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I have never owned cats so know little about them, but I was hoping for advice on behalf of a friend who is considering getting rid of a cat over what I think is probably a fixable behavioral issue.
Situation, what I know of it:
Two 4 year old cats who are siblings from the same litter. One male "Wheezer", one female "Tess"; both fixed. They were adopted as kittens and have spent their entire lives together.
In the last week they apparently started fighting with each other.
In the owner's words as posted on Facebook:
-----Day 4 "Ever since we brought Tessie home from the vet on Monday afternoon August 1st, she and Wheezer have been growling, hissing and chasing and fighting each other. It's quite distressing!
She was treated for her asthma, and put on steroids. She was treated & we brought her home. At 1:30 that morning she opened a can of "Whup-cat" on her brother & littermate, Wheezer. We've got water bottles in every room and pretty much listen for disturbances. When they get going, it sounds like a herd of buffalo running through the house.
On day 3 Tessie seemed like she wanted to make up, but Wheezer's still held a grudge. We've mostly seen her chasing him, but he started the hissing on Monday night."
-----Day 5 "We rubbed catnip on both of them from head to tail. Now their just having a staring contest... Not close enough to smell each other. They're just looking at each other...menacingly.
----Day 6"in case anyone's still interested... our cats are still fighting each other... On Monday it will have been one week since the Cat War started. Sadly, now there is a discussion of permanently getting rid of one of them. The girls are in tears. So please pray this stops SOON! (and yes... we've tried everything...talked to 2 vets, kitty pheromones, calming collars & spraying water bottles).
They are indoor cats, but this morning... in an effort to establish some sort of equal footing... we threw them both out the back door and into the fenced yard. There was a moment...just a moment... of a united front when they were both looking at one another, like..."What do we do." Then, it's like... "Oh yeah... I remember, I hate you." And the hissing and growling commenced again..."
---"So far, no damage to each other, but lots of noise...and it affects the stability of my nervous system... Every time they fight my heart races & I feel ill. Joe - the vet advised against 'forced' confrontations."
So...I'll take any and all advice! My goal is to calm the owner down, give her practical tools for working with her kitties, and hopefully save her from making a rash decision she will regret.
Thanks bunches!
Situation, what I know of it:
Two 4 year old cats who are siblings from the same litter. One male "Wheezer", one female "Tess"; both fixed. They were adopted as kittens and have spent their entire lives together.
In the last week they apparently started fighting with each other.
In the owner's words as posted on Facebook:
-----Day 4 "Ever since we brought Tessie home from the vet on Monday afternoon August 1st, she and Wheezer have been growling, hissing and chasing and fighting each other. It's quite distressing!
She was treated for her asthma, and put on steroids. She was treated & we brought her home. At 1:30 that morning she opened a can of "Whup-cat" on her brother & littermate, Wheezer. We've got water bottles in every room and pretty much listen for disturbances. When they get going, it sounds like a herd of buffalo running through the house.
On day 3 Tessie seemed like she wanted to make up, but Wheezer's still held a grudge. We've mostly seen her chasing him, but he started the hissing on Monday night."
-----Day 5 "We rubbed catnip on both of them from head to tail. Now their just having a staring contest... Not close enough to smell each other. They're just looking at each other...menacingly.
----Day 6"in case anyone's still interested... our cats are still fighting each other... On Monday it will have been one week since the Cat War started. Sadly, now there is a discussion of permanently getting rid of one of them. The girls are in tears. So please pray this stops SOON! (and yes... we've tried everything...talked to 2 vets, kitty pheromones, calming collars & spraying water bottles).
They are indoor cats, but this morning... in an effort to establish some sort of equal footing... we threw them both out the back door and into the fenced yard. There was a moment...just a moment... of a united front when they were both looking at one another, like..."What do we do." Then, it's like... "Oh yeah... I remember, I hate you." And the hissing and growling commenced again..."
---"So far, no damage to each other, but lots of noise...and it affects the stability of my nervous system... Every time they fight my heart races & I feel ill. Joe - the vet advised against 'forced' confrontations."
So...I'll take any and all advice! My goal is to calm the owner down, give her practical tools for working with her kitties, and hopefully save her from making a rash decision she will regret.
Thanks bunches!