My cats are fighting badly!!!!!! Help!

I have two cats: a two year old female and a one year old male. They both have been de-clawed in the front and fixed. I had the female for about 6 months and then I got the male. The first introduction was rough but they got through it and have been fine for nearly a year. Yesterday a very loud noise was made in the room next to the one they were in. Ever since they have been seriously fighting. They play fight all the time, so I know this isn't Play Fight. I have followed every vet's and book's instructions. Bottom Line- I want to let them out so they can work out their problem but I'm afraid they will hurt each other. What do I do?

You need to keep them seperated. Letting cats work it out will probably only make the problem worse.

There's a point when it's okay to let them "figure things out", but IMO, it's not when there's true fighting going on. Things will only get worse and bad feelings with become more entrenched and that much harder to overcome. I've had to do this a few times and reintroducing them is the only way to go.

I had a siamese and a DLH do this ... the DLH redirected aggression (FURY) from a cat she saw through a window in our yard outside, to the tonk/meeze mix whom she had nursed (dry) for several months. He reciprocated and it blew up. Badly.

They would have killed each other ... we had to keep them in different parts of the house for a WEEK and even then when they saw each other, they screamed.

The DLH died 4 years ago or they would STILL be fighting. They never quite got past it, sadly.

My cats have experienced redirected aggression too. They will freak out at a cat outside and then they don't recognize their buddies indoors.

When they seriously fight, do they make screaming noises and puff their fur out as if they do not recognize each other? Which one is the initiator?

I think if you slowly reintroduce them using their favorite toys and familiar other routines they will be less likely to make a big deal out of it.

Food is a powerful motivator towards good feelings between cats. I use that "carrot" all the time as a diversion and to get them together and promote happiness (food) with each other. It works for me!

Definitely sounds like a redirected aggression issue. I concur that the best thing you can do is keep them separated -- COMPLETELY separated. I will add that you do need to change their "territory" regularly so they don't get territorial, so to speak.

A friend of mine had a similar situation -- a blow horn was set off in her house and her cats freaked out. Her vet prescribed a sedative, but do not do that. I would also recommend consulting a behavioralist.