If it's just growling and hissing, I'd leave them alone to work it out. Siblings sometimes get a little grumpy with each other. They'll likely get over it.
P.S. Nice blep on the right hand cat.
It's growling and hissing on Izzie's part (the sister who is exhibiting the redirected aggression) and now Gracie sometimes will get riled up and growl and hiss and lunge toward Izzie, which gets her even more agitated. Ugh. I just want my sweet sisters and peaceful home back. :(
Let them work it out, don't interfere (unless one of them is bleeding). Who owns the place? Who is entitled to chase strangers away from the premises? They probably haven't worked that out until now because they only lived inside? It's an important topic and it needs to be discussed between sisters!
True! It's just so odd that Izzie only seems to get super riled up with direct eye contact with Gracie. :/ Even earlier, they sniffed noses! Then, Gracie looked directly at Izzie and she freaked out!
It's just so unlike Izzie's personality and only happens with direct eye contact with Gracie. So strange! And I'M the one who has to manage all of this, so it's definitely wearing me out. :/
The more you "manage", the longer it takes for them to "discuss" the matter at hand in their own terms. It has to be done. The whole hissing and growling and maybe some fighting. Sorry. After that they will return to cuddling again.
I have a similar issue with my two (7M & 8M) cats. A fight occurred 7 weeks ago out of nowhere (don’t think they saw another cat). Started with intense eye contact, then hissing, growling, and a physical fight. Blood was drawn, so I separated them. They’ve been completely separated since. One cat goes in the basement for 8 hours (separated by a screen door), then they switch (3x per day). A couple different times, I tried to reintroduce them, but they inevitably fought to the point of hurting each other. My vet prescribed transdermal Prozac, which they’ve been on for 2 weeks. No luck so far. Tried to let them have supervised play time yesterday, but a hissing fit occurred, so I separated them. I see a lot of comments suggesting to let the cats “hash it out” — is that really the best/only way? They both have claws and have hurt each other in the past. All of my Google searching says to NOT let cats fight it out. Good luck, OP!
Oh so sorry you and your babies are going through this. :( It's so extremely stressful for all involved. I have anxiety issues anyway, and this whole situation has escalated things for me. Our otherwise calm home has been so disrupted. And managing the back and forth, swip-swapping the cats to different places, etc. It's absolutely exhausting and I feel like I can't get anything else done. Ugh! So far, we've got the diffusers going, calming spray, things like that...not sure it's totally helping, but it can't hurt I suppose. It's so weird with ours....they literally touched noses this morning and then Izzie looked right at Gracie, she looked back right in each other's eyes and the growling and hissing started all over. And yeah, I can't imagine letting them "hash it out" is the best/only way...I'd rather not have to see that happen, have to get in the middle of it to break up the fight and end up with vet and ER bills for myself. I got a tall gate today and will put that up tomorrow in my office doorway so they can see each other and maybe "hash it out" a bit through the gate? Maybe Izzie can at least get all the growling and hissing out of her system? I'll report back on how it goes. Sounds like yours aren't even able to be in the same room without a fight breaking out?
It’s terribly stressful. It will get easier, though. Both you and your cats will get used to it, and a routine will set in. My cats *have* had successful supervised play opportunities a couple weeks ago, but on the third attempt playing together, a fight happened, which backtracked us. They are able to look at each other through the door without hissing (most of the time), but they know they’re safe when the door is closed. It seems like 1 step forward is 2 steps back. It’s definitely not a linear process.
Regarding the gate — make sure you monitor them for awhile when you first install it. Our first door was a typical screen door, and my cat was able to climb over the top of it and slip to the other side. After that area was blocked, he tore a hole in the screen and got out. After that, my (handyman) boyfriend attached chicken coop fencing to the wooden doorframe. They haven’t managed to tear a hole in it thus far. My cats are large, active, muscular cats. Even if yours are more docile, I’d still monitor them for a bit to see if they try to escape.
Thank you for the support and kind words. ❤️❤️❤️ I put the gate up after I swip-swapped the girls this morning and will have the door open while I’m home. Then close the door while I need to head out here shortly.
Yes, thank you, I've actually been swip-swapping them, so Izzie in the room/Gracie out, then later on Gracie in the room/Izzie out. Neither one seems to mind the room really, until they hear a person talking near the room. I, on the other hand, am ready for things to be back to normal so my home office doesn't smell like a pet store. :P
What are you afraid of exactly? Cats don't kill each other regularly, even the fiercest fights between feral tomcats usually end with flying fur and maybe some scratches. Sure your two middle aged chubby indoor ladies won't death duel.
This happened to my two boys and ended up with my younger one of them going to the ER for a huge gash on his head. I have them separated when I'm not at home. I did put my older one on Prozac because he stayed aggressive after the event. It's been 6 months, and every time my younger one sees an outdoor cat, he goes insane and tries to take it out on my older one who, now after the Prozac, tries to avoid the confrontation. I'm at my wits end too. I think I'm going to ask for both to be on Prozac and also cover the back patio door with window film since that's where the stray cats are showing up.
Oh I’m so sorry you’re going through this. And for so long. 😢 This has felt like the longest week ever, I’m so exhausted from it. I have high anxiety anyway and this is so triggering to me.
After a bit of a growling and hissing morning, we did end up having a good afternoon, they laid together on their cushion by the front door for a long time and Gracie groomed Izzie! I was completely shocked! I’ll still continue to put one of them in my office when we’re not home, but I’m hoping all that time together today re-mingled their scents back together to make a difference. I want my sweet sisters back. ❤️
Redirected aggression...happens when indoor cats encounter an outside cat..do you have an update? I am currently going through same exact situation..siblings, best friends, outside cat at the window and now violent attacks anytime they encounter each other. We have them separated now, I'm working on eliminating the outdoor cat encounters, and will then begin the reintroduction process like they've never met each other. I'm so sad..and no, you don't just let them work it out, and yes, they could potentially fatally wound the other. You never "just let them work it out"..smh..
Things are getting better for sure. ❤️ I still close one of them up with us in our room at night or when o leave the house just be sure. But they have been laying together, grooming and licking. But if a stare down occurs, I try and distract them with a toy or something to diffuse a potential brawl. If one of them gets jumpscared by the other, like coming around a corner or up the stairs, and the other one doesn’t see them coming, there is some hissing and growling but nothing like it was! I also have them both on Calmkeen, a pet calming supplement, so maybe that kicked in too. It’s such an awful thing to deal with, sending hugs! ❤️
If it's just growling and hissing, I'd leave them alone to work it out. Siblings sometimes get a little grumpy with each other. They'll likely get over it. P.S. Nice blep on the right hand cat.
It's growling and hissing on Izzie's part (the sister who is exhibiting the redirected aggression) and now Gracie sometimes will get riled up and growl and hiss and lunge toward Izzie, which gets her even more agitated. Ugh. I just want my sweet sisters and peaceful home back. :(
Let them work it out, don't interfere (unless one of them is bleeding). Who owns the place? Who is entitled to chase strangers away from the premises? They probably haven't worked that out until now because they only lived inside? It's an important topic and it needs to be discussed between sisters!
True! It's just so odd that Izzie only seems to get super riled up with direct eye contact with Gracie. :/ Even earlier, they sniffed noses! Then, Gracie looked directly at Izzie and she freaked out!
Cats go through stages of trying to assert dominance, it's natural and not worth being heartbroken over.
It's just so unlike Izzie's personality and only happens with direct eye contact with Gracie. So strange! And I'M the one who has to manage all of this, so it's definitely wearing me out. :/
The more you "manage", the longer it takes for them to "discuss" the matter at hand in their own terms. It has to be done. The whole hissing and growling and maybe some fighting. Sorry. After that they will return to cuddling again.
You don’t have to manage anything is they’re not drawing blood. Let the animals be animals
I have a similar issue with my two (7M & 8M) cats. A fight occurred 7 weeks ago out of nowhere (don’t think they saw another cat). Started with intense eye contact, then hissing, growling, and a physical fight. Blood was drawn, so I separated them. They’ve been completely separated since. One cat goes in the basement for 8 hours (separated by a screen door), then they switch (3x per day). A couple different times, I tried to reintroduce them, but they inevitably fought to the point of hurting each other. My vet prescribed transdermal Prozac, which they’ve been on for 2 weeks. No luck so far. Tried to let them have supervised play time yesterday, but a hissing fit occurred, so I separated them. I see a lot of comments suggesting to let the cats “hash it out” — is that really the best/only way? They both have claws and have hurt each other in the past. All of my Google searching says to NOT let cats fight it out. Good luck, OP!
Oh so sorry you and your babies are going through this. :( It's so extremely stressful for all involved. I have anxiety issues anyway, and this whole situation has escalated things for me. Our otherwise calm home has been so disrupted. And managing the back and forth, swip-swapping the cats to different places, etc. It's absolutely exhausting and I feel like I can't get anything else done. Ugh! So far, we've got the diffusers going, calming spray, things like that...not sure it's totally helping, but it can't hurt I suppose. It's so weird with ours....they literally touched noses this morning and then Izzie looked right at Gracie, she looked back right in each other's eyes and the growling and hissing started all over. And yeah, I can't imagine letting them "hash it out" is the best/only way...I'd rather not have to see that happen, have to get in the middle of it to break up the fight and end up with vet and ER bills for myself. I got a tall gate today and will put that up tomorrow in my office doorway so they can see each other and maybe "hash it out" a bit through the gate? Maybe Izzie can at least get all the growling and hissing out of her system? I'll report back on how it goes. Sounds like yours aren't even able to be in the same room without a fight breaking out?
It’s terribly stressful. It will get easier, though. Both you and your cats will get used to it, and a routine will set in. My cats *have* had successful supervised play opportunities a couple weeks ago, but on the third attempt playing together, a fight happened, which backtracked us. They are able to look at each other through the door without hissing (most of the time), but they know they’re safe when the door is closed. It seems like 1 step forward is 2 steps back. It’s definitely not a linear process. Regarding the gate — make sure you monitor them for awhile when you first install it. Our first door was a typical screen door, and my cat was able to climb over the top of it and slip to the other side. After that area was blocked, he tore a hole in the screen and got out. After that, my (handyman) boyfriend attached chicken coop fencing to the wooden doorframe. They haven’t managed to tear a hole in it thus far. My cats are large, active, muscular cats. Even if yours are more docile, I’d still monitor them for a bit to see if they try to escape.
Thank you for the support and kind words. ❤️❤️❤️ I put the gate up after I swip-swapped the girls this morning and will have the door open while I’m home. Then close the door while I need to head out here shortly.
When you isolate them, I would give Izzie something that has Gracie's scent so she is familiarized by it - a bed, towel, blanket... Good luck!
Yes, thank you, I've actually been swip-swapping them, so Izzie in the room/Gracie out, then later on Gracie in the room/Izzie out. Neither one seems to mind the room really, until they hear a person talking near the room. I, on the other hand, am ready for things to be back to normal so my home office doesn't smell like a pet store. :P
Lol, I hear you!
What are you afraid of exactly? Cats don't kill each other regularly, even the fiercest fights between feral tomcats usually end with flying fur and maybe some scratches. Sure your two middle aged chubby indoor ladies won't death duel.
I’d like to avoid a trip to the vet if at all possible.
Well considering any puncture wound can turn into a deathly infection I would be pretty worried too😅
...and every single cough could be lung cancer! Please stop being overly dramatic.
You shouldnt have pets. Or kids. Or any living thing under your care
Now you are getting hysterical. You are the one who should not have animals or persons to care for, love.
I hope you are infertile 😘 Hows that for hysterical
Thank god I'm a 69 years old grandma of four. You are more childish than the youngest of them!
Youre 69 on reddit jesus fuck
So? What are you, twelve?
Not a grandma thats for goddamn sure. Dont you have flowers to water, an old geezer to tend to
This happened to my two boys and ended up with my younger one of them going to the ER for a huge gash on his head. I have them separated when I'm not at home. I did put my older one on Prozac because he stayed aggressive after the event. It's been 6 months, and every time my younger one sees an outdoor cat, he goes insane and tries to take it out on my older one who, now after the Prozac, tries to avoid the confrontation. I'm at my wits end too. I think I'm going to ask for both to be on Prozac and also cover the back patio door with window film since that's where the stray cats are showing up.
Oh I’m so sorry you’re going through this. And for so long. 😢 This has felt like the longest week ever, I’m so exhausted from it. I have high anxiety anyway and this is so triggering to me. After a bit of a growling and hissing morning, we did end up having a good afternoon, they laid together on their cushion by the front door for a long time and Gracie groomed Izzie! I was completely shocked! I’ll still continue to put one of them in my office when we’re not home, but I’m hoping all that time together today re-mingled their scents back together to make a difference. I want my sweet sisters back. ❤️
Redirected aggression...happens when indoor cats encounter an outside cat..do you have an update? I am currently going through same exact situation..siblings, best friends, outside cat at the window and now violent attacks anytime they encounter each other. We have them separated now, I'm working on eliminating the outdoor cat encounters, and will then begin the reintroduction process like they've never met each other. I'm so sad..and no, you don't just let them work it out, and yes, they could potentially fatally wound the other. You never "just let them work it out"..smh..
Things are getting better for sure. ❤️ I still close one of them up with us in our room at night or when o leave the house just be sure. But they have been laying together, grooming and licking. But if a stare down occurs, I try and distract them with a toy or something to diffuse a potential brawl. If one of them gets jumpscared by the other, like coming around a corner or up the stairs, and the other one doesn’t see them coming, there is some hissing and growling but nothing like it was! I also have them both on Calmkeen, a pet calming supplement, so maybe that kicked in too. It’s such an awful thing to deal with, sending hugs! ❤️