5 month old female has started growling at her brother?

Hi

Im hoping someone can give me some advice about my two MC kittens who I have had since 8 weeks old. They are now 5 months and are growing at a scary rate! Cleo, the girl , has always been the timid one who is the first to hide behind the sofa if there is a knock at the front door. Cesar is my brave boy who has, in the past, played a little too roughly with Cleo (and me!) but is really a mummys boy at heart.

A week ago, I treated the kittens to tiny bit of my steak, Cleo was the first to get a bit and when Cesar went to investigate what she had, she growled quite fiercely at him. Two days later, Cleo did the same thing over a toy. Today she has growled at him three times over toys and food (she took a ball that he was playing with and when he went to pat it again, she growled at him).

Poor Cesar is getting a little nervous to go near her. Can anyone advise why Cleo is getting so agressive abd how to best deal with this so that Cesar isnt living in fear from this crazy female? :-)

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Mdcatwoman,
Not sure why Cleo is hissing at Cesar but it got me thinking about my older cats, when ever I would have one of them groomed the other would hiss at them. If one went to the vet, the other would hiss at them when they got home. They always got over it, sometimes it took a few days. I found this interesting article regarding hissing, you may find it interesting too. Good luck I am sure this will pass.

Alana Stevenson, Feline Behaviorist, Cat's Hiss | Life With Cats

hi there - first question - are they both spayed? hormones, you see... like teenagers....
the other thing I think of is - I read somewhere that male cats are gentlemen - so they are not cowards, nonono, they simply bow to the female superiority....

Thanks for that article Donnad, it makes a lot more sense that Cleo is nervous or intimidated by her brother, rather than agressive.

Hi Alekto, no they haven't been spayed or neutered yet, the vet wants to do this at 6 months ...... so 1 more month (and counting)! As for Cesar being a coward, I would never suggest that. As I said, he is my brave boy - but I know many a brave man who has backed down from a hormonal female in order to live to fight another day :-)

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Originally Posted by madcatwoman

Hi Alekto, no they haven't been spayed or neutered yet, the vet wants to do this at 6 months ...... so 1 more month (and counting)! As for Cesar being a coward, I would never suggest that. As I said, he is my brave boy - but I know many a brave man who has backed down from a hormonal female in order to live to fight another day :-)

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I'm no vet, and no expert, but to me her reaction would mean it might be more or less time now for Mandy at least? may be you might check again with your vet, see if he would do them a little bit earlier just in case? it's just that kitties don't really know that brotherly love isn't "really a done thing you know"... I mean may be your vet wasn't really planning on little Mandy being rather precocious, that's why he set the 6 months date? on the other hand Mandy is just growling, not calling, so just hormonal but not in heat - and Cesar seems to not really be interested if he's backing away.... so I don't know
Jacki, please impart your wisdom :-)

Hi, Just my 2 cents worth. When I had Miss Ginger spayed at 5 months, she was just starting her first heat cycle. I know Neevie had some issues, although thank God Ginger got through her surgery just fine. So maybe she is coming of age. I had no clue except when I was rubbing her belly, it felt like she had little tiny marbles under her skin hahaha

(sorry I meant Cleo not Mandy ;-) )

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Originally Posted by madcatwoman

As I said, he is my brave boy - but I know many a brave man who has backed down from a hormonal female in order to live to fight another day :-)

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LOL. That's funny!!!

Thanks for all your advice guys, I think I will be giving the vet a call to see if we can bring forward their spaying/neutering to see if this helps.