Zoe attacking Cole - suddenly and meaning it! UPDATE 26 - peace at last...

[Catty1]

About an hour ago I was sitting on the edge of my bed getting ready for sleep. Oscar was trying to play and drag himself up the cat tree; he suddenly jumped down, and I laughed as all three kitties roared out of my door and down the hallway at the same time.

I stopped laughing when I heard the screams and growls of a real fight. I went to the dining room, and Zoe was attacking Cole, who was fighting back...but the sounds she was making were unearthly!

I separated them, Zoe came back to my room and slunk under the bed. I turned out the lights and shut my eyes.

Two minutes later, same thing! Zoe even had bits of wet on her from her spitting. Separated them again, left hall light on, got to pat Zoe a bit.


Went back to bed, but then got up just to watch things. Zoe came into the hallway, and lay down. I picked her up and gave her head scritchies, talking soothingly to her. I was standing in the hallway near my bedroom, and Cole was gingerly making his way towards us. She seemed calm...I set her down about 8 feet away from Cole, with our backs to Cole.

As soon as her feet hit the floor BOOM! back like a bullet snarling and spitting, and it seemed they were under a living room endtable instantly. There was a binder under the endtable and I held it up to create a wall and stop the attacks. Both Cole and Zoe were growling deep in their throats.

Zoe is closed in the bathroom with food, water and a litter box til morning.

What on earth happened????

I hope an overnight cooling off will work.

Yikes! I never have had this happen.

I need sleep...please pray that this works out by morning. What could have caused this?

[Karen]

How old is she? Any changes in the household recently?

[Catty1]

No changes. Up to the time they all went roaring down the hallway at once, things were normal.

Perhaps she and Cole collided in the rush and things got nasty.

I have had Zoe almost a year now, so she would be going on 11.

There was a cop here this afternoon but that was hours ago. As I say, all three were normal til the mad rush down the hall.

I suppose she could have had a mini-stroke or something. Oscar is also really spooked out.

ETA: I just went into the bathroom. Zoe was back to headbonking my legs and flopping over for tummy rubs and loving lots of pats. She kept looking over to the door as if she expected Oscar or Cole to come in - which they often do when the door is open.

When I left, neither of the other two cats was near the door.

She has a litterbox, food, water and a cat bed. I left the lights on.

I just hope I can get some sleep now and all will be well in the morning.

I am so glad you are awake, Karen. I have had a dry sore throat since last night and sniffles and have had a long day and need sleep. I sure felt alone with this feline freak-out.

No blood, anyway - not even mine.

Thanks so much.

[Catty1]

Zoe was mewing at the bathroom door.

I carefully let her out...she went under the bed in my room.

Oscar was in breadbox pose at the end of the bed, on the floor. I heard her "meeping" sound that she uses to talk to the other cats.

Suddenly she lunged at OSCAR and the two roared down the hall, Zoe snarling and fighting.

I didn't catch her yet to put her back in the bathroom...so maybe I will just close my bedroom door.

I just don't get this. I am almost crying cause I am SO tired - this cat fighting thing is like a bad dream, really. I wish it was.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I've been through similar things with my cats and I never could figure out why they happened. Do you have any Feliway at home? If so I'd try spraying that throughout your home. Maybe Zoe got spooked by one or both of your boys so she doesn't trust them right now. My Pearl and Storm used to be very close but now it seems like they just don't trust each other and they fight almost all of the time. Hopefully things will get better by tomorrow and you'll be able to get a good nights sleep. Good luck.

[Queen of Poop]

So totally scary, very similar to what Diego was doing to Cali, but he'd draw blood. I'd get her to the vet and ensure there is nothing physically wrong with her. This sudden onset of violence makes me wonder if there's not a medical problem with her. Praying for the best outcome, let me know if I can help at all.

[Catty1]

Good morning. Yes I slept - and Zoe was in the room with me, along with box/food/water.

She was ok, and totally normal by morning, cuddling in her usual way, jumping on top of the cat tree, scratching her claws on it.

When I opened the door of my room - she had done little gurgly-meows at it - Oscar and Cole were both there, kind of stunned.

She screeched and took off after both of them. This time, as she and Cole were glaring at each other, she did hear me for a change and slunk behind the couch - then ran to the bedroom and under the bed. She'd had a go at Oscar too.

She is much smaller than each of them, so I can see that she got totally spooked by the rush of the three of them last night, being caught in the middle.

Cole's parked right at the top of the other big cat tree; not sure where Oscar is hiding. Zoe is eating from her good dish at its regular location.

I'll definitely call my vet tomorrow. It may be that things settle down today - she's not so blind with rage that she doesn't hear me. Actually, she is very affectionate with me. I suspect she got freaked out by the 3 way race down the hall last night - she was in the middle of the sandwich.

I am supposed to go to the city this afternoon...if need be Zoe will go back in the bedroom, with a few shots of Feliway.

Thank you all so much.

[katladyd]

Welcome to my world. Neither Mac nor Ming really like Kimba and there are nights when there are the blood curdling cries and snarls and fights. What works for me is to keep a large pill bottle full of pennies or other coins near my bed. When they start in I get near them and shake the bottle hard! This breaks up the nastiest fight. They will come back at each other after a minute or so and I repeat the procedure. They hate this noise so much that after about three episodes of fight/bottle shaking they stop for the night. Hope yours stop fighting but once this behavior starts (and I've ssen it happen before with cats that had always gotten along) it's hard to stop.

[Catty1]

I had Zoe in the bedroom for a while with a few good shots of Feliway.

A couple of hours later, she door-darted out.

She saw Oscar from the kitchen. The only difference was that she crouched, let a growl out from her throat, and THEN charged. Usually it's instant attack.

She is back in the bedroom for the afternoon - I have to go out.

Oscar and Cole are still very spooked.

Thanks, everyone - I hope we can find an answer.

Calling the vet in the morning.

[Freedom]

Just seeing this now.

Mandy and Tommy lived together almost 2 years before deciding that just the sight of one by the other resulted in a huge fight. Tufts of black hair and me hollering. Mandy have been "living" in a spare bedroom for over a year now. Initially I kept her door closed, maybe 2 months. Then, I started opening it during the day. Works for us - Many NEVER ventures out of that room, though she could. At night I keep the door closed so I can sleep.

What causes this? Not a clue.

Sure hope the vet can provide some ideas!

[Catty1]

My spare bedroom is my office, where the two litter boxes are kept.

One of them is now in my bedroom along with Zoe's food and water.

She is wonderful with me - she'd love to be an only cat right now.

I can't see what answers the vet will have but will call anyway. I have kind of a small place...but I'll make it work.

Thanks, everyone.

[Medusa]

I don't have any solutions or suggestions, just want to let you know that I'll send up a prayer for this situation. Keep the faythe, Candace.

[Taz_Zoee]

Paizly does this with Jax sometimes. Although she is not the attacker. Jax just bugs the heck out of her and sometimes she sounds like she is tearing him apart. It has happened twice that we know of. In fact, last night it happened and I sent Bruce to go break it up. Jax had cornered Paizly in the bathroom so Bruce removed him from the room.

I hope things will settle down for Zoe. Maybe it will just take a few days for her to realize Cole and Oscar are not the bad guys she thinks they are right now. A vet visit wouldn't hurt either, just to rule out anything that may be bothering her.

[Catty1]

I have a vet appt tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4 pm - that's the soonest they have. Zoe has her own room, so no problem really.

Oscar is the one who seems most freaked out now, so he's wearing his old Feliway collar for a few days. I opened the door a bit this morning so Zoe and Oscar could see each other - Oscar hissed again, Zoe went further into the room.

Zoe did come out and went into the bathroom - where she likes to chase her tail. There is an old shoelace hanging on the door, so we played for a few minutes. She came out and went into the office - was sniffing the hallway floor, no doubt detecting her fursibs' scent.

She saw Oscar on the couch, where he was dozing, eyes open. She meowed, no fluffed up tail or anything, and I put her gently back in the bedroom.

If things do settle down - hoping here! - I will call the vet and take Oscar in. He is waay overdue for his one geriatric checkup, but I just haven't had the funds. Bank of Mom again!

Will keep you posted.

[mrspunkysmom]

Sorry to hear about Zoe's cantankerousness. And once kittehs get something in their mind, there's convincing them otherwise. Only time will tell. I have a couple of grumpy kitties. Spunky annoys Sam so Sam growls. Spunky gets squirted with water. It works.

Hope you can find a solution.