2 brother cats fighting

Question
We have two 6-yea-old brother cats that have a strange but serious fighting
problem when they get startled. Its happened about 15 times total, and didn't
happen until they were about 3. If something happens in the house that is a
huge startle to one of them, he will go after his brother in a very vicious
manner. Both still have their claws. It typically will resolve itself after a few
hours of hiding/moaning/hissing. This time, a dropped box caused the
startle, and its been 24 hours, and they are still attacking one another when
they cross paths.Is it recommended to just let them fight it out? We had to
lock one in a separate room last night just so we could get some sleep - as he
meowed for a straight 12 hours, I think out of confusion.

Answer
Laura,

It sounds to me like you are describing fear based aggression. This is a fairly common issue in cats who live in the same household. Often times things like seeing wildlife or other domestic animals in their yard or loud noises are typical triggers. This may take awhile to resolve. I don't recommend that you allow the cats to fight it out, that can become very expensive fairly quickly depending on how serious the injuries that they inflict on each other get. I do think that it is a good idea to try a homeopathic remedy called Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences that are designed to comfort and reassure. You can generally find Rescue Remedy for sale at health food/natural health stores. I would recommend that you try a dosage of about 10 drops of Rescue Remedy in a bowl of fresh water every day. You should start to see improvement within a week or two. If you do not see any improvement it may be a good idea to see your vet and ask about referrals to animal behaviorists in your area. An animal behaviorist will work in conjunction with your vet and between the two professionals behavioral modification programs, recommendations surrounding medications, etc will be figured out. I feel that you should be aware of the fact that prescription medications to deal with this type of aggression are not without risks or side effects so it is in the best interests of you and your cats that you do your research on the subject. I hope that you have found this information helpful. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.