Help with cat behavior

Question
Hello,

I have 3 cats. The oldest 2 came to live with me as babies in 2004. The youngest, Chloe, came this past October. I kept her separate from the "big girls" for about 6 weeks, gradually introducing them, until they accepted her. They have been friends ever since, up until last Saturday.

I was cleaning house, and I heard a thump. I went into the living room, and saw a neighborhood cat running away from the back door. (The "actual" door was open, but the screen door was closed.) I'm not sure what had happened with the cat in the yard, but Chloe (the baby) and Sadie (one of the older cats) raced into my bathroom (which also has a window facing the backyard), and I heard growls and thumps. I thought they were trying to "get after" the stray cat, which has happened before. I walked in there, and it was actually Sadie trying to fight Chloe, who was cowering in my bathtub. I made Sadie leave, but she kept coming back trying to fight with Chloe. I finally separated them for the day. Sunday morning, I tried letting Chloe out, but this time Daisy (my other older cat) chased her behind some furniture, so I put her back in "isolation".

I thought Chloe may be going into heat, and maybe that was why the girls were reacting to her that way. She already had an appt to be spayed that Friday (yesterday). I kept them separated all week, and I took her to be spayed yesterday. When I went to pick her up yesterday afternoon, the vet said she was NOT in heat. Her only theory was that maybe she was about to go into heat, and she was already emitting some of the hormones. She said that that scent could linger for 4-6 weeks.

Chloe is currently living in my master bedroom/bathroom, so she has plenty of room and plenty of windows to look outside. However I HATE having them separated! I do NOT want to go through another 6 week process of "introduction" if there's any way to avoid it.

Are you familiar with any similar situations? If Chloe wasn't in heat, do you think this could some how be related to that stray cat? Is there anyway to speed up the process of making them friends again???

Thank you very much,
Melissa

Answer
Melissa,

WOW!!!!!  The real problem is the neighborhood cat who hung around.  This prompted a fight/fright reaction in your older more dominant cats.  The problem is that this type of reaction is contagious and cats often forget they know each other while this is going on.  Usually, in time, they get reacquainted on their own and return to some type of accommodation (sometimes the same as before, sometimes different).

Now that Chloe is spayed, I would let her back with the others after her stitches are out or in two weeks of being spayed if they used internal self absorbing stitches.

I have two rules on cat inter-relationships (1) No human interference (most of the things that are done, like separation or disciplining, are counter productive).  (2) We mear humans do not understand the rules by which cats inter-relate with one another. In addition, cats have incredibly tough skin so, very rarely, will cats hurt each other.  They may make a lot of noise and even loosen up some fur, but they will, generally, not hurt each other!

So, two weeks after spaying, I would let Chloe out and just ignore any discussions they may have.  You will need to grit your teeth and avoid involvement.  They are not really going to hurt Chloe.  If they chase one another, even if it ends in a "fight" this may be a good thing.

One last comment.  Please keep your back door closed.  If they encounter the neighborhood cat up close and personal, this whole business could start up again!  Although it is a good thing you have had Chloe spayed,. I do not think Chloe's hormones were the real problem, but without raging hormones, problems of all kinds between Chloe and the other two will be less likely!

Please keep me posted.

Best regards... Norm.