Senior Cat With Aggression Issues

[DorianH]

Hey everyone, I've posted here a rew times about our old cat Hazel. She's currently separated from the other cats, again.
I've tried reintroducing them and everyone will be fine through the door, then with limited contact, and then we let her out and everything is good for a few days. Maybe a small hiss here and there but nothing else. Then it's almost like Hazel forgets who the other cats are, she slowly becomes more aggressive, hissing and growling, not letting the others near her, or on the couch, etc.
It escalated last night to her chasing one of our other cats and trapping him in a corner to attack him. She hasn't hurt him or even hit him with her claws but she's currently separated again and it just doesn't seem fair to her. I don't know what to do. She's always ok for a few days and then gets aggressive again. She was at the vet less than a month ago and all her bloodwork and everything came back fine. Her thyroid is a little off but still in the good range.
Could she have dementia? Could it just be because she lived in a colony for so long and is aggressive towards others because of it? I don't know what to do but I don't want to give up on her.

 

[RufusGizmo]

I was just looking up dementia signs because of one of my older cats. if you google dementia in cats it says the signs. have you talked to your vet about any type of drugs? my cat is on buspirone, it was initially for chasing and biting his tail. it worked but when we tried to take him off he went back to his bad behavior. the vet said it is ok to keep him on for life (he's 13 now). but I have noticed that he has gotten worse with our other cats, kind of behavior like you described. we have on older cat that was complete buddies with him for the last 12 years and two new kittens. he was starting to get on with the kittens but now seems to hate everyone. we just try to keep him calm, sometimes we isolate him for a short while, but cant think of anything else. good luck!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Would you want to try something like Composure or Calm-a-mile calming treats?
Then if need be go to something stronger, as suggested?

 

[DorianH]

We have a calming diffuser (one of the cat ones from the pet store) and a calming spray but it doesn't seem.to have any effect on Hazel. ShesS 13 or 14, we're not 100% sure.

I'd like to take her to the vet but it has to wait until payday next week, this week is rent and I can't swing both in a week. I don't know if its dementia or if she's just a grumpy old cat. She's aggressive with the adult cats, and seems to forget that the others exist sometimes but otherwiseseems mostly ok. I do know she's FiV+ but she doesn't have teeth and can't transmit the virus. When she lived in the barn on the farm she was incredibly friendly with the other cats (they've all been through a TNR program. She was just the friendliest and oldest) and they would all sleep and eat together without an issue. Its just the house cats she doesn't like.

 

[Furballsmom]

Is it feliway? Some cats don't respond to that. It's weird, my cat didn't react at all to the feliway they were using at one of the vet clinics I was going to, but he did seem a little better with the comfort zone with feliway that I have at the house. Composure treats makes him very relaxed but his front paws curl up, sort of like half of the motion of making biscuits
Thunderease and sentry have diffusers too, or you could try one of those treats I mentioned. Best of luck to you!!

 

[DorianH]

I think we have a thunderease diffuser. My husband bought it so I'm not 100% sure on that but I know we use Nature's Miracle calming spray.
I'll have to try the calming treats, and see if they help. I think we're going to keep her separate for a few days anyway, just so that the others get comfortable in the house again, but then we'll try again.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[DorianH]

*Update!*

We had to get creative with Hazel. We tried the typical way of introduction and reintroduction but nothing worked. We found she's only aggressive at night, so took to keeping her in her own room at night. Slowly we let her out for a few minutes then as she behaved we let her go until she hissed or started being territorial. After doing that for a few weeks we're now able to let her out 24/7! She no longer has territorial tendencies. She's calm, and the others are calm around her! She's able to be out without incident all day now, even if we aren't home, and goes to her room when she's wanting to be left alone. She's finally the sweet cat we'd hoped she'd be

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh my goodness this is fantastic news!! Good for you, and yay, GO Hazel!!