Expert: Jessica - 2/21/2010

Question
hello.
i really hope you can help me. i have 2 female cats around 7 years old. they have lived together their whole life. not long ago they started fighting, they became extremely aggressive and we had to separate them. eventually over time it blew over. it has started happening again. and they cant be in the same room as each other. can you help?

Answer
Hi Georgina.  Definitely keep them separated again, and try reintroducing them slowly after a week or so.  I'm not sure what the root cause is of this aggression that keeps rearing up.  Sometimes it's redirected aggression - aggression that is acted out on the nearest cat (or person) when the upset cat can't reach the stimulus that's really bothering her.  A common example is when a cat sees a strange neighborhood cat.  She feels aggression toward that cat but can't reach him, so she goes berserk on her housemate instead.  This results in distrust on the other cat's part, because she's been attacked for no apparent reason, and the situation snowballs.  The best way to deal with this is to isolate the cats and then try reintroducing them after a few days.

It might be worth it for you to hire an animal behaviorist to come to your home and assess the situation.  They can often pick up on small things in the environment that may be contributing factors, and read interactions between the cats that can give other clues.

Also, if these two kitties aren't spayed, I would definitely recommend this.  We all know that unneutered tom cats are much more aggressive than neutered males.  But I can say with 100% certainty that many females are much more aggressive before they're spayed.  Spaying helps reduce the hormonal surges that can cause moodiness and aggression in females.

I recommend to try a pheromone product, as well.  I don't know if it's all you'll need to solve your situation, but I think it will be a help.  I use the Feliway plug-in diffusers in my own home.  See www.feliway.com to learn about how it works.  Some companies are also making pheromone collars.

Finally, some flower essences can be helpful.  You must be very careful about the essences you use on cats, since some can be toxic.  That's why I like a line that was created by a holistic veterinarian and an animal behaviorist, Spirit Essences.  They are located in the U.S. but ship everywhere.  Visit www.spiritessences.com to learn more and order.  I would recommend using Peacemaker for your household.  If it seems one cat is the bigger aggressor, that cat could probably benefit from Bully Remedy, and the more timid cat might get some help from Self-Esteem.

Also, be sure to provide the cats each with their own litter box, furniture, food, etc., so there is no competition over territory.

Best wishes!

Jessica