Hey y'all, I'm having some issues with one of my cats today. We have two- brother and sister. They've always gotten along and the only time my female showed aggressive behavior was right after she gave birth. She's since been fixed and those issues resolved pretty quickly once she realized she was safe and so was her one kitten (one was stillborn and the runt passed a few days later even with hands on help for him). Anyway earlier this morning my male figured out how to slide the screen door open just enough to wiggle out. He ventured around for a couple hours right around our yard and the house. Since he's come back inside my female is in an outright rage. She's trying to chase him down and attack him and since I touched him she actually latched onto me and tore my hand to shreds before I could get her off. I didn't try petting her or anything, she came up to me smelled him on me and just attacked. I can't even look at her without her hissing, fluffing up and acting like she's going to charge me. I've never experienced this before and she's never hurt me. I'm actually afraid she's going to attack my small children right now. When she latched onto me I literally had to tear her off my arm and hand cause she was bound and determined not to let go and even tried to come right back at me. What in the world is going on and how can I stop this? I'm trying to avoid her and give her space to calm herself down but it's hard to do when she's actively seeking me out trying to attack.
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Excessive aggression
- Thread starter Vixen212
- Start Date
Cats recognize their buddies in large part by smell, and the cat that got outside now smells different. Much more common when a cat goes to the vet or groomer, but it def can happen when one goes outside. Happened to me once when the former indoor/outdoor escaped for a bit when it was wet outside (I guess that allowed the smell to transfer more). This is called non-recognition aggression. Take a favorite blanket and "rescent" the cat with his old scent. A timeout of a couple hours might help too. Maybe more like a full day since you got attacked as well. If they actually fought and the other cat is now mad, you might conceivbly need even more separation than that, but usually its not such a big deal. Here is some reading:
How To Deal With Non-recognition Aggression In Cats - TheCatSite Articles
Re-directed Aggression In Cats - TheCatSite Articles (this explains the attack on you)
How To Deal With Non-recognition Aggression In Cats - TheCatSite Articles
Re-directed Aggression In Cats - TheCatSite Articles (this explains the attack on you)
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
That makes complete sense now that you've explained it. Thank you so much! About to read what you sent now. I appreciate it. I didn't even think about him smelling different, and it's been raining here which probably doesn't help.
Happy to help. Even when this issue is in the rear view mirror, be on watch for this if one is going to the vet or groomer. Seems like different cats are more or less prone to this and your cat that is having the reaction might be on the more sensitive side. Not a given, the whole thing is very hard to predict, but since you've had a pretty severe episode, I'd definitely read up on it and be aware it could happen the next time one goes to the vet.
Some say if you take both to the vet in a single carrier even if only one needs to go, that might help. Not sure about that.
Some here say that if rescenting doesn't work, you can try to add a neutral soothing scent, and recommend a little dab of vanilla on the forehead. I'm a science guy, so I dunno, but some here recommend that.
Some say if you take both to the vet in a single carrier even if only one needs to go, that might help. Not sure about that.
Some here say that if rescenting doesn't work, you can try to add a neutral soothing scent, and recommend a little dab of vanilla on the forehead. I'm a science guy, so I dunno, but some here recommend that.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
Awesome, I'll try that if nothing else works. She seems calmer now that I've rubbed myself and the escape artist down with their blankets. She's still hissing but not reacting so severely. I hate to close that room off unless it's absolutely needed and since Bandit (the male) is hanging out on my bed, I think he got the hint to stay away. I guess I never noticed with going to the vet since I always take them together in the same carrier. She's always been a little weird with being separated from him so we try to plan everything for them together.
