Redirected Aggression - advice?

Hi all -

I'd love advice!  We have a 9 YO female cat and a 2 YO female cat.  The 2 YO was a stray we adopted about 1.5 years ago.  They have gotten along well enough, though they don't love each other: they sleep near each other though not touching, never groom each other but will groom near each other, will chase around the house and wrestle.  There have been times where the "fighting" has gotten a little more extreme, with a hiss or two, so we've separated them temporarily, but nothing too bad.

Which I know, because now I've seen them truly fight.  :-(  Little cat (2 YO) has always been skittish.  Very loving, but also jumpy.  We have a screened porch that she loves to sit on and watch the world.  About 2 weeks ago we had guests over, with 4 teen/preteen kids, and it was loud and hectic.  Big Cat (9YO) came casually walking in - and Little Cat out of the blue attacked - crouched, hissing, scratching, yowling, puffed up.  Horrible.  We got them separated very quickly, before any blood drawn, and got Little Cat off the porch.  After about 24 hours, we cautiously let them together - they sniffed each other's noses, then moved on as if nothing had happened.  They were fine for a full week.

But then 1 week later, again Little Cat was on the porch, and suddenly again ran in and attacked Big Cat.  This time was longer before I could separate them (I was home alone), and she scratched Big Cat's nose and drew blood.  Again, awful, loud, yowling, etc.  

I took Little Cat to the vet, who said it is likely redirected aggression, no obvious physical cause.  I know there have been a LOT more feral cats than normal in our neighborhood recently.  I have also since heard from my next door neighbor that he heard "bones crunching" in the yard just a day before episode #2 - we've just recently had coyotes in our area.  (Our cats are indoor cats.)  I suspect that Little Cat has been freaked out by things she has seen out the screened porch?

We have started Little Cat on a supplement that is supposed to help her be calmer.  (Composure Pro.)  We also kept them separated on 2 sides of the house for a full week - we switch them periodically, but have been mostly keeping Little Cat off the porch.  I bought some Feliway, though it's pretty pricey! so I'm trying to figure the best way to use it.  

Today we plugged the Feliway in one room, and let the cats come together in there, while I sat on the floor with them with treats.  They were definitely cautious, but did sniff each other, and lay down near each other.  After about 25-30 minutes Big Cat left the room and we closed the door to separate them again.

I find that encouraging.  But they were fine for a week last time too.  They are now separated again, and I'm trying to figure out a "plan,"  We are going on vacation for 2 weeks in July.  I'm scared if I put them together that it will happen again.  We love both cats and don't want this to become a long term problem!

I'm wondering about short "visits" between them for 2 weeks, then keep them apart for our trip, then go back to supervised visits. But might extended separation be worse in the long run??  How likely is it that we can get back to our prior "normal?"  When do I let them stay together unsupervised?  Any advice for how to proceed??

Thanks!

So tonight I let them move freely in the house for about an hour or so.  They seemed wary around each other and I sat nearby to offer petting / treat / play.  After about an hour, Little Cat came up like she used to when they would play - crouched, her head low, nose at Big Cat's neck, and froze there - what she always used to do when they played.  Big Cat immediately jumped back, and hissed a long unhappy hiss at her.  :-(  They ran into separate rooms, and I went ahead and closed them apart.  Discouraging.  

And then this morning they both wanted to be in the same room.  I let them.  They were wary, but seemed ok.  Big Cat was lying down; Little Cat was walking about.  (Little Cat had been on the side of the house without people last night and had cried and meowed - she was very excited to have company.)  I left the room just for a minute - when I came back they were both standing, and then Big Cat hissed, then Little Cat got aggressive again - hissing, and tried to attack Big Cat.  Ugh.  I was able to prevent them from engaging.

It has always been VERY unusual for Little Cat to hiss, while Big Cat has always done it semi-regularly and not particularly aggressively.  

These cats got along just fine for years.  Is there any hope of us getting back to that?  I'm discouraged.

Has anyone dealt successfully with redirected aggression?  Is it possible to "get over" it?  I feel like I read a lot of stories about having to re-home cats.  :-(

Here's a big question.  Are there any NEGATIVE ramifications of keeping them separate for 3+ weeks?  Will that make it worse?  Or give them time to hopefully forget?

Hopefully when they are separated there might be a way they can still know of the other's presence, like a temporary screen door. You can fill in the installation holes when it is not needed with drywall compound or wood filler depending where it is installed. Make sure there is a latch, I've had cats hit the door and open it. You almost have to start all over again with introductions, they will eventually 'forget', but teh stress has to be elimuinated somehow, with calming treats, calm atmosphere, etc.,  and finding out what started it in teh first place, like a cat outside, etc. When you have vet visite, take them both now so they smell the same, taht is a sure wasy to make cats fight when one smells different. I hope the best for you all, good luck!

Ok, so we kept them separated for weeks while we traveled.  Now we are home.  For the past 10 days, every evening we have opened the door between them with a screen in place, and my daughter and I have fed them treats on either side of the screen.  We've had good days and bad days - no hissing, but some days where one or the other was obviously stressed out.  But last night I think was the best yet - they went up and sniffed each other through the screen, then each walked about a foot or 2 away and lay down.  These periods have lasted anywhere from minutes up to 20 minutes.

We have been switching the cats on each side of the house so they are around each other's scent.  We have also tried to keep the little cat off of the screened porch - which is sad, because she loves being out there, but I feel clear that she got very agitated by whatever she saw out there (I think other cats).  

I think it's time to move to the next step.  But I'm nervous.  I think the next step is to put both of them in the same room with the treats.  I'm just worried about undoing our progress.

I also can't imagine how they will get to a spot where they can play without it escalating.  They always have occasionally played / chased each other.  Sometimes one or the other would get unhappy, but it never got too bad.  But I'm worried it will now.

If anyone has advice I'll take it.  My thought is to start this in-the-same-room piece, but mostly keep them separated for a while.  Also thinking that we will continue to keep them separated over the long term when we are not at home.

Thanks!

I feel stuck again.  They have had some "supervised visits" where the 2 cats spend time in a room and get treats and attention.  That has gone pretty well - sometimes they've seemed jittery and it's been rather short, but one time they both just curled up and went to sleep for about 50 minutes!   Occasional tension, but no aggression.

I don't really know what the next step is.  I had thought that possibly it was just letting them together when we are home, then separating at night or when we are not home.

Last night I tried to take that step, and allowed them in the room where the family was watching TV.  After just a few minutes, the little cat went up to the big one, and I THINK she was trying to play???  In the past the play would often start the same way - little cat would come up and put her nose against the neck , under the head, of big cat.  Big cat has never been very enthusiastic about the play, and it would not be unusual for her to hiss once to make it stop, though sometimes they would then chase each other.

Last night little cat put her nose against big cat, and big cat immediately got stressed out - jumped back and hissed, but more than just a "stop it" - longer and more angry.  Then little cat got stressed - I was worried she was going to attack - but instead she ran away and wiggled into a tiny hiding spot.  Big cat ran out of the room and we shut the door.

So - what now?!?  

Is it possible that I just need to let them have a little bit of tension to navigate the whole play relationship?  I'm really worried that it will escalate, because it has in the past.  Or is there some other step I should take first???

Ok, so things still aren't great.  Yes, they can sometimes be in the same room together - but only with lots of constant attention from us, treats, distraction, etc.  Not sustainable.  

So Saturday I talked to the vet, and he prescribed Paxil for the little cat.  I still have the big cat on Composure, and 2 Feliway diffusers going.

Little cat has had 2 doses so far.  Anyone with Paxil experience?  I'm wondering how soon I would see a change if it works?

Thanks!