Fighting Cats!

Question
Hi! I hope you can help! I have had my tabby female cat Lily for 5 years, and my Himalayan male Jack for 3. They were the best of friends (very comforting because I'd lost my 2 very old Siamese boys, although nothing can replace them - I was happy to get Jack and Lily!) In October 2009 we added a humane society rescue kitten, Dexter, to our home -he was 4 weeks old. They were introduced VERY slowly, and all got along great for all these months. Then one day about a month and a half ago, out of the clear blue, Jack attacked Lily - I mean, ATTACKED. She ran away, peeing herself as she went. Dexter got so scared he deficated on the spot, and ran under the bed. Since then, life has been a nightmare. It's like my cats were replaced with alien cats! Lily is fearful and hides under the table most days.  When she does go anywhere, Jack follows - or I should say stalks her. She growls, and it ends in a brawl - we constantly spray them with water to stop the fighting, or try to divert their attention if we see it coming on. Poor Dexter runs and hides, he knows when to stay away. They both are perfectly fine with Dexter...just not with each other. Now the bad news - Lily has peed twice now outside of the box (that I have seen) - both times on my husbands jacket, although all of our jackets were on the floor.  Lily is 'daddy's girl'100%. So now I wonder: Is it the stress of the new kitten?  But they all got along great for months, and both act fine with him. Did Jack see something out the window and have redirected aggression, and Lily is now traumatized - and the stress is making her act inappropriately (like peeing on the jackets, the growling)? Or, could Jack have attacked her because she is sick (bladder infection)?  They are all strictly indoor cats. I brought Jack in to the vet since he was the one who attacked - he was physically fine. I have tried everything I can think of - I put the instigator in "time out" in a spare bedroom (with litter box, food, etc)...but it just never seems to get better.  Any suggestions would be tremendously helpful!!! THANKS, Christina

Answer
Hi Christina.  I think the most likely scenario is redirected aggression.  This can be a difficult problem to deal with.  Often, the best way is to completely separate the two cats for several days and them reintroduce them slowly, as if they had been strangers.  

During this time, I would recommend using a pheromone diffuser.  Pheromones can help to calm cats during times of stress, and a diffuser is a good product to use during introductions and also to reduce aggression.  I use the Feliway diffusers in my own home.  You can learn more at www.feliway.com.  The products are available online and at pet stores.

You might also try some flower essences with your bunch.  I like Spirit Essences, formulated by a holistic veterinarian and an animal behaviorist.  Peacemaker may be good for all the cats, while the Bully Remedy would by good for Jack and Self-Esteem would be helpful for Lily.  There is actually a package, Ultimate Peacemaker, that combines the three.  My experience is they don't appear to taste so great, so I apply them to the head.  You can browse and order at www.spiritessences.com.

Lily may not be using the litter box because she's so fearful of Jack.  If you happen to use covered litter boxes, see about using an open one, since cats can feel cornered in covered litter boxes.  However, if you use open litter boxes, you could also try a hooded one, since I find some cats like the security of having only one possible attack angle when they are trying to go to the bathroom.  Be sure to place several boxes in different areas of the house, so she can try to find one where Jack is nowhere to be found.

Her urinating on your husband's jacket might be simply because she was too afraid to get to a litter box, or it could be territorially motivated.  Cats tend to urinate on personal belongings specifically when they are trying to mark that person as their own, and make it clear to other cats that that person belongs to them.  It would make sense for this behavior to arise now that there is tension between the two of them.  The Feliway is designed to help with this kind of behavior as well.  You may also want to purchase a spray bottle of Feliway in addition to the diffusers, to use on areas that she urinates on.

Bladder problems are definitely a possible cause of urinating outside the litter box, so if you notice her spending extra time in the litter box, if she is urinating in small amounts, if she seems to be straining or is painful when she urinates, or you notice dark-colored, foul-smelling or bloody urine, you should get her to the vet.

I hope all begins to look up soon!

Jessica