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Cats/My cats now hate each other

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Expert: - 9/10/2009


Question
A few days ago both my cats, who are spayed and sisters, were laying in the window together and all of a sudden they just went at it! I think there may have been another cat outside. They started to fight, hiss, scratch and continue to fight till I was able to break them apart. It was pretty serious because one of them was bleeding form her ear. It has been about 5 days and they still hate each other and if they see each other, they hiss and I break it up before anything starts. What can I do to end this feud? I have cat sedatives that I used when I traveled with them, could I use them to make this process go smoother? Thanks for the help!!

Answer
Katie,

Unfortunately, it is quite normal.  One or the other or both may have seen a strange cat after which fight/fright/flight instincts take over and they forget who they are and that they even know each other.  My feeling about this is they need a time out in separate interior rooms away from any windows.  It usually does take about a week or two for things to calm back down again, until the next time.

Once you let them back together, they have to go back through the typical cat "getting to know you ritual" and that will take as long as it takes.  I would grit my teeth and ignore what may sound like world War III.  As long as no one draws blood, they will settle things in their own feline way! Any human interference or continued separation will only prolong any return to normalcy.

My only objection to cat sedatives, is that sometimes they do the opposite and that will certainly make matters worse.  BTW, why would you sedate your cats to travel?

Please let me know how it goes.

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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