Expert: Dear Tabbi - 3/20/2009

Question
My 3 year old torbie is terrified! About 9 months ago we got a new tabby kitten.  At first there were no problems, she wasn't crazy about him but she did not really bother with him.  We already had a 4 kitty family, he made 5 so my torbie was always used to having multiple cats around her.  In the last month or so she has gotten so weird.  She won't walk on the ground or hang out in any places that are accessible to the tabby. It is now out of control, she won't come down to eat or use her litter box, whenever she sees him walking around she freezes and starts hissing.  I have to carry her to the litter box and put her in a closed room to feed her.  She has stopped playing and interacting with all the cats.  In the event she and the tabby do run into each other, it is the most horrible fight, she sounds like she is screaming and she acts irrational.  They are both fixed, all my cats are.  I just don't know what to do.  Please help!

Answer
Jennifer,

Sometimes like people, cats have personality problems. It may be something about the tabby's smell since he became an adult.

To keep peace and harmony in your home, you may want to re-home the tabby kitten. It's not fair to the 3 year old to be miserable and unhappy in her home, nor is it fair to the tabby to be subjected to her violent behavior which can possibly permanently affect his temperament and behavior.

You can also speak to your vet about possibly putting her on a short term dosage of kitty Prozac and see if that helps her behavior. It is commonly used for cats that are stressed and have emotional issues.