Cats suddenly fighting; one is spraying? Both fixed females.

Background: Both girls are shelter cats. One was a shelter, one was fostered from the time she was a young kitten. The fostered one (Abii) is more skittish and "wild" a bit, hates being shut into a room. LOVES us, head boops all day long, but pick her up? Nope. like trying to get a greased pig. The other (Joon) was in a shelter w multiple cats in the room, she probably developed her buttinsky behaviour from competing for affection. She butts in when Abii is getting brushed/attention. If Abii is laying in a cat bed (there's multiples) Joon often wiggles in and lays on/next to her. Abii (usually) tolerates and grooms Joon. Sometimes gets up and leaves. Often is Joon is up on the bed with us, and Abii sees that, Abii then won't also hop up on the bed.

This is our second move with the girls. They've fought VERY occasionally, but now we have a problem. We moved 2 months ago. Took Joon all of 2 hours after movers left to come downstairs and hang out. Took Abii 14 hours, and even then she was unsure. But they love this place, or so I thought. There's a big bay window we let them have, and a sliding glass door. We have 1.6 acres and there's lots of wildlife for them to observe. Including some stray neighborhood cats from nearby farms. One cat, an orange tabby, came up on our back porch while Abii was at the screen door. She FREAKED, howled and yowled and hissed like she was being killed. This was a week after Abii and Joon fought for the first time since being here.

We know they fought a second time a few days ago, Joon is missing a patch of fur. She's a mostly-white calico with fine hair and you notice scratches etc on her easily.

This morning as my husband was in the bathroom at 5am, door shut (they hang out at a shut door) they fought again. Furry tumbles down the steps. Screaming, claws, fur flying. He went back to bed, I had to sit in the kitchen doorway for 3 hours, separating the two. Joon never stopped being on alert and aggitated. Abii came over to eat after 2 hours, Joon growled and hissed. While I was running to Pet Stores for Rescue Remedy, Abii escaped from upstairs and came down, friendly and chirping. Joon sees her and rushes her, growling and attacking and hissing.

I don't know what to do. They were so happy! I don't know how to keep the intruding cats away from the house. I don't know how to get the girls to stop fighting.

Also while Abii was running upstairs husband noticed what he thought was pee. We'd seen it this morning, too, by the bay window. Joon hates the smell, keeps smelling it and getting aggitated. But it doesn't stink like urine and in fact doesn't smell like much to us. What could it be?

I got some pheromone calming collars, put one on Joon, Abii is still under the bed. I do NOT know what to do, how to fix things, etc.

They're 8 or 9, been living together for 6 years.

An update to add in: Husband and I argued on the idea of separating them for the rest of the day and tonight, thought it was a bad idea. I'd given both girls a calming treat and put the pheromone calming collar on Joon. Abii was STILL under the bed, but purring. So we let Joon up, and I sit in the hallway and observe. Joon walks straight into our bedroom, heading for the bed, spots Abii and growls, puffing her tail. We put an end to it, husband declared me right, and he moved one of the litter boxes downstairs.

He thinks it's maybe an alpha thing. Why would it take so long? We've been here 2 months. He thinks we may just need to let them fight it out until someone "wins". That worries me, what one kills the other, or maims them severely?

Letting them "fight it out" is certainly not the way to go. Doing so can have horrible consequences. I really think your issue is more redirected aggression verses fighting for dominance at this point.

My guess is that there are some cats in heat hanging around your house; and, this is causing some territory spraying around your property. The new cats hanging around is very likely the cause of the behavior changes in your girls.

Definitely keep them separated for a bit. You may even have to do reintroductions.

Feliway has a new MultiCat formula out that may work better than the original formula. (I am currently trying this new version out for myself. I've only been using it for about a week, so not really long enough to give a good review yet.)

You may also have to consider either blocking off their view outside and see if this helps with the redirected aggression; or, you may need to invest in some deterrents for the outside to keep the strays away. (These are non-toxic of course! Some make noises and others are motion detected water systems...kind of like a sprinkler system.)

It sure sounds like redirected aggression.  I'll bet there was a stray cat or other animal around again.  Would it be possible for you to set up a cat deterrent outside to keep the other animals away?  Something like this:  

Looks like we were posting at the same time, @CatPack.   Good ideas.  

Interesting, although that is gonna get pricey. I would need one for all three sides of the porch and maybe 2 for the bay window. and it would likely be set off by things like the squirrels and crows, too, I would think? I'd trying to find something that will work though, definitely. But also, the person who used to live here was a cat lover and welcomed the strays. Then the house was vacant for at least 2 years between the last occupant dying in 2013 and then the house being under rennovations since april 2014. So we have our work cut out. The cats especially like the jungle-like overgrown large area that used to be a garden, it is prime hunting zone. But the orange tabby came too close and a sweet lil black girl kitty has been found sitting on our welcome mats, both front and back.

CatPack said:

Letting them "fight it out" is certainly not the way to go. Doing so can have horrible consequences. I really think your issue is more redirected aggression verses fighting for dominance at this point.

My guess is that there are some cats in heat hanging around your house; and, this is causing some territory spraying around your property. The new cats hanging around is very likely the cause of the behavior changes in your girls.

Definitely keep them separated for a bit. You may even have to do reintroductions.

Feliway has a new MultiCat formula out that may work better than the original formula. (I am currently trying this new version out for myself. I've only been using it for about a week, so not really long enough to give a good review yet.)

You may also have to consider either blocking off their view outside and see if this helps with the redirected aggression; or, you may need to invest in some deterrents for the outside to keep the strays away. (These are non-toxic of course! Some make noises and others are motion detected water systems...kind of like a sprinkler system.)

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 Which Feliway product? I'm looking on amazon and there's a bunch of things. Currently on its way to me is "Nature's Miracle Just for Cats Calming Spray Stress Reducing Formula" and "Bach Flower Remedies Essences Rescue Remedy Spray Original Flower ".

They're staying separate til tomorrow, at least, when I'll try to let them mingle again. We never did the elaborate introduction. When we adopted them Abii came in first, Joon the very next day. Abii hid for 3 or 4 days, Joon acclimated pretty quick. Joon visited Abii under the bed, got a good hissing from Abii out of fear, and Joon didn't bug her again til she came out. Now though it's just like.....Joon is so jacked up, even under the calming of the calm treat + Sentry collar, that the mere sight of Abii makes her see red and she is pissed.

Abii has been under the bed now for like 4 hours, the upstairs (where she is) is blocked off well enough, I hope. I can pet her, but she's NOT coming out. Joon is now strolling around the first floor like she's queen and she is calm.

This is the Feliway I am talking about.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WC7DJAM/?tag=&tag=thecatsite

I purchased mine at Petco. I bought 2 more starter packs on Thursday as they were having a but one, get one 50% off. The bottles claim to last for 60 days...we'll see lol!

CatPack said:

This is the Feliway I am talking about.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WC7DJAM/?tag=&tag=thecatsite

I purchased mine at Petco. I bought 2 more starter packs on Thursday as they were having a but one, get one 50% off. The bottles claim to last for 60 days...we'll see lol!

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TY!!! They still have that sale. I got a few for when we have to go away for the weekend at the end of the month. Taking NO chances.

Do your cats go outside?  When we first bought our house something was leaving their business by the mailbox and on the front lawn.  I'd assumed irresponsible dog owners but have since learned of the wildlife roaming the area.  I bought a spray to deter small wildlife.  I just treated the edges of the lawn and it worked fairly well.  I had to apply it a couple of time.  It would be an inexpensive fix depending on your situation even if you just did around the porch and near the bay windows.  I found it at a hardware store.  I haven't used it since we got our cat, but I haven't really needed it since the first few applications.

Handsome Kitty said:

 
Do your cats go outside?  When we first bought our house something was leaving their business by the mailbox and on the front lawn.  I'd assumed irresponsible dog owners but have since learned of the wildlife roaming the area.  I bought a spray to deter small wildlife.  I just treated the edges of the lawn and it worked fairly well.  I had to apply it a couple of time.  It would be an inexpensive fix depending on your situation even if you just did around the porch and near the bay windows.  I found it at a hardware store.  I haven't used it since we got our cat, but I haven't really needed it since the first few applications.

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no they are strictly indoors.

local pet store sold me some stuff for outside that is granules, but then i read that it only lasts 24 hours!! argh! do you know which spray you bought>?

Is pre-dawn the "witching hour" for cats, or something? I stayed down with Joon all night because she was so agitated due to all of the fireworks for the 4th, some of which were VERY close by. So at 4:30, same time as yesterday when they fought, I am woken from my barely-sleep by Joon standing near the steps, growling. I thought Abii broke through the barrier up at the top of the steps, but she hasn't. Yet Joon keeps stalking, is on alert, keeps going to the bottom of the steps, etc. She feels sure that Abii is there. The baby gates at the top, I put blankets over, so they couldn't even see each other.

Joon is wearing the calming collar which does NOT seem to be working. She is not calm!! I have Feliway ordered, my local Petco didn't have it. The other calming spray I bought won't get here til tomorrow. Given Joon's reaction to a phantom Abii, I'd guess that a reintroduction today would be a bad idea?

Calming products don't often work immediately. They can take a few days to a few weeks to have an affect.

Yes, I would hold off on reintroductions until there is no growling/hissing/stalking.

lasia221CT said:

 
no they are strictly indoors.

local pet store sold me some stuff for outside that is granules, but then i read that it only lasts 24 hours!! argh! do you know which spray you bought>?

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 Here is the stuff I bought

http://www.bambuzo.com/us/sweeney-s...spray-32-ounce-not-available-in-co-nm-or.html

Joon calmed down a whole lot after we all woke up. In fact, the little frreakin Houdini found a way to get past the box barrier by (somehow) jumping up and through the railing that i thought she was too fat for; once up top she used her climbing skills to get over the fabric-covered baby gate and BOOM. Hi joon. Joon didn't stalk, hiss, or growl; I was on the floor looking at Abii under the bed to gauge her reaction and she finally growled a little due to feeling cornered so we took Joon downstairs. We eventually opened the barriers and Abii has gradually, oh-so-cautiously, made it down here 3 times now this afternoon. Joon has not reacted, but as soon as Abii sees Joon she halts, stares, and vacates. So, keeping them separate another night until they interact. I am so freaking tired, I feel ill. And I'm in for another sleepless night.

We're back to square one. Abii seemed to want downstairs this morning when husband went to work. Joon seemed happy. No nighttime growling from Joon. So I removed the barricades. I went to freaking PEE and Joon, unentertained for1 minute, went upstairs. Abii must have been near the top of the stairs. I hear a big hiss, I yell and yank up my pants and dash out to find Joon on the steps, all puffed up. I'd wanted Abii to come down, not Joon to go up. I thought she'd sit still for one damn minute. So now, Abii is back under the bed and scared, I'm home alone to deal with two needy cats on two floors, until I go to work at 1. Husband won't get home til 3. I'm VERY worried there will be another Houdini trick and a fight will break out while we're away.

This is not going well and I don't know what to do.. =/

I see you are using a box as a barricade? Are there no doors to your bedrooms?

The girls need to be kept completely separated for a week or more. Both need to be 100% confident in their own territory with no signs of aggression before you move forward with the next step of reintroduction.

CatPack said:

I see you are using a box as a barricade? Are there no doors to your bedrooms?

The girls need to be kept completely separated for a week or more. Both need to be 100% confident in their own territory with no signs of aggression before you move forward with the next step of reintroduction.

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Well naturally we have bedroom doors, but locking Abii in a single room is cruel. She kept her feral instincts and even after 6 years with us still has those skittish, preservation instincts. She can be sleeping and I make one false move with say, lifting a large item near her, and she'll bolt. It's just her. With where she is now, she has the whole underbed area to "hide" in and can see us coming. If the bedroom door were closed she wouldn't have that advantage and she'd be stressed out (first time I met her she was shut in a room and I never want to put her under that sort of stress again, it was awful). Plus the bedrooms are small, so the litterbox is in a bedroom down the hall. Second litterbox is now downstairs, for Joon.

Neither showed any signs of aggression yesterday from 6am on which is why we tried. I suspect that this morning, Joon surprised Abii and Abii growled so Joon hissed. Assuming. Abii has a few windows to look out upstairs and we both spend time with her but it's not the same as letting her be wherever, and she's not happy. She wants to be down with us, and sitting at the glass door...........just, not with Joon there.

Confining Abii into a space in which Joon cannot gain access is not meant to be cruel. It is meant to give Abii a safe place in which she can feel 100% safe and without fear of an ambush from Joon. Abii's confidence needs to regained. And, giving her a space that is just hers is the best way to do so.

You also need to try and engage both Abii and Joon in play sessions in their respective areas. Da Bird and Neko Flies are great for this. This will give Joon a way to redirect her focus and will help build Abii's confidence.

Separating them is not meant to be a permanent thing, just temporary will you work to restore the peace in the house.

Also, you can do "site swapping" to give both girls the opportunity to have more room to roam, just not at the same time.

You can do this by either setting both girls up in their own room and rotating them out or by placing one in a carrier and rotating them out of the same confined room. However, you want to be certain that they do not have accidental meeting when rotating them around. This will set you back several steps and will make the process longer.