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Hissing towards my other cat

post #1 of 4
11/18/10 at 4:12am
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone, hope somebody can shine a light on my problem. I have 2 male cats, both 7yrs old, (step brothers) called Teddy & Alfie. Iv had them both since babies and they are both adroable. They have both got along with each other all their lives up until about 8 months ago when Teddy started to hiss,growl & spit at Alife. Alfie does nothing at all the provoke him. If Teddy walks into the room and see's that Alfie is already in that room he will hiss & spit and growl and run upstairs to get away from him...Then on another day he will go up to Alfie and start to groom him ( although this is very rare)... My partner thinks its pure jelously with Teddy as he is very obsessed with me and always has been, but i would just like to know why has this behavour started to just happen out of the blue???
Any advice is appreciated thanks
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post #2 of 4
11/18/10 at 4:25am
Hello and welcome to TCS!

Usually something like this happens when one cat sees something that frightens or upsets him. He then somehow associates his old good buddy with this frightening thing.

It's called displaced aggression.

For instance if Teddy was looking out a window and saw a strange cat he didn't like the look of, and there was Alfie near by, Teddy might have made an association between Alfie and the strange cat.

On the other hand, sometimes it can be a physical health matter. Either Teddy is sick, and feeling vulnerable so warning Alfie away, or Alfie is sick and Teddy knows it and does not like the way Alfie smells, becuase he doesn't smell like Alfie any more.

I am going on the assumption that the cats are neutered.

My recommendation is to first take both cats to the vet for check ups. Get some blood work done, and a urinalysis to make sure all is well.

Cats are the masters of hiding illness so you can't know just by looking at them if they are well.

Other suggestions:

Get some feliway plug in diffusers to help with territorial feelings.

Add more litter boxes.

Treat the cats as brand new strangers and go through a re-introduction period.
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post #3 of 4
11/18/10 at 5:09am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the advice so soon.
Yes boys are both neuterd...picking up there what you are saying about teddy maybe feeling threatend by Alfie due to association with other cats. We do get lots of cats in our garden and Aflies so friendly he talks to all of them....however, we are almost certain that he does feed elsewere too as we have had reports from various neighbours of sitings of Alfie in their houses!!! Maybe its that smell thats upsetting Ted....this would also explaine to me why sometimes Teddy is fine with him and other times very grumpy towards him....
thanks again.
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post #4 of 4
11/18/10 at 5:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MB319 View Post
Thanks for the advice so soon.
Yes boys are both neuterd...picking up there what you are saying about teddy maybe feeling threatend by Alfie due to association with other cats. We do get lots of cats in our garden and Aflies so friendly he talks to all of them....however, we are almost certain that he does feed elsewere too as we have had reports from various neighbours of sitings of Alfie in their houses!!! Maybe its that smell thats upsetting Ted....this would also explaine to me why sometimes Teddy is fine with him and other times very grumpy towards him....
thanks again.
Oh yes, if they are going outside, and Alfie is going visiting, that could explain a lot. Cats operate mostly with their sense of smell. If Alfie smells wrong he is a stranger, and to be hissed at.

Feliway can help, keeping them inside would probably solve the problem.
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