Expert: Ali - 10/15/2008

Question
I have 2 cats. sisters. same litter. 6 yrs old. they were inseperable. we had to evacuate for a hurricane. I brought them in seperate pet taxis. 2.5 hour drive. i let them out in the hotel room upon arrival. they would not "speak" and one hissed and growled when the other came near. we were gone for 2 days and returned same way we went. their behavior toward each other has gotten worse. when they see each other, they immediately start hissing, growling, and now physically fighting. severely. their eyes lock and they go straight at each other. it's as if they are now the worst of enemies. i have to seperate them with a broom to stop the fight. it's been 6 weeks. i'm having to keep them locked away in seperate rooms of the house. can you help? when they are seperated they behave normally as far as their interaction with us. (their people)
my vet's office said they are mad at each other and "fist fighting". they suggested i use a water gun to discourage the fights. this doesn't stop them. they continue to fight until i seperate them. it's very upsetting to every one in the household.

Answer
Teresa,

Given the trauma of having to evacuate and having so many big changes over a short period of time I'm not sure that I agree with the staff at your vet clinic. This sounds more like a case of redirected aggression. I would strongly suggest that you consider having the cats assessed by a holistic practitioner. A holistic vet is trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more "alternative" therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy or even massage. A vet with a holistic approach may be able to offer non-pharmaceutical treatment options that work. Your regular vet can prescribe anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medications, however these drugs aren't without risks or side effects. Tiny doses of human anti-anxiety or anti-depressant drugs are typically used in veterinary medicine, however it's worth noting that these drugs do have risks and side effects so I would strongly suggest that you discuss the use of psychotropic drugs with your vet and do your research prior to using them to treat the anxiety and aggression between the cats. Sometimes when aggression problems arise due to trauma, anxiety and fear it is best to consult a behaviorist to help get things on track by treating the issue with a psychological approach of sorts. In most jurisdictions behaviorists have advanced degrees in one or more disciplines such as psychology, animal behavior, in some cases animal behaviorists will also have a doctorate in veterinary medicine. The nice thing about working with an animal behaviorist is that you can get a referral from your family vet and in many cases the veterinarian and the behaviorist work together to help people and their four legged children.

In terms of a behavioral approach with minimal intervention I think that it might be worthwhile essentially reintroducing these kitties gradually. I'm wondering if keeping them separated for now and trying out a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. Rescue Remedy is a very safe remedy used by pet parents and some vets worldwide to help deal with anxiety and fear for reasons ranging from trauma to serious injuries and everything in between. I would suggest that you try putting about 7 drops into each cat's fresh water every morning. You should start to see changes. Given the rather traumatic events of the last while it might be worth trying out a couple of techniques that I often use to introduce new cats or reintroduce cats where the relationship has broken down. It's a good idea to try rubbing each cat down with a hand towel, moving on to the other cat and then back to the first - this allows the cats to smell their own scent as well as their sister's scent. Once the cats seem a bit more relaxed you can try feeding them in separate travel cages that aren't facing each other. This will allow the cats to smell each other while not being able to see each other clearly. Once the cats are somewhat relaxed with this stage you can try reintroducing them under controlled circumstances but it's very important that you are ready to end any potential physical fights should they occur. It's very important that you NEVER place your hands or any other body part in between cats that are fighting as this can cause serious injuries that may require medical attention. All bite wounds inflicted by cats (whether the victim is human or feline)should be treated by a doctor to avoid the possibility of a severe infection developing.