My Cats Keep Fighting

[wolfmaddie517]

Ever since we got my female cat, Ertha, my male cat Emerson has always disliked her. They used to fight a lot but now they seem like they're just playing. But just now today, Ertha has suddenly acted so terrified of Emerson and he keeps hissing and growling at him. We have now separated them for about 15 minutes. She has NEVER acted like this before. I am thinking about reintroducing them to each other or possibly getting rid of Ertha, even though I would really hate to do that. Someone please help me out, it will mean the world to me.

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! I'm glad you joined the site and came here for support with Ertha and Emerson. There are several Articles that I thought might be helpful for you including reintroduction:
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Why Do Cats Attack?
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction

Best of luck, I hope that with time your two cats can co-exist and/or become good friends.

 

[ArtNJ]

Someone may have hurt or even just startled someone else while playing. Or it could have been a random scare while they were close by. It doesn't take much to damage a weak relationship of the kind they had -- stray nail in the wrong place while playing for example. Keep them separated for a bit and try a reintroduction process using the links above.

I wouldn't consider rehoming them until you see if you can restabilize them at where they were at; I'd bet you can. You could even chose to view this as a good thing perhaps, since it may well have happened because they started playing, and it may thus be a bump in the road of progress.

 

[di and bob]

It takes a long time for everyone to get along. Females are just usually hissy anyway, they are the manners teachers of the household. Two males would be buddies, but hardly ever male/female. That doesn't mean they can't be a family, they will find their place and become a unit eventually, mine took almost a year. Make sure Ertha has a high up or someplace to escape to, and don't let your male bully her. Get a kickeroo, or two, and throw it in front of him when he is stalking her, they are irresistible and get rid of excess energy. I get mine on Amazon and put them every so often in a bag of catnip to refresh them. A female hissing, growling at a male is perfectly normal, mine still tussle and they are mother and son! He jumps on her and she screams like a banshee!

 

[wolfmaddie517]

Thanks everyone for the answers! After about an hour of locking Emerson up in a room, they started getting back along and Ertha stopped being terrified. I guess she was just being a little weirdo or as one of you said, got startled or got a small scratch. I hope they'll get just a little more along with each other, as we've had them both together for almost a year. Thanks again!

 

[karen dsupin]

I'm glad I read this. My 1 year old Male and 4 year old Female are constantly fighting. The next minute, she is licking his head. I get so nervous when he is around her because they always start. I keep thinking that she is getting really stressed from this

 

[LeiLana80]

All good advice above!! Female kitties are finicky creatures, lol.

One thing I want to mention- when the weather allows we open up our windows. If there is a cat (or any other critter) outside, we have one cat who gets really worked up and irritable. He will pick at the other cats if they come near and just get all funky. After a few hours, he calms back down, but it is a thing for him.
So keep that in mind- they could smell a different animal through a door or window and then decide that the cat they live with is suddenly the enemy for a little bit! lol

 

[jen]

I'm glad I read this. My 1 year old Male and 4 year old Female are constantly fighting. The next minute, she is licking his head. I get so nervous when he is around her because they always start. I keep thinking that she is getting really stressed from this

Are they both fixed?
He is an annoying child and she is the more mature one who tells him when to behave and then grooms him in a motherly fashion. They are not fighting. Cats play really rough and when the older cat has had enough she tells him. This is great they are communicating like this. It is the only way they will learn each others boundaries. Let them be. They also pick up on your nervousness so just ignore them or use a laser pointer to distract them if it really bothers you that much. Just don't scold them or separate them or they will never learn and you will have neurotic cats.