# Cat viciously attacking her brother...



## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

I have 2 cats that are both 5.5 years old. I got them both at the same time, at a local Foster Shelter when they were 6 weeks old. One is male, the other is female. Both are fixed.

When they were kittens, they always cuddled, slept and played together - loved each other to death. In fact, I picked the two of them, because the shelter said they were inseparable, and they were - for at least the first year of their life.

Well as they got older, they seemed to grow to hate each other. And I have no idea why. I don't give one anymore attention than the other, they are both equally spoiled with attention. They fight something fierce, to the point where I do not leave them together when I go somewhere, out of fear that one will hurt the other. I work at home, so I am home often, and keep them both free to roam the house together day and night as long as I'm here, so they are around each other most of the time. But they have at least 3 fights a day, where I have to chase them off of each other and pull them apart. Most fights I can control by yelling at them to knock it off, but occasionally they get into a very bad scrap that I have to pull them apart. I've seen cats playful fight alot, but these cats are not playful. They act like they really want to hurt each other. My male cat has a nice disposition, but my female cat is nasty by nature. She has temperamental mood swings where she's nice and wants you to pet her one minute, then wants to bite you the next.

Now for the real crazy thing that happened... My boy cat was extremely sick this week, and had an emergency stay at the vets Tuesday night. When I brought him home Wednesday night, my female cat viciously tried to attack him. Granted, they fight daily.. but this was different. She turned into something you would see out of a wild street cat that you were trying to snatch up. All of her teeth were showing, her tail was fat as could be, and she was hissing, growling and screeching going after him full force like she wanted to kill him. She was definitely going for blood. She even tried to attack me when I was pulling her off of him. (They both still have their claws, which can be very dangerous). I had to throw a blanket over her, and wrap her up and toss her in a secluded room. I could hear her growling and hissing, and clawing at the door to get out like never before while in the room. It was insane. I have not let them together since. He had to go back to the vets the next day, and is still there, but I plan on locking her in a room before bringing him home again this time. He doesn't need the stress of her going crazy after having such a rough, sick week.

The vet says it was the scent of the hospital on him that she didn't like, and claims this is normal behaviour. But I've had cats all my life, and none of them have ever done this when I brought another home from the vet. At most, they always just sniffed each other like crazy. I get that shes going to notice something different, and maybe not enjoy his hospital scent, but to so viciously attack like that, just does not seem normal at all to me. 

Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this?


----------



## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

That IS normal behavior. ...and unfortunately, that [_her trying to KILL him_] reaction is going to be normal for your kitties. Because they express daily animosity towards each other, it stands to reason that she would be reduced to a fury that he would leave and then return smelling not only sickly, but of a strange place as well.
I think you will have to keep them seperated. You may be able to try a Fel-i-way diffuser? This is a diffuser that releases a feline calming pheromone into the air. It works best in smaller places (bedroom or bathroom) rather than in a large open plan area.
I think its a shame they can't get along. My Trio (2bros, 1sis) were always very close; eating, sleeping and playing together and I always liked how close they were to each other.
Best of luck,
Heidi


----------



## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

Thank you for your response Heidi.

I'm surprised to hear that was normal behaviour, but I guess if you take an already agitated situation, and add something abnormal to it, its going to fuel the fire.

Yes, it is very sad that they don't get along, because they were very close for the first year. No idea what snapped in them. My male was always more playful with his fighting, but my female just has a mean streak in her, and turns his play into more of a real fight. She's SO loud too, anytime they chase each other.. whether he's chasing her, or she's chasing him.. all you hear is her hissing, rumbling and growling all the way through the house. She sounds like a little gremlin.

I joke around and say she has multiple personality disorder.. because she can be the sweetest loving cat one minute, and then the next she'll bite and hiss at someone. She's loving 99% of the time with me, unless she's really in a bad mood, but she seems to hate the male race in general, whether they be cats or humans, for some reason.

I'll try your suggestion once my little guy is home from the vet. She'll definitely be locked in her own room once he gets home, so she does not stress him out after he had such a rough week at the vets. So it will be the perfect opportunity to try it.

Thanks for your help!


----------



## Kendalyn (Feb 9, 2008)

My cats don't have that reaction after one has been at the vet, but my mother and father in law's cats do that. It seems like their reaction is stronger the longer the other cat has been at the vet as well.


----------

