Question From Judy

I have a female cat that is very aggressive towards our male cat. My female cat had the run of the house for 3 years then I brought home my male kitten he is now 3 years old ever since I brought my male cat home the female has been trying to bite him in the face scratch him bite his legs and tail and she hisses and growls at him all of the time.

Lately she has been getting more aggressive towards us (my husband and I) and the male cat. I have tried everything. I bought the hormones but that did not work I took her to the vet and paid over $200.00 to see if she had a bug or something because she has very loose stool now and is licking the fur off of her leg. All to no avail please help is there anything I can get for her to calm her down in a pill form???

Answer

It sounds like your cat is feeling that her territory is being threatened, which in a way it is. Female cats can be very territorial. From your female cat’s perspective, she has lost your undivided attention and her space has been invaded. Not knowing if the cats are neutered or how the new cat was introduced into your household, both of which can impact the socialization of two cats in the same house, you now have a problem. There are two, not mutually exclusive, avenues you can pursue.

Behavioral: Both cats need their own, secure space. You can choose to place the new cat in a separate area with food, water, and toys while the resident cat maintains her run of the house. Slowly, she will get used to the smell and presence of the new cat. You can then allow them some supervised face time. You also need to give your resident cat extra attention, both verbal and touch.

If it is too late to start over, you need to deal with the situation as it develops.  When you see an incident developing, you can try distracting and then separating the cats. Beginning with the aggressor cat, you can try scruffing - that is, grabbing the scruff of the neck and holding her down, gently. This can be followed by a time-out in her area. If your cat likes toys, you can use one to provide a distraction. When your cat returns to a calm state, praise her, give her a treat, and then watch closely as she is allowed back into the remainder of the house.

Medical: Your vet can prescribe amitriptylline, that is used to calm aggressive cat behaviors. Two anti-anxiety medications approved for cats are buspirone and valium. Two natural treatments that have anecdotal support from users include: Feliway Plug-in - a pheromone-based product and Bach’s Rescue Remedy both of these help provide a calming atmosphere.

Posted by Barbara.