I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do. Sorry in advance for being so long winded.
For some reason Jezebel, my older female cat, every once and a while freaks out and starts hissing at and attacking poor little Goliath, the younger male.
I've had Jezebel for 3 years and Goliath for 1 & 1/2. It started around December of last year. She does this every few weeks or so.
It's so unexpected. One minute she is fine, the next she is hissing and attacking Goliath, and chasing him. It's like she has forgotten who he is and is threatened. We yell at her and clap our hands to distract her and get her to stop, but she'll still hiss at him.
Yet 10 minutes later she'll be standing on top of him holding him down while she gives him a bath, or they will be curled up in each others paws.
It's very frustrating because I don't know why she is doing this.
The first time she did this I consulted my vet, and he told me maybe she was picking up a scent of an unfamiliar cat from outside or a visitor who owns a cat. He also suggested that Goliath's scent may be changing as he gets older (he was a kitten when we adopted him). But none of these seem to fit.
This morning when DH picked her up, she stayed in his arms for a minute, but when he didn't put her down she reached out to scratch him. This is unusual for her.
She has been using her litter box, and eating. Her nose is cold and wet, so I don't think she is ill.
I just can't figure it out. Any suggestions? Has anyone ever encountered this before?
For some reason Jezebel, my older female cat, every once and a while freaks out and starts hissing at and attacking poor little Goliath, the younger male.
I've had Jezebel for 3 years and Goliath for 1 & 1/2. It started around December of last year. She does this every few weeks or so.
It's so unexpected. One minute she is fine, the next she is hissing and attacking Goliath, and chasing him. It's like she has forgotten who he is and is threatened. We yell at her and clap our hands to distract her and get her to stop, but she'll still hiss at him.
Yet 10 minutes later she'll be standing on top of him holding him down while she gives him a bath, or they will be curled up in each others paws.
It's very frustrating because I don't know why she is doing this.
The first time she did this I consulted my vet, and he told me maybe she was picking up a scent of an unfamiliar cat from outside or a visitor who owns a cat. He also suggested that Goliath's scent may be changing as he gets older (he was a kitten when we adopted him). But none of these seem to fit.
This morning when DH picked her up, she stayed in his arms for a minute, but when he didn't put her down she reached out to scratch him. This is unusual for her.
She has been using her litter box, and eating. Her nose is cold and wet, so I don't think she is ill.
I just can't figure it out. Any suggestions? Has anyone ever encountered this before?