Why do my cats occasionally try to fight to the death?

[RyRob813]

I have 2 cats- one a tiger male, the other a tortie female, both the same age, (from the same litter)- 8 years old.

They've never really liked each other, but they always have tolerated each other, save the occasional scrap.

A few years ago, however, they got so mad at each other one night they literally appeared to be ready to fight to the death; fur completely puffed out, hissing, growling, and going for each others necks. No idea what prompted it, but the only way we could break it up without getting scratched or bitten to death was the old school water throwing.

They've done it a few more times since then, including last night, when they woke me up it was so loud. Every time I can't seem to figure out what could've happened, and the other weird thing is that in the midst of it, they both cry like they're scared? Strange indeed.

Any feline experts out there that could explain what's going on?

Thanks!

[mike_v_s]

I'm not a feline expert, but I'm an expert on things I don't like about felines. Reason #16 Mike_v_s doesn't own a cat: Oh, hell no. I don't own **** that can't be trained to be quiet at night. Old school water throwing? Old school water boarding.

Mike

[Relic]

all cats are crazy, that's all I can offer...
A while back, my cat, completely out of nowhere went berserk and jumped on a deers arse when it happened to wander into our back yard. She looked like a mini black puma going in for the kill. Normally she's as laid back as it gets.

[5StringBlues]

Originally Posted by Relic

all cats are crazy, that's all I can offer....

+1 Cats are on drugs.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

+1 Cats are on drugs.

Which is why theyre oh so awesome!

[CrispyDelicious]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Which is why theyre oh so awesome!

Agreed. If my cat wasn't quirky as hell, I probably wouldn't have adopted him.

[SpamBot]

Are they neutered? I ask this because the crying could mean the girlie's in heat. Or the man kitty could be horny. Perhaps your man kitty wanted on an the girlie didn't, promting her to fight back? I'm guessing this has something to do with catsex.

[MatticusMania]

Yeah, this time of year is heat season as well. Right now there is a stray cat living under my house who has chosen this spot as her nest. Im more than sure she was knocked up by my cat, so he told her she could move in.

[machine gewehr]

Being a cat person,I met lots and lots of cats in this life.They have a few (LOTS OF) burnt fuses in the brain.One sec. they purr,next sec. you need to go to the ER.

Besides,take humans for example,for years me and my bro' lived happily together in our home,last year I slapped him on the neck and he scolded me.Next thing I remember was I went for the throat.If it wasn't for my father one of us would spend the night at the hospital.
Still,we'd die for each other.

Even if humans are like that,you shouldn't be expecting more from the cats.

[bass player 48]

We have two cats male cats. Not from the same litter - one was an unknown adult age (rescued) when we brought home a found kitten. They are both adults now, one is 3 or 4 and the other is like 10+ years old, so they are at least ten years apart, and they do some wierd things.

I'm pretty sure that the older one could cut the younger one to ribbons as he's an ex alley cat, where as the younger has never been outside except for the day he go lost as a kitten and we found him. But the young cat has more energy.

They like to wait until I'm in bed trying to get some sleep, then the young energetic (yet he's really a weenie) cat will attack the older, slower, more tired cat and make him bawl in pain, then he keeps him pinned down and bites again. This goes on until the old guy has had enough and makes that young cat stop. (he moves slow, but he's got quick paws and sharp claws. It usually goes on for quite a while with no intervention. When I "catch" them they both look at me like they weren't doing anything and the instigater still laying there with his paws around the other, giving me a look like "what... we were just hugging"...

Another bed time favorite is the younger cat running at aprox 98 MPH from the living room, to my bedroom, jumping onto the bed, accross my legs and jumping onto the window sill behind my, head, doing a 180 off of the window and jumping down, landing withing 1/2 of and inch from my head, and running accross the bed, jumping off and running at 98 MPH back to the living room, jumping onto the scratching post for another 180 and coming full speed back to the bedroom to to repeat the whole process...

So what's my point? Cats are wierd and they do wierd things.

[dinghy]

My cat occasionally hunts my (70 lb) dog as prey, and she barely seems to notice, until she gets too fed up and pins my cat down. My dog's pretty tolerant, and my cat never goes for blood, so I let them do whatever.

[Gordon of Eden]

Originally Posted by SpamBot

Are they neutered? I ask this because the crying could mean the girlie's in heat. Or the man kitty could be horny. Perhaps your man kitty wanted on an the girlie didn't, promting her to fight back? I'm guessing this has something to do with catsex.

I was going to ask the same thing. We took in a young male cat who kept trying to seduce the fixed females that were already living with us.
Fights to the death? Oh yes!!
Got the male fixed and it took about 3 months for him to calm down. The girls all love him now.

[Joe Gress]

All cats have the debil inside of them.

[RyRob813]

Originally Posted by SpamBot

Are they neutered? I ask this because the crying could mean the girlie's in heat. Or the man kitty could be horny. Perhaps your man kitty wanted on an the girlie didn't, promting her to fight back? I'm guessing this has something to do with catsex.

Ah, forgot to mention that they're both fixed. Although now that you mention it, a vet once told us that during heat season they can pick up scents from other cats, (there's a good deal of outside roamers here) and that can cause them to freak.

Gotta love cats and the weird things they do. Not a half hour after they had been trying to murder each other, I was woken once again by my female cat, and best friend in life , purring in my ear.

Interesting creatures

[D Rokk]

Moar Catz

[Murphys Law]

Originally Posted by bass player 48

Another bed time favorite is the younger cat running at aprox 98 MPH from the living room, to my bedroom, jumping onto the bed, accross my legs and jumping onto the window sill behind my, head, doing a 180 off of the window and jumping down, landing withing 1/2 of and inch from my head, and running accross the bed, jumping off and running at 98 MPH back to the living room, jumping onto the scratching post for another 180 and coming full speed back to the bedroom to to repeat the whole process...

That one is SO true.
We once hat a little cat who would do exactly the same, just in the middle of it decides not to go up the scratchin post but rather up onto your chest at full speed and start clawing.
Well that move sent him flying back to the living room at 98 MPH . never bugged me again with this

[Happynoj]

Cats are the same as women. They're all mental.

[Joey3313]

My cat was fat, neutered, declawed (on the front), and lazy.


None of these things ever happened. All he ever did was sleep and occasionally eat.


Good cat...

[D Rokk]

i had a small cat with claws and a large cat without.. the fights were amazing to watch

[drteeth]

My cat (rest in peace) decided at one point that my toes would make a tasty snack. That was the day my cat learned that feet can kick.