Two of our three cats have been sporadically and seemingly inexplicably fighting with one another. One or both often ends up with scratches on their faces, clumps of fur missing, and we've found pieces of chipped-off claws. The cats are male and female, calico and tabby, 8 years old, and they are from the same litter. They have been together all their lives. They didn’t fight at all for the first 3-4 years I had them, but in approximately 2008 the aggressive behavior started. In the past, I was able to get things under control for a long period of time (a year or two) before they had another episode.
Starting when we were on vacation in mid September 2013, the fights keep re-occurring even though we thought we established peace and re-introduced them properly. In consultation with our vet, we put the cat we believed to be the aggressor on Fluoxetine, an anti-anxiety medication. She became calmer almost immediately and we thought we could re-introduce them. In October, they had a series of fights and we ultimately put both cats on Fluoxetine. In late November/early December, the non-aggressor cat was weaned off the medicine. On 12/17 they had another fight while we were at work. They fought again on 12/20 and again today.
Here’s what we’ve tried:
Feliway. I can’t tell if this pheromone made a difference but I used it for an extended period of time without any noticeable change from 2008-2010. It’s possible their fights may have been worse/more frequent without the Feliway but I have no way of judging. At the time, I lived in a small one bedroom apartment and could use diffusers in every room. I now live in a large loft with 19’ ceilings and a wide open floor plan. I don’t believe Feliway would effectively work in this home because of the amount of open space.
Separation. This is the best solution but is only temporary. The only room that can be blocked off is a small bathroom. It’s impossible to sleep with one cat in the bathroom because each cries incessantly when separated. This approach gives us peace of mind while we’re at work but it’s not a permanent solution.
Fluoxetine/anti-anxiety medication. Medication has worked wonders in the past. However, the cat we believe is the aggressor is on Fluoxetine now but obviously got into three fights in the past two weeks. Should both cats be on the medicine? For how long?
Play time. My girlfriend and I tried to engage the cats in regular playtime to help them exert energy and engage their hunting instincts. We also have a box of toys from which they can (and do) remove toys to play with themselves. Admittedly, we have not been hugely consistent in this effort due to work schedules but it’s something we do often. I can’t say if this approach changed anything.
Rewards/Punishments. We tried using a spray bottle to punish bad behavior and pre-fight behavior. One cat runs away immediately but the other is completely unaffected by the spray. She becomes hyper-focused on the aggressive behavior and no amount of redirection will stop her. She has to be separated. Moreover, we would prefer to reward their good behavior with treats but the calico is already overweight and shouldn’t have additional food. (What other methods can be used to reward good behavior?)
Nature’s Miracle cleaner. At the suggestion of our vet, following a fight, we thoroughly clean the area with an enzymatic cleanser that removes all smells/stains. The cats seem to have “trouble spots” in certain areas, to include the base of the steps, near our bookshelf, and near one of the water dishes. I have noticed less smelling of the area after a fight once it was cleaned so I believe this product removes smells but I don’t know if it’s effective in changing the bad behavior. Perhaps it’s one “ingredient” in restoring order.
We have three litter pans. They are cleaned regularly.
The cats get fed reasonable portions of wet food in the morning, evening, and before bed. Plus there is dry food available to the tabby on a high perch that is inaccessible to the calico. These perches are also “safe zones” for the non-aggressive cat.
My girlfriend and I are in our 30s, we do not have children, and we lead, stable, possibly boring lives. We each have our routines and try to stick to them but sometimes it’s not possible.
What else can we/should we consider? We’ve been working with a great vet but it feels like we’re running out of options. Our vet suggested we have a telephonic appointment with a cat behaviorist (no certified behaviorists are in the Pittsburgh area apparently) to discuss our concerns and attempt to develop alternative solutions. We’re open to a behaviorist but hope to avoid the expense, especially if it’s not likely to be effective. Has anyone else used a behaviorist? Was it in-person or telephonic? Should we consider an appointment? If so, what information should we be prepared to share with the behaviorist? Is there anything I haven’t considered here that you (or a behaviorist) might need to understand to diagnose/treat this situation?
Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!
Starting when we were on vacation in mid September 2013, the fights keep re-occurring even though we thought we established peace and re-introduced them properly. In consultation with our vet, we put the cat we believed to be the aggressor on Fluoxetine, an anti-anxiety medication. She became calmer almost immediately and we thought we could re-introduce them. In October, they had a series of fights and we ultimately put both cats on Fluoxetine. In late November/early December, the non-aggressor cat was weaned off the medicine. On 12/17 they had another fight while we were at work. They fought again on 12/20 and again today.
Here’s what we’ve tried:
Feliway. I can’t tell if this pheromone made a difference but I used it for an extended period of time without any noticeable change from 2008-2010. It’s possible their fights may have been worse/more frequent without the Feliway but I have no way of judging. At the time, I lived in a small one bedroom apartment and could use diffusers in every room. I now live in a large loft with 19’ ceilings and a wide open floor plan. I don’t believe Feliway would effectively work in this home because of the amount of open space.
Separation. This is the best solution but is only temporary. The only room that can be blocked off is a small bathroom. It’s impossible to sleep with one cat in the bathroom because each cries incessantly when separated. This approach gives us peace of mind while we’re at work but it’s not a permanent solution.
Fluoxetine/anti-anxiety medication. Medication has worked wonders in the past. However, the cat we believe is the aggressor is on Fluoxetine now but obviously got into three fights in the past two weeks. Should both cats be on the medicine? For how long?
Play time. My girlfriend and I tried to engage the cats in regular playtime to help them exert energy and engage their hunting instincts. We also have a box of toys from which they can (and do) remove toys to play with themselves. Admittedly, we have not been hugely consistent in this effort due to work schedules but it’s something we do often. I can’t say if this approach changed anything.
Rewards/Punishments. We tried using a spray bottle to punish bad behavior and pre-fight behavior. One cat runs away immediately but the other is completely unaffected by the spray. She becomes hyper-focused on the aggressive behavior and no amount of redirection will stop her. She has to be separated. Moreover, we would prefer to reward their good behavior with treats but the calico is already overweight and shouldn’t have additional food. (What other methods can be used to reward good behavior?)
Nature’s Miracle cleaner. At the suggestion of our vet, following a fight, we thoroughly clean the area with an enzymatic cleanser that removes all smells/stains. The cats seem to have “trouble spots” in certain areas, to include the base of the steps, near our bookshelf, and near one of the water dishes. I have noticed less smelling of the area after a fight once it was cleaned so I believe this product removes smells but I don’t know if it’s effective in changing the bad behavior. Perhaps it’s one “ingredient” in restoring order.
We have three litter pans. They are cleaned regularly.
The cats get fed reasonable portions of wet food in the morning, evening, and before bed. Plus there is dry food available to the tabby on a high perch that is inaccessible to the calico. These perches are also “safe zones” for the non-aggressive cat.
My girlfriend and I are in our 30s, we do not have children, and we lead, stable, possibly boring lives. We each have our routines and try to stick to them but sometimes it’s not possible.
What else can we/should we consider? We’ve been working with a great vet but it feels like we’re running out of options. Our vet suggested we have a telephonic appointment with a cat behaviorist (no certified behaviorists are in the Pittsburgh area apparently) to discuss our concerns and attempt to develop alternative solutions. We’re open to a behaviorist but hope to avoid the expense, especially if it’s not likely to be effective. Has anyone else used a behaviorist? Was it in-person or telephonic? Should we consider an appointment? If so, what information should we be prepared to share with the behaviorist? Is there anything I haven’t considered here that you (or a behaviorist) might need to understand to diagnose/treat this situation?
Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!
