After move, older cat hissing at younger cat

by Anonymous

We have two cats. One is 3 years old, the other is just under a year. After living together in a flat since October last year, we've recently moved into a new home.


Since moving, the eldest cat has started hissing at the younger cat. She's become extremely hostile. She even hisses at us. I feel it's something to do with scent but I can't figure it out.

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starstarstarstarstar 		Moves are hard on cats
by: Kurt (Admin)

I'm sorry to hear your cat is having troubles. As I've said many times, cats hate change, and moves can be very hard on cats. It's possible the change was too much all at once for her.

Usually, you want to start the cats out in a single room. This helps prevent overwhelm. It gives the cats a smaller territory to defend, and it allows them to more quickly get things scented up the way they like it.

Once they're comfortable in that room, you can let them explore the rest of the house.

Assuming there is no medical issue causing your cat to behave this way, you may want to try a few things to see if you can ease the shock of the move.

1. Make sure she has plenty of hiding areas, and make good use of vertical space (cat trees).

2. Increase her exercise level with daily play sessions.

3. Calming agents, like Feliway, Rescue Remedy for Pets, and Jackson Galaxy Solutions Safe Space for Cats are worth a try. Ideally, you'd want to use these before, during, and after moving homes with your cat.

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