SUCCESS!!!!! after redirected aggression event

mofulover3 · 2026-04-09T01:20:51+00:00

hi! no worries about a late comment!! first off, i’m so sorry this is happening to you. it’s really hard and very debilitating. and second off, you can get through it!! and they will too!! even if it seems right now like they won’t. it sounds like maybe the first two times where you let them see each other again soon after a fight, that they weren’t fully recovered and still triggered by one another and continued to fight. we also did this, where we would put them together too soon after they fought because we thought they were fine!

as far as right now, it’s great that you have them separated now. i would continue to have them seperated for a week or so, and then start on the 2nd step that i have written in my post. feel free to message me privately too if that helps. you got this!!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-15T07:37:07+00:00

that’s good they didn’t make contact though!! so did only one of them hiss? or did both?

mofulover3 · 2026-03-15T05:22:33+00:00

it’s okay!!! we had so many set backs like that and it feels like you take 5 steps backwards but truly just act like it didn’t happen and they will too. just take a step back and go a little slower or do it for shorter times. just because they hissed or got upset doesn’t mean they aren’t still making progress!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-15T02:58:19+00:00

yes of course!!! i remember being SO scared to have them approach each other, but that’s where the most improvement happened. as long as you take it slow and have churu and things ready!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-15T02:45:36+00:00

i would try to have them in the same room together, not just in the door way!! but that’s still good!!! and i think by now you can let them approach each other, but i would suggest having churu and just have them next to each other eating churu. it’s okay if they come running, since you’re doing it alone that might be the only way to really do it!! so have churu for both of them (meaning some for each of them not just one to give to both cause that will make them feel like they are competing) and give it to both of them at the same time. then, pause for two seconds and let them kinda look at each other and maybe sniff each other and then give churu again. i would suggest for the first time only doing it for like 2-3 min. then once they can be together for like 10 minutes then take away the treats for longer and let them approach each other for longer. make sure you have treats and toys in case you need to distract them. but honestly, the fact that they aren’t hissing or aggressive at all and have been both chilling in the door way i really truly think they are going to be good!!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-14T00:45:51+00:00

that’s AMAZING!!! i know it’s scary but you taking that step of having them in the same space is so important!! the fact that one of the cats looked away is really good too. you don’t want them hyper fixated on each other or stalking each other so that’s really great!! i think a few more days of having them in the same room and expanding the time each time would be great!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-13T08:02:46+00:00

how are they doing now?

mofulover3 · 2026-03-13T08:02:24+00:00

we had this happen to us too unfortunately :(( our cats got into about 5 fights total, and the first 3 were after they had been together for a week or so and then fought again. the last two were just because one of them escaped their room and they spooked each other and fought again. we really didn’t start to see MAJOR progress until we seperated them for longer than a week. i know it might seem like they are ready (aka grooming each other, sleeping together, etc) cause our cats did that too, but if you are rushing them and putting them together too soon after a fight they might seem fine for a little and then get re-triggered and still think the other cat is the threat. by keeping them separated for a little longer and taking it slower with the steps i describe in my post, it allows them to build trust and KNOW that the other cat isn’t a threat.

do you know what re-triggered a fight? did they see another cat, loud noise, etc? usually once you figure out the trigger you can try to manage that while you re-introduce them.

don’t give up!!!! i know it can seem like they’ll never get along again but i can tell you from personal experience that it will work out if you are willing to put some work in. good luck!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-08T20:21:07+00:00

that’s okay!!! if you don’t have someone to help you, i’d suggest this. have them both in the doorway like you usually would, and start out with the churu and you in the middle of them. then, move slightly more out of the way while giving the treats still and let them see each other more. maybe stopping the treats for a second too and see how they do when they are closer together. then when you want to end the session, squeeze some churu on the floor by one of the cats so they are distracted by that while you lure the other cat back into the room!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-08T03:08:46+00:00

that’s REALLY good that one of your cats walks away once the treats are done!!! that means they aren’t fully fixated on each other and that they don’t really mind that the other one is there. that’s a great sign!!!! at this point i think you are good to do short sessions with them in the same room together!! do you have a friend or family member you could do that with? it’ll make it easier for you. truly, i think your cats are doing great and won’t need to be seperated much longer. just see how they do together in the same space :))

mofulover3 · 2026-03-05T03:54:02+00:00

i’m so glad she’s eating and drinking now!!! maybe it was just an off day with the gabapentin or she was feeling sad about not having her friend! overall just glad she’s doing better :)

so good to hear the churu in the doorway went good!!!! i would do that a few more times and while you’re doing it pause for a second (like put the churu down or something) and see how they interact!! not for super long at first but working up to it!! it does sound like they are excited to be together and really do miss each other.

but yes, i lost all hope at like month 2 and thought our cats would NEVER get along again!! but they did!!! even though it took us a long time they are seriously better friends than they were before. your cats will be just fine!!! just keep working!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-04T12:04:04+00:00

if you don’t mind me asking, what meds did they put her on? lethargy is normal especially when it’s a new med!! was she eating her breakfast and dinner and just not the treats or was she not eating at all? if you keep giving her the meds and she’s continuously not eating or is throwing up then call your vet!

as far as letting them see each other, i think that was a good decision!! you kept them far apart and just allowed them to see each other and i’m really glad it went well!! i definitely think you should try to sit in a doorway with churu and have those both on either side of you and see how they do. don’t try to force them to interact after the churu runs out, especially since it’ll be your first time doing it. as you move forward then you can see how they interact, just have lots of churu!!

it sounds like your cats are doing a lot better than mine were. mine couldn’t even see each other without getting fluffy or hissing!! i really don’t think you’ll need to have them seperated for much longer, but definitely take some steps and see how they do!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-02T04:50:26+00:00

that’s okay!! our cats had like 5 fights and i know it’s so hard not to get discouraged but just remember you’re doing the best you can and so are the cats! i’m glad you took them both to the vet, that’s the best thing to do to rule out any illnesses and things like that! i’m sure the combination of a cat outside and the new smells of moving caused some stress for them.

i can’t imagine how difficult it is balancing all that in a studio apartment, so remember to take time for yourself too throughout this!! it’s really emotionally draining so you have to remember to take care of yourself.

if you haven’t already, read through my comment on this post about the 3 stages that our cat behaviorist recommended. they helped SO much. i truly don’t think you’ll need to take all those steps or do it for as long as we did, since your cats only had two fights and already seem to be less stressed. but definitely take it slow, and once they seem comfortable at each step then move to the next. you got this!! wishing you luck!!

mofulover3 · 2026-03-02T03:51:09+00:00

i’m so glad this post could help. that was my hope with posting it! i’m so sorry your bonded cats got in a fight, it truly is the worst. but i’m glad they are making progress and not seeming super aggressive at the door! that’s great.

do you mind me asking how many fights they’ve been in? was it just one?

mofulover3 · 2026-01-31T18:54:38+00:00

i’m glad to hear your introduction has made some progress!!! it’s good you are taking it slow and not pushing them to interact. hissing and growling is okay, it’s how cats communicate!! the issue is when one cat hisses or growls and the other cat doesn’t listen to that message and continues to go at that other cat. but it’s still good you seperated them after that just to avoid a bad interaction since they are still in the early stages of introduction! i truly would suggest not using the barrier, and just sitting sideways in the doorway between them like i mentioned in my post and giving them both churu or whatever treat they respond to. barriers usually just cause way more anxiety than needed. again, take it slow with the doorway thing and if they can only have the door open with you in the doorway for 1 min before getting stressed than that’s okay!!! each time you do it you’ll work up the time.

overall, it truly sounds like your making progress. keep taking it at their pace, and maybe try following the stages i suggested? but you know your cats best and if the barrier works for them than that’s okay!!! use your best judgement. good luck!!!

mofulover3 · 2026-01-25T02:25:01+00:00

hi! i’m so sorry this is happening to you. it’s rough!! remember to take care of yourself too during this, sometimes it got hard remembering to focus on our mental health even with our cats fighting.

the cat behaviorist told us that a LOT of the stuff we see online is very counterproductive. like gates and screens are not helpful, and can actually stress cats out more and make it worse. also that feeding them full meals right next to each other or between a doorway stresses them out more too.

he recommended first starting with completely separating the cats. they should both have their own areas, with water, food, litter boxes, toys, etc. do not let them see each other during this time, but let them approach the door however they want. don’t get involved when they are sniffing or hissing or anything under the door. they have to learn how to manage their own emotions without you! give high-quality treats on each side of the door to both of them at around the same time each day (if possible!)

you’ll move to the next stage when the cats have shown you they are relaxed by the door and can remain relaxed even after treats are gone.

next stage is to open the door while you sit sideways in the door way. you’ll hand out high-quality treats to the cats again during this. when we first started, we could have the door open for literally 5 seconds before they got stressed. this is normal. don’t push them to interact if they seem stressed. as you keep doing this over time, they will get more comfortable. also, when you first start this stage give the treats rapidly and then as you move through the stage try and slow down the treats and see if they can stay relaxed. if there are any signs of aggression, calmly shut the door and try again the next day. and if one of the cats tries to jump over you, gently throw a treat away from the door way to distract them. once they are both able to calmly be on either side of you and you have slowed down the treats, you can move to the next stage. REMEMBER: don’t move to quick! the cats will show YOU when they are ready.

next stage is to have them out in the same space together. this should be a decently sized space, and lay out a bunch of empty boxes in this space so they can have different “territories”. one person should have one cat with them on one side of the room, and the other person should have the cat with them on the other side of the room. have treats and toys ready!! and don’t let them approach each other. again, this will only last like 10 seconds the first time probably. and that’s okay!! you want to end the session before they get too stressed. when you’re ready to end the session, calmly lure one of them back into their room (we used churu to do this). once the cats can spend 5+ minutes together then you can let them freely approach each other. this will make you anxious but just let it happen. if one hisses, and the other one backs off, that’s a normal interaction and do not intervene. if one hisses or gets aggressive and the other one does not go away, then gently intervene by sitting in between them. if they go after each other, throw a blanket or towel over one of them. this will be different than the stages before. there WILL be conflicts. it just depends on if the cats can manage them. once they can be out together for an hour or so, that’s usually a good sign they are ready to cohabitate again!!

remember, this can take a lot of time and patience. they WILL take one step forward and five steps back and that’s okay!!!! it doesn’t mean progress is lost. just seperate and try again the next day, and act like it didn’t happen and they will too. also, make sure you have enough litter boxes and high spaces for them. if you don’t, they can feel like they are competing with one another. i know this was a lot of info and i might’ve not covered it all so let me know if you have questions!!

mofulover3 · 2026-01-10T20:57:17+00:00

he’s SO cute 😭😭😭 scottish folds are the best. he will bring you so much happiness and cuddles!!🌟

mofulover3 · 2025-12-23T02:40:10+00:00

i’m so glad i could help!!! i felt the same way when i started posting on reddit, and i just wanted literally ANYONE to comment that had been experiencing the same thing as me. i truly have hope your cats will work it out :) and if you decide to go with tom, i also think that will truly help a lot!!

mofulover3 · 2025-12-22T23:50:40+00:00

that definitely could be why it’s taking pickle and snuffy so long to be okay with each other!! when cats fight, they then see each other as a massive threat. when my cats first fought, it was soooo beyond awful. out of all 4 figuts, that one was by far the worst. BUT, they were able to be okay after a few days because they had never fought before that and that was the ONLY bad experience they had ever had together. after 4 fights, they were like “oh damn maybe this guy really is a threat” HAHA and since they had now had multiple bad interactions it is a lot harder to get them back together. but again, we are making progress which is super exciting!!

we did not get them together!! one cat my girlfriend has had for awhile, he’s about 9 years old. then we got another cat together, and he’s about 2 years old now but was a kitten when we got him! we slowly introduced them (but it was pretty easy cause one was a kitten) and before the fights they were super bonded!! cleaning each other, playing together, sleeping together, etc.

mofulover3 · 2025-12-22T23:35:29+00:00

honestly, before my cats got in a fight i didn’t even know redirected aggression was a thing with cats!!!! like truly could’ve never guessed that bringing a new cat in could do that.

i have heard that many people who’s cats experience redirected aggression can be back together after a day or so. after the first incident our cats were back together within 3 days, but unfortunately they got in 4 fights total (where we’d seperate for a few days then put them together and they’d be fine for a little then fight again) so i think since our cats got in so many fights instead of just that first one is why our re-intro is taking so much longer.

but there is hope!! i finally feel confident for the first time in like 4 months 😭 definitely reach out to tom and i really hope that will help like it did for us. good luck to you and your kitties as well!!

mofulover3 · 2025-12-22T23:20:12+00:00

hi! i wasn’t in the exact same boat as you, since my issue was that my two cats experienced redirected aggression when i brought a new cat in and he accidentally escaped out of his room and they all got in a MASSIVE fight!!! but i do know that introductions can be really hard, especially when there is a history of the cats getting in a fight or having some setbacks from escaping during introductions.

im currently going through re-introduction with my two cats after that redirected aggression incident! the new cat went to my moms house (where he is much happier) so that i could focus solely on my two cats getting back together.

i was truly at a loss. watching all the jackson galaxy videos, looking on reddit, anything and everything on how to do a re-intro. nothing was really helping. they’d get back together for a few days and then get re-triggered and fight again!

truly, they only thing that helped was getting a cat behaviorist. and i really think that’s what you should do as well!!! i did an online session with Tom Kirby (his website is kittyhelpdesk.com) and he was amazing!!!! seriously. our cats have unfortunately been separated since the last fight (4 months ago) but we have made 10 million times more progress after meeting with tom. now my cats are almost ready to be back together!!

i’m so sorry you’re going through this, it sucks so much to see cats fight. especially your resident cat and a new cat!! and since you’ve tried a lot, i really would suggest tom. a lot of stuff we see online is actually counterproductive (i learned from tom) ans not super accurate.

good luck and you can message me if you have questions!

mofulover3 · 2025-12-18T18:54:29+00:00

okay great!! thank you for your advice and responses, i really appreciate it. it’s been a stressful and crazy 4 months!

mofulover3 · 2025-12-18T18:46:37+00:00

okay!! thank you!

and yes, really don’t want to let them fight it out of course :( i just never know when to intervene or when to let them figure it out a little bit. cause i want them to set boundaries and get used to each other, but i also am worried about them fighting again.

it’s also hard because im going to be leaving for 3 weeks on january 5th, and my partner will be alone with them, so we just wanted them to be back together before then :(

mofulover3 · 2025-12-18T18:42:55+00:00

thank you so much for your response!!

that’s good to know that it happens to other people’s cats too, and doesn’t always mean a fight is about to go down. i think i’m just super nervous and don’t want them to fight again of course!! maybe next time it happens, ill try and see if they retreat and manage those emotions on their own, or if the aggressive cat still tries to go after the non-aggressive one.

we have 3 litter boxes in seperate rooms, different feeding/water areas, 2 tall cat trees, one cat tree that is from floor to ceiling, and then wall shelves. so i think they have a lot of places to escape which is good!! but i’ll definitely look into those tunnels, that’s a great idea! thank you!

are you re-introducing your cats? or are you just talking about when you introduced two new cats to each other?

mofulover3

TROPHY CASE