My Maine Coon attacks after trauma. How to build her confidence?

It sounds like Molly may be reacting to your other cat even though it is not in the room. This can be scary since it is usually uninhibited aggression. You have to do what is necessary to stay safe (spraying with water or covering her with a towel) but keep in mind that punishment can make the situation worse by causing fear. If you don't already have pheromone diffusers like Feliway in the house I would definitely recommend getting some, and I think it sounds like you need a second litter box for awhile. You may want to consider talking to a behaviorist to try to determine how your cats can live together - your veterinarian should be able to give you some names. Here is some information about aggression in cats: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats

Locking her in a dark and confined room may in fact be worsening the aggression. Behavioral therapies such as Feliway pheromone plug -ins/sprays, VetriScience liquid composure supplement daily (both available online without a prescription) and having her spayed may help as well. Other options include prescription anti-anxiety/anti-depressants which would require a consult/exam at your vet’s. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately introducing another cat to another cat's environment can cause undo stress for one or both. Typically this is territorial behavior and I suspect this is what the case is with your two cats. Unfortunately this can be quite difficult to manage and address. I typically recommend starting out by trying products such as Feliway, which is a pheremone product that is supposed to keep cats calm. This product does not work in every single cat and the response varies. Anti-anxiety medications might be something to consider, but you will need to speak with your veterinarian in regards to this as you will need a prescription. If you are unable to get the two cats to be friendly towards one another and it always ends in trauma, I would seriously consider rehoming one of the cats to prevent further injury. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly because she smells differently. I recommend a product called Feliway which can help decrease stress and anxiety associated with environmental changes and stressors. You may find this online or at your local pet store. It usually works great in this type of scenarios. Good luck and have a great day!

This may be difficult to correct but it generally can be done. Continue using the diffuser. Try switching litter boxes, beds, and rubbing each cat with the same towel to try to get them to smell like each other. Here are some links which may be helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-calm-an-anxious-cat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/bringing-home-a-new-cat-or-kitten/ Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Setting aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play for both cats or switching the food to Royal Canin Calm may help. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with aggression. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I legally cannot recommend doing this without seeing Molly in person. I would separate the cats, and slowly reintroduce them to each other. Take the cat who is aggressive, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let the other cat in the aggressive cat's room while the aggressive cat is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the second cat from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the aggressive cat out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep the cat in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other. I hope this helps!

Hello. The biggest problem is trying to identify or understand what set Daisy off. Perhaps an odor or sound, or she may have sensed another cat outdoors that frightened her. Since it can be difficult to know, the best thing to do is be proactive. I would immediately purchase a couple of Feliway room diffusers & put them in the room the incident occurred, & any other rooms Daisy frequents. Feliway emits a cat appeasing pheromone which can calm a nervous kitty. You can buy these online or at most pet retailers. Start with this along with a good physical exam by your veterinarian. It is possible that she could have an underlying condition like arthritis or even a urinary tract infection that caused her significant pain. Hopefully, this will never happen again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.