like nothing happened. I was so happy and assumed all was good. I went to lay down, and Orion joined me. A minute later Delphi jumped up on the bed and hissed at Orion, but he just stayed there and she eventually begrudgingly lay down as far from him as possible. Delphi always follows me and lays down when I do, so I think she was upset that he was there first? When it came time to feed them, I decided to separate them again, and the exact same thing happened with her hissing.
Later that night, I opened the door again (again, I regret this). Delphi didn’t come out for a bit, but eventually did and sort of, like, circled around over and over. Just wandered around the apartment, into the bedroom, back out, over and over. Orion was just chilling and not in her way, so she paid him no mind. Finally, she curled up at my feet on the couch like she always does, so I was happy about that. However, I eventually got up to get ready for bed, and me moving woke her so she got up. Orion was up and about, so Delphi stalked him, hissing and backing him into a corner. I tried to make noises to distract, but she was super on him and actually tried to attack, but he got away and ducked behind the window shade. She chased him and stood by him for a while, growling and blocking him. I already planned on keeping her in the room with me overnight, so I just kept an eye out and got ready. As I was moving around, she stopped intimidating Orion and sort of followed me- when I stepped into the room, she would come in, and I would sort of timidly try to get past her so as not to startle her. I went to grab one of the litter boxes to bring in the room, and she stopped in my path. Not usually an issue, but I was nervous and hesitant. I tried to walk forward, but she hissed at me, and because I’m a coward, I backed off, put the box down, and sort of just sat on the floor and cried in frustration for a bit while she stared and growled at me from inside the room.
She lost interest after a while and wandered off, so I quickly finished up and got in bed, hoping she would come up as usual so I could shut the door. She did, so I did, and we just laid together for a bit before she initiated cuddles. I was overjoyed, and she eventually fell asleep on the other pillow next to my head.
I wake up this morning, cuddle Delphi, and feel super optimistic. I don’t want to force anything, so I decided to keep them separate for feeding. I leave the room, feed Orion, and what happens when I open the door to give Delphi her food? She hisses and growls. I sort of just stand there frozen for a minute as she does this, then finally slide the bowl in and shut the door.
Right now, Delphi is in the bedroom and Orion is out in the main area of the apartment with me. I know enough to know that Delphi was just terrified and startled and acting out of fear and confusion, and is probably further confused about being shut away in the room, and maybe when she hears me getting the food ready she gets worried? Idk. Obviously I’m not mad at her, but I am genuinely freaked out and on edge, and I’m sure she can sense it. She is just such a sweet girl and this is breaking my heart. I don’t want her to “reset” with each feeding, but I also don’t want to get hurt again and I don’t want Orion to be stressed or bullied. I would really appreciate any advice.
