Cat Hate

[l_Kimmie_l]

My older cat is acting odd. We have had her for 10 years now and she is in the best her health has ever been. Even lost a bunch of weight due to activity increase. She has 2 other cat mates. One is 2 years old and the other is 1 yr old. Each she got along with untill recently.

All of a sudden she hisses and chases them away. The 2 yr old cat is literally afraid of her. THe 1 yr old is just like WTF? It is weird. SHe got along with each of these cats until recently. They all go outside, all are fixed, and UTD on shots. So nothing medical or heat related. All are females, get gormet grain free cat food, drink my goat milk, get a ton of love, sleep with us, and are well cared for. I cannot for the life of me figure out why the cat hate.

Anyone ever have cats that once were friends, just out of the blue hate each other? Any animal specialists with theories. We do not want to rehome our young cats, we love them so much. We WILL not rehome our 10 yr old cat, as she is older and might be hard to rehome, which would be cruel. We want our happy cat home back.

[gabmaxi]

Couple of things:
1) maybe since the other cats are moving out of kitten hood, she sees them more as a threat.
2) she might be in some kind of pain. The weight loss is a flag for me. Even with more activity, you might want to get her checked out.

We at one time had 4 cats, who pretty much hated one another but tolerated the other. I don't think you'll need to re-home. They'll work it out amongst themselves.

[l_Kimmie_l]

THe weightloss was gradual over a year and we did have her vet checked recently for flea treatment and shots. She is the same lovable self to us, it is to the other cats she is mean. Even the kids who are rough she is gentle with.

What I find really odd is that she first started hating the 2 yr old first. Like last month, then last week just started hissing at the 1 yr old. She will chase our 2 yr old cat and go at her. We have to break it up as the 2 yr old is MUCH smaller and scared of her. She will sometimes not even come home for 2 days to avoid her.

[carriek38]

Weight loss, increased energy/activity, & irritability w/ the other pets were the symptoms when our old cat began having thyroid problems. Did your vet check thyroid function?

[l_Kimmie_l]

Originally Posted by carriek38 Weight loss, increased energy/activity, & irritability w/ the other pets were the symptoms when our old cat began having thyroid problems. Did your vet check thyroid function?

Yes as she is 10 and lost so much weight do to going out now. She was a strictly indoor cat for 9 yrs. I will double check though, but I do remember him saying thyroid testing for her after age 10 every year.

[BoyCrazy]

Thyroid would be my first guess too. Other guesses would be senility, or maybe vision (as in she doesn't see the other cats until they're right in front of her and she gets startled and defensive).

[l_Kimmie_l]

I might have to make her a new appointment.

[blessed1018]

I hate to even type it out...but that is exactly how my 10 year old cat got just before he passed this year. I sincerely hope that is not what is going on - but that is the only experience I have to go on. He had no other health issues, I think he just like...I don't know...felt that it was his time? He started to get cranky with the other animals and with us.

ETA: I think the thyroid would be a good place to start.

[l_Kimmie_l]

Originally Posted by blessed1018 I hate to even type it out...but that is exactly how my 10 year old cat got just before he passed this year. I sincerely hope that is not what is going on - but that is the only experience I have to go on. He had no other health issues, I think he just like...I don't know...felt that it was his time? He started to get cranky with the other animals and with us.

I hope not If it is her time, then there is nothing I can do. I am just hoping she can begin to tolerate the other cats before winter and they are all inside again. She seems so healthy. I need to call the vet.

[blessed1018]