My parents have two young indoor cats - a spayed female 1 year old, and a neutered male, almost a year old. They were adopted together last Fall, and have always been best buds.
Last evening, as the cats were bird-watching through the glass door, a neighborhood cat came up to the door and the female went crazy - according to my mother - and attacked the male (who was a runt and still small). It took them a very long time to calm her down, and the male remained terrified of her. My parents thought she could have killed him (I guess that is possible).
They separated them for the night, female closed in a bedroom with food and litter box, male able to roam the house. This morning she took off after him again, although it wasn't as violent as last night. The male is acting like a scorned wife - and he growls or hisses if she comes near. He's not forgiving or forgetting.
My mother is beside herself today as to what to do. Does anyone here have experience with this type of redirected aggression? I saw a "cat whisperer" show earlier this year that dealt with a similar situation, but can't remember what solved the problem.
Would Feliway spray be something that might help? I've used the plug-ins for cat-marking - and swear they made the cats mark more. But I've heard that the spray can really calm a cat. The smaller male kitty could use some serious calm right now.
If there are any "cat whisperers" on here with good advice - please let me know so I can help nip this problem in the bud. Thanks!
Last evening, as the cats were bird-watching through the glass door, a neighborhood cat came up to the door and the female went crazy - according to my mother - and attacked the male (who was a runt and still small). It took them a very long time to calm her down, and the male remained terrified of her. My parents thought she could have killed him (I guess that is possible).
They separated them for the night, female closed in a bedroom with food and litter box, male able to roam the house. This morning she took off after him again, although it wasn't as violent as last night. The male is acting like a scorned wife - and he growls or hisses if she comes near. He's not forgiving or forgetting.
My mother is beside herself today as to what to do. Does anyone here have experience with this type of redirected aggression? I saw a "cat whisperer" show earlier this year that dealt with a similar situation, but can't remember what solved the problem.
Would Feliway spray be something that might help? I've used the plug-ins for cat-marking - and swear they made the cats mark more. But I've heard that the spray can really calm a cat. The smaller male kitty could use some serious calm right now.
If there are any "cat whisperers" on here with good advice - please let me know so I can help nip this problem in the bud. Thanks!
