Please help, breaking my heart

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Tedtigerbear
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Please help, breaking my heart

Post by Tedtigerbear »

I have three 3 year old indoor cats all ginger sisters! Occasionally I take them outside and monitor. Yesterday ted and tiger chased a cat out of the garden and then decided to have a full on fight which was pretty awful. They both ran in side and carried fighting, all 3 of my are now fighting, hissing and scared. This is breaking my heart please can anyone offer advice. I haven’t separated them as thought it would make things worse.
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Lilith
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Re: Please help, breaking my heart

Post by Lilith »

Hi and welcome.

Let them simmer down, just carry on as normal, talk to them cheerfully and give them time. Try not to let them see or feel how distressed you are. I would recommend a beer or two or whatever you find comforting.

It's an awful thing to have happened but time will be the remedy. A few dishes of their favourite foods and luxury stuff like tuna or salmon might help heal the breach as well.

You must be feeling awful - please talk on here if it helps, and please let us know how they go on, all the very best with them. This sort of thing isn't unknown - some members on here have experienced similar stuff even when one cat in the household has come back smelling of the vet surgery and its good friend has turned against it, but it's awful to experience - good luck :)
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fjm
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Re: Please help, breaking my heart

Post by fjm »

I would separate them immediately, and set them up with their own spaces for a few days. Redirected aggression is not uncommon, but you don't want it to become an established pattern - the more they fight the more of a habit it will become. Give everyone time to calm down, then reintroduce the least assertive two, and then the third. Be ready to step in to separate them again if necessary, with strong gloves and protective clothing. Look up redirected aggression for more information.
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Kay
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Re: Please help, breaking my heart

Post by Kay »

from my own experience this sort of thing is more likely to happen with female cats than males, provided they have been neutered, anyway

the culprit is the interloper not anything going on with your three - they get angry and scared and frustrated at the same time, and lash out blindly at the nearest cat without knowing what they are doing

they'll get over it, and meanwhile I would check the garden is a stranger-free zone before letting them out again
Tedtigerbear
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Re: Please help, breaking my heart

Post by Tedtigerbear »

Thank you for all your ideas, I have just come home home and the situation is pretty much the same. My daughter and husband have tried to be calm around them and reassure them. Tiger is the most nervous and has weed herself today out of fear. Ted has tried to go up to her and from what my husband said wanted to make friends but tiger was having none of it. I am tempted separate tiger from the other two as she is the most nervous. I slept downstairs with her last night and will do the same tonight to re assure her. I have purchase another litter tray as I fear that tiger won’t use the normal one in the utility. I have also ordered a feliway friends defused nobidea if it will work but I’ll try anything. Still feeling sick and sad x
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