Displaced Agression - Need Help Please

[abyssinianlove]

Hello,

I have three female cats all of which have gotten along for 7 years but my Gracie started Growling at Madison and they got into a nasty cat fight and now Gracie is really on edge and hissing. I have Madison and Gracie separated for fear they will attack each other....this happened at our camp in NY and Madison attacked Gracie, we moved to NC on September 16 and they have been getting along great until today.....I don't know what to do!! I read online about giving Gracie Prozac...has anyone tried this for aggression? I love Gracie to pieces and want her to be happy...if you have any advice, I would be most appreciative!

Thank you!

 

[fornana]

Sorry to hear about the newfound aggression. Since you guys didn't move that long ago that aggression may be due to stress in the new enviorment, and all the new territories.

I suggest following this protocol before administering medication: " In cases of inter-cat conflict, for example, a reintroduction protocol could be used.The protocol is divided into three phases: olfactory habituation, visual habituation and direct contact habituation. The duration of each part is variable, depending on the severity of the conflict, the cats’ response and the owner disposition. In the olfactory habituation phase, each cat is confined to a different part of the household and all important resources (including food, water, litter box and scratching post) are provided in both areas. Each cat is then moved to the other area so that both animals are exposed to the other cat’s odour. Additionally, using a piece of cloth, the secretion of the facial gland of each cat can be applied to the cheeks of the other cat. The visual habituation phase can start when both cats are relaxed during territory exchanges. In the visual habituation phase, visual contact between cats through a mesh door, for instance, is provided when cats are engaged in a pleasant activity. Cats are otherwise kept separated and the duration of the visual contact sessions is gradually increased. Finally, in the last phase of the reintroduction protocol (direct contact habituation), the wire mesh is removed".

In veterinary medicine, SSRIs are used for behavioral modification, including the treatment of aggression and urine spraying. Prozac would help Gracie, but I suggest ensuring she starts out on a small dose. This is relatively rare, but people/animals can suffer from  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) toxicosis. In cats the prognosis is excellent, and it’s relatively easy to treat (stop med, IV fluids, and charcoal).It's RARE your cat will overdose, but just be mindful and observant while she is on the medicine.

 S/s of SSRI toxicosis according to one study: “Of the symptomatic cats, remarkable sedation was the most common clinical sign (6/8; 75%), followed by gastrointestinal signs (4/8; 50%), central nervous system stimulation (1/8; 13%), cardiovascular signs (1/8; 13%), and hyperthermia (1/8; 13%)”.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24016243

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• fornana
• Oct 8, 2016

I hope Gracie and Madison feel better!

 

[abyssinianlove]

Hi ForNana,

God Bless You and thank you so very much for your response....I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I will follow your advice very carefully and use meditation as a last resort. I love my girls so very much and will do anything to ensure they are happy and safe.

My biggest concern is this cat fight will be imprinted in their mind and now associated with our new home. They we getting along beautifully for three and a half weeks, both Gracie and Madison were sleeping together on my bed without incident.

When I was at our camp with Gracie and Madison, for some unknown reason, Gracie growled and Madison attacked her....Madison is such a gentle loving cat, it was so out of character of her....I wonder if she was protecting me? Gosh I wish our cats could talk!!

Thank you so very much again for taking the time to help me...you just have no idea how much I appreciate it and how lost I felt.

Your kindest is very much appreciated!
Peter

 

[fornana]

Your welome!

I hope this ends up to be a one-time incident for you all.

My cats both have very submissive personalities and generally get along so I don't have much personal experience with aggression. I know it must be stressful for you and your sweeties 

A friend of mine has a similar problem with her cats; she has around 10. There is one cat that ALL the cats gang up on. 

In the daytime the bullied cat sleeps in a big wardrobe (she calls her, her Narnia child) with the door slightly open. Most of the time the others leave her be (& sometimes they sneak in and attack). At night she puts the 9 other cats in their own room with the door shut. Giving the bullied cat freedom to the whole house. She says at night she can hear the cat racing around the house. Thankfully in the summertime she lets them all out, and they then have access to her farm. The bullied cat usually sleeps outside during the summer.

If you have little space consider using a baby gate. From searching other threads about aggressions is seems confining the animals to respective 'territories' in the house works. Reintroducing the cats is a careful process though, and frankly if you really feel the cats are a danger to each other always keep them isolated when you aren’t home.

God’s Peace!

 

[abyssinianlove]

Hi ForNana,

Thank you again for your response! Our cats have always gotten along, I don't know what got into them but I am happy to report that they have been getting along without any issues! Honestly I believe God has answered my prayers for peace and happiness for our three kitties and he never lets me down...I often wonder if in the new home if Madison is trying to become the Alpha cat and Gracie had to put her in her place. I keep forgetting they have their own set of social rules.

That is a sad story about your friends kitty that is bullied...just horrible, that would break my heart. I'm glad she treats her to the run of the house....the poor kitty!

Thank you so very much for reaching out to me....you have no idea how very much it means to me!

God Bless you and your kitties !
Peter

 

[fornana]

Your  Welcome again! How have they been doing? 

I feel like it's environment-related. Cats loooovve predictability, and having control. Hopefully once time passes things go back to the way it use to be. 

I'm just starting to notice once in awhile my male cat, Abraham, gets upset when I give Flavia attention. He'll come up behind her and bite her, and then she runs. I always thought they were playing, but I now that I look at it closely I think he gets upset.

Some cats get very attached to their owners. i feel like it's more common in dogs, but it does occur in cats. Do you see that in your cats? Do the fights occur when you are giving attention to Madison?

i know! He's my favorite cat out of all her cats. He's so sweet. He's gray and has these huge saucer green eyes. It's so odd they ALL pick on him! 1/3 of them are his siblings too, but don't worry those cats live the life. She treats them all very good. She spends lots of time in her house around them, and her husband is very sweet to them too. She's a huge crafter and she'll make them cat toys and she'll give them kitten milk sometimes, and they all have full  access (expect Simon- the sly Siamese that gets stuck in 20ft tall trees all the time & wonders really far) to her massive beautiful farm deep in the woods.

I pray your cats get along too. I can only imagine how worrisome and stressful that can be. I feel like the longer certain behavior persists, the more likely it is to become a habit. It's important that cycle is broken early on. Ensure you keep the old toys and furniture in as many rooms as possible. That way they can smell something familiar in their environment, and have a place to themselves. 

Here are some additional interventions:

1. Ensure everyone has their own food dishes, and litter boxes.

2. Ensure you spend time with everyone, and play with them (especially Gracie). Sometimes boredom, or a "barren" environment,  can lead to aggression and/or stress. 

3. When the two cats are together have treats and toys on hand. That way they may associate the other cat with pleasure. 

4. Some people utilize these anti-stress (pheromones) products . I've read studies that suggest they work, and some that disprove them. 

5. New toys may distract them and give them an outlet for their nervous energy.

Give it time and keep observing them! 

May peace & love fill their little hearts 

 

 

[abyssinianlove]

Hi ForNana,

It's funny you should mention that Flavia will bite at Abraham, Sophie will do the same to Madison...she will bite he hind legs and I always thought she was playing but I think it's a dominance issue. Madison, being the youngest is low kitty on the totem pole!

Cats absolutely have their favorite person and they pick the person. I bought Gracie for my partner but Gracie adopted me as her guardian and she doesn't leave my side. At bedtime, I tell her I'm going to bed and she immediately runs into my bedroom and will sleep with me and doesn't leave my room until I do. Sophie is the exact same way with my partner and sadly Madison doesn't have her own person so she gets both of us....Madison use to sleep in my room but she now sleeps in my partners room.

We had a little issue tonight, Gracie came from behind the couch and ran into Sophie and she must have been startled because she hissed and ran into my bedroom, Madison heard and saw the interaction and Madison went after Gracie and luckily, I interrupted her otherwise it would have ended in a cat fight. I locked Gracie in my room to cool off and Madison sat outside the door stalking...very troublesome! I almost think Madison is trying to protect the house....but I could be wrong. I just don't know why Madison would get involved? Sophie is very laid back, nothing bothers her and Madison is just a lover except when something happens then she seems to go into full protection mode. Any thoughts? To answer your question, it isn't related to giving Madison attention, it seems Madison reacts to protect the family.

I'm envious that your friend has a 20' cat tree, I'd love to find one for our girls...our new home has cathedral ceilings and a huge cat tree is just what we need...we already have two but they are only 6'. I just love people who love cats and it's all about spoiling them and giving them the most love and happiness life can offer!

Thank you for the intervention advice...I really appreciate it! Each kitty has their own food dish and we have numerous litter boxes . I have a litter box, food and water in my bedroom for Gracie and several food stations and water dishes throughout the out. Regarding the play...Gracie is a very odd cat...she has absolutely no interest in playing, the only thing she loves is her brown paper bag! I love your advice about the treats....I will absolutely make sure I do that often! We have the pheromones throughout the house, I'm not sure if they work or not, I know they are very expensive but worth every penny if in fact they help..hard to say! I'll pick up some new toys, I love shopping for our girls!!

Thank you so very much for sharing your time and thoughts!!

God Bless you, Abraham and Flavia!!