weird cat behavior: help!

[indysteel]

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?

[tulip]

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

[Blueberry]

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

[TsPoet]

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.

[indysteel]

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.

[Biciclista]

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.

[indysteel]

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.

[jessmarimba]

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.