One Cat Suddenly Hates The Other One?

[catzorz]

Hey guys! Two threads in two days for me...whew! It's been a weird cat week.

So my cats get along. They've been living together for three years. They fight like normal cats every now and then, but they are generally great companions...they groom, play, and snuggle together.......usually.

Over the last week, the older cat (four) has been hating on the younger one (three). She has been hissing up a storm, which isn't usual. She has also been swatting at the younger one and has been using some big and threatening posture to get the younger one to leave her alone/get out of her space.

Any ideas why?

Update: ugh, the one being mean also just tumbled down half the stairs...she was swatting at the other one and took a tumble, which is weird for a cat.

My other thread in the health forum was about the younger one injuring her own tail (biting and scratching at it). Maybe she's been doing that because she's stressed about all the hate she's getting.

 

[susanm9006]

If the younger has a tail injury it may be the injury or a physical illness that the older is smelling. So I would most definitely start with a vet visit and checkup for both.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Agree. Vet visit for both. Change in behavior is generally health related - or at least the first thing to rule out.

 

[rubysmama]

My first thought was some sort of Re-directed Aggression In Cats, but when you mentioned the one cat biting their tail, vet visit was my next thought.

You could try separating them and trying a re-introduction, but also keep a close eye on their individual behaviour, and make the vet appointment if things don't seem/feel right.

 

[catzorz]

We have taken the younger one with the tail to the vet and have followup appointments to do laser therapy with her and see if it helps.

The angry one hasn't gone to the vet because she seems otherwise healthy (aside from her IBD, symptoms haven't changed or gotten worse/better).

 

[Kflowers]

Falling down the stairs isn't exactly normal for a cat. However, missing a step is normal if you have arthritis and she's old enough to develop it. Actually, anyone who is born is old enough to develop it. You need to find out from your vet where she has it - leg spine - so you'll know how to be careful of hurting her.

Our cat had it before she was a year old. She was sufficiently bad tempered to earn the nick name Sweet Gum (look up the tree's seed pods - ouch). Once we got her medicine - dasuquin, over the counter not expensive, she was free to stretch completely and became a reasonably nice cat. Dasuquin is similar to cosuquin.