weird cat behavior: help!

My adult male cat had to spend last night at the vet's office. I just brought him home, and our one year old female reacted really badly to him. She won't stop hissing and growling at him. Normally their relationship is very much big brother being pestered by his little sister. She follows his every move and he humors her up to a point. Then they tussle good naturedly for a bit and take a nap. They're not best buds but they more or less peacefully coexist.

I've never seen her good truly aggessive with him before. I assume it will pass, but it's sort of just weird and upsetting. I've always had multiple cats and never seen one react that way when the other has been away at the vet. Do anybody else's cats react this way to one another?

Probably offensive vet odors on him. Probably will fade in a few days.

Our brother/sister used to do that. We would separate then for a few hours until the smell had returned to normal, and they would usually calm down pretty quickly.

Sorry you're having kitty health issues:(

how badly injured was he to go to the vets office? Not only does he smell like evil vet, he might not be feeling well - animals often "attack" members that are sick.
Hopefully he'll feel better and start smelling better, all should be fine.

I took him in yesterday because he peed outside the box for the first time ever. His exam, which included an ultrasound and urinalysis, showed bladder irritation, but no UTI or crystals. He was also badly constipated. We're not sure at this point what may have caused it. Dehydration could be both the cause and effect. They gave him fluids and an enema. He's otherwise acting pretty normal. The female has been keeping her distance, and he seems rather nonplussed about the whole thing. I sure hope it passes. He was pretty freaked out when we introduced her to household last year and he's over it. I assume she'll settle down soon.

take a washcloth and wipe down both cats with something that smells.. like a diluted vinegar solution. Your cat smells of the vet's office.
hopefully by now it has all passed, but if it hasnt..
Sometimes a cat can get spooked and it can ruin a relationship. I hope your kitty gets over this soon.

I used some dilute vinegar and then took Izzy upstairs for a little one-on-one cuddling. She's sleeping on me at the moment. I'll reintroduce them in a bit...and hope for the best. Poor kitties. It doesn't take much to stress them out. I miss Sophie Kitty for that reason alone; she was a very mellow cat.

One of mine does that to the other cat. It's worse after the vet, but if they're even separated for a day or two she'll act like that for a little while. It's partly stinky-vet-smell and probably partly general unhappiness at not being an "only cat" anymore.

Our cats are indoor-only. But every so often one will sneak out for maybe 30 seconds (they always stop to eat grass or roll in the dirt, then we scoop them up and put them back inside). It's not such an issue, nowadays, but when they were younger and when we had our late Gus there were always issues with them briefly "forgetting" that they are actually friends. Cats are sweet, but I'm not so sure that they are smart. Just getting the smell of the outdoors on them can make the others forget their friend. Dummies. :p

Things are still tense in the Henry-Izzy household (because it is THEIR house). She's still hissing and growling. We we supposed to camp tonight and tomorrow night in conjuction with a mountain bike clinic. We've decided to just head out tomorrow morning instead. Between the cats' issues and 90 degree temps, it's just not in the cards. I won't enjoy myself if I'm worried about them anyway.

They'll chill it out and go back to being friends after a little while. My girl does the same thing to my boy cat when he's been to the vet - and she's normally totally mellow and sweet to everyone.

Whew! We awoke this morning to more snarls and hisses. I was admittedly frustrated at that point. But we carried on with our morning routine, which includes Henry "helping" DH read the newspaper. And by "helping" I mean that he licks it, swats at it and otherwise makes reading a PITA. For whatever reason, Izzy started to relax at that point. She started voluntarily approaching him and touching noses. Now she's back to pestering him like normal.

At least I know what to expect now if Henry goes to the vet. Thanks for all the advice. Now if it would just stop raining so we could go camping.

Glad to hear the kettehs are getting along again:D Silly ketteh tricks. I have never had that with Peanut, mostly because she hates everyone equally, but in a loving sort of way. :)

Sorry to say I won't be at the MB clinic this weekend :( I thought I was going to work then realized they weren't scheduling me till next week. Then it was sold out! Ahgaaaaaaa!!!!!

Oh wonderful outcome!! :p When you only have two or three cats, sometimes it takes bit of time for things to return normal.

Sometimes I wonder if it just isn't the "vet smell". I think kitty's BO changes from the IV and meds they take while at the vet.

It really is frustrating and upsetting when you bring a sick kitty back home and other cats are aggressive toward the sick cat. Upsetting for both you and the sick cat. Anyway glad to hear that things are returning to normal.:cool:

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Glad to hear the kettehs are getting along again:D Silly ketteh tricks. I have never had that with Peanut, mostly because she hates everyone equally, but in a loving sort of way. :)

Sorry to say I won't be at the MB clinic this weekend :( I thought I was going to work then realized they weren't scheduling me till next week. Then it was sold out! Ahgaaaaaaa!!!!!

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I'm sorry you're not going to make it. :( Maybe we can meet out there though before you return to Philly.

yay!!! and maybe next time, rub both down with washcloth immediately upon return from the vet:? even better, take them BOTH at the same time.

No, that won't help! The kids went in for a dental cleaning last week, and came home fighting furiously because of too many weird smells--and they're brother and sister! Taking them both won't matter. The washcloth thing might help. It took ours a few hours to get used to each other again and calm down.

The washcloth thing didn't help yesterday. I'll see come September if taking them both helps when it comes time for their annual exams. I heard that Feliway might help, too. We might just have to accept that this is going to happen when Henry goes to the vet. It did pass relatively quickly, as disconcerting as it was.

It used to happen with my old cats, too. It was like they thought the cat who had gone to the vet had been taken over by pods, like in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Cats are so funny. You never know what's gong to freak them out.

I hope Henry is better now. Poor little guy.

Glad things are back to normal. On the other hand I wish my three would actually be more friendly towards each other. Basically I have 3 cats who do not like each other. No real fights, just hissing and growling on occasion. On the other hand when one has to stay at the vet and then we bring her home there's never any extra trouble.

Yup vet smells every time will do it. I have 3 cat's and it always happens when I take one in and not the other's.