Our cats, after 2+ happy years together, are at war -- and one's hiding in the garage!
Tootsie is 4 years old, a half-feral female cat who we adopted at 6 mos. She is a little skittish around strangers, but very loving to her humans (2 adults and an 8 year old boy.)
We got Buzz 2 years ago as a kitten -- he is larger than Tootsie by a few pounds, and very bold.
They've always wrestled (mostly Buzz pouncing, but Tootsie can hold her own, and runs off if not interested), but otherwise are very cuddly, sleeping together and cleaning each other.
....Until 10 days ago, when they had an all-out hissy fit fight in the middle of the night. Since then, Tootsie growls at Buzz on sight, and increasingly started hiding out in the garage. I don't think she's eating, drinking, or using the cat box (she's taken a spiteful poop on the rug, and made a few puddles here and there.) We've been able to coax her out of hiding for some petting and food, but she won't rejoin the household.
Both cats are neutered/spayed. Both are indoor cats (altho, about a month ago, we started taking Buzz out into the backyard on a leash for short excursions. We do not do so with Tootsie as she hates both the leash and the great outdoors.)
Any advise on how we might reunite our family?
Tootsie is 4 years old, a half-feral female cat who we adopted at 6 mos. She is a little skittish around strangers, but very loving to her humans (2 adults and an 8 year old boy.)
We got Buzz 2 years ago as a kitten -- he is larger than Tootsie by a few pounds, and very bold.
They've always wrestled (mostly Buzz pouncing, but Tootsie can hold her own, and runs off if not interested), but otherwise are very cuddly, sleeping together and cleaning each other.
....Until 10 days ago, when they had an all-out hissy fit fight in the middle of the night. Since then, Tootsie growls at Buzz on sight, and increasingly started hiding out in the garage. I don't think she's eating, drinking, or using the cat box (she's taken a spiteful poop on the rug, and made a few puddles here and there.) We've been able to coax her out of hiding for some petting and food, but she won't rejoin the household.
Both cats are neutered/spayed. Both are indoor cats (altho, about a month ago, we started taking Buzz out into the backyard on a leash for short excursions. We do not do so with Tootsie as she hates both the leash and the great outdoors.)
Any advise on how we might reunite our family?