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Expert: - 5/11/2009


Question
This morning, my older cat saw another cat outside the door.  she immediately became confrontational and if she could have gotten outthe door, there would have been a tremendous fight.  I closed the door and she turned around and looked at my other cat and began to attack her.  A trmendous fihgt ocurred and they had to be separated.  I tried to reintroduce them to each other and it seemed to be ok but it started all over again.   I have them separated now.  It might be helpful to know that my older cat has a sister and the same thing happened between them and I have kept them separted for years now.  I cant have three different room for three cats.  can you help me with an idea of how to get them to get along once again.

Answer
Linda,

This type of thing is not unusual.  When a cat gets into that fight/fright/flight mode all things are forgotten.  It may take a few days to cool down and, sometimes, cats have to go through the "getting to know you" rituals after things have calmed down. Also, I would take the older cat to an interior room of the house for a time out for a few hours.

When cats are reintroduced, there will be some fighting.  However, as much noise as there is and as much loose fur as may be flying, rarely will two cats hurt each other.  So, I would reintroduce them and ignore any altercations that should arise.  Normally all calms down within a week or two.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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