What to do about cat who has started to beat up her sister.

[NotOneOfTheInCrowd]

A year ago I adopted a bonded pair of kittens.
They slept together, played together, missed each other when one wasn’t there.

Then six weeks ago one was diagnosed with FIP and nearly died. But there is now treatment available, and she’s gradually got back to normal.

But now she’s started picking on the other one who is becoming really stressed by it.

Is this fixable or would it be better to rehome one of them for their own good?
They’re only a year old, so the thought of the one being picked on for the next 15 years breaks my heart.

Is it actual fighting or is one trying to play and the other isn't so keen?

Do they go outside and have plenty of separate resources? I wouldn't jump straight to re-homing, there are all kinds of things you can do encourage good relationships between cats.

I think but can’t be sure that the one is trying to play, but she’s being far too rough - pins the other one to the floor and makes her miaow, and then she runs and hides.

The one who has FIP I’ve now been told needs to be an indoor cat because she will be immune compromised for the rest of her life. They have a tree though and various scratch posts and so on.

I absolutely don’t want to rehome either of them. The one who is being picked on is just so lovely and sedate, and the other one is feisty - has always been, and I literally brought her back from the brink of death by syringe feeding her then spoon feeding her, having her wrapped up in a heated throw when she was so very ill and she’s gradually come through. In fact she still has to take tablets and given how easily she gets her claws out to beat up her sister she is incredibly compliant in taking them.

So I really just don’t know.

Feliway plug ins and collars. Happy kitty pheromones.

Your poorly kitty could just smell "wrong" at the moment.

Try some Feliway plug-ins? They only seemed to work for one of my cats, but it did so a great job calming him down around the others

Definitely Feliway, I have a bonded boy/girl pair but they scrap sometimes over me and my lap/bed/attention. The Feliway version for living harmoniously has been very good. I can tell when it runs out!

It’s about dominance, for whatever reason one wants to dominate the other.

Mine still sleep together and will share food etc but they have these phases where they both want to be the closest to me and my boy cat wins as he is bigger and heavier (but the girl gets revenge as she has the brains).

Hi @NotOneOfTheInCrowd could I ask you more about the fip?
I’ve just taken one of my cats to the vets as she’s been off her food, vomiting and lethargic. He’s given her an antibiotic injection but also said it could be fip.
I have full insurance amd am willing to pay whatever to make her better and came across your post when looking it up.
Im really scared she’s not going to make it as googling brings up loads of results saying it’s fatal. But apparently there’s new treatment now which can be effective?
How is your cat now?

Another vote for Feliway. If the standard one doesn't work, there is one called 'Feliway Friends' but I have never needed to go beyond the standard one.

Get the claws clipped (not reccomending declawing) so less damage is done and work on improving the environment lots of high perches and safe spaces

Good thing you're not "recommending" declawing as it's illegal in the UK!

It's also a horrific procedure that leaves the cat mutilated and in pain for the rest of it's life. It isn't just drawing out the claws like removing a human nail, they have to amputate the top joint of the toe.