cat behavior?

Question

I took my kitten in to be spayed the other day, and when I brought her home from the hospital my other cat started hissing and growling at her like she did when they were first introduced.
We have had the kitten for a number of months now, and we gradually introduced them in the beginning. The older cat gradually warmed to her and prior to this event, she has been very loving- snuggling with her and licking her, etc. Now, it is almost like she has forgotten her even tho the kitten was only gone for one night.
She does have a cone around her neck at times when we cannot supervise completely, to prevent her from licking her wound, but the older cat is still mean to here when the cone is off. Any ideas about what is going on?
Thanks!

Answer 1

You newly spayed kitten probably smells like the vet's office and/or other strange cats. Your older cat should start to re-accept your kitten once she starts to smell more like herself.

Answer 2

Your kitten probably still smells like the vet. They had to use stuff to clean her surgery with, and stuff to sedate her, plus that neck cone can't be inviting. Cats can smell a lot more stuff then we can and your older cat might relate the smell the kitten brought home to the vet's office. Once your kit is able to groom herself again, things will probably go back to normal but you need to keep an eye on them all just to make sure the kit doesn't try to go to the older cat too soon before the older cat is ready. Hopefully your older cat realizes you don't hurt babies but just in case keep an eye on them both for a few days.

Answer 3

We have 2 kittens, a brother and a sister. When they got fixed, we couldn't keep the cone on the female, because the male cat saw it as a threat to his dominance. He was strutting his stuff with his cone collar, even groomed it. I'm convinced he thought he was a little lion. A few days later we put the cone on the female, and almost immediately he picked a somewhat serious fight with her. After we took the cone collar off of her, he went back to his loving self within a day.
Can you separate the two cats until the collar comes off? I doubt you'll need it for more than a week. After that everything should be fine.

Answer 4

Yeah, they usually warn you about that when you leave the vets office. It's only because of the 'vet office smell' that is all over the kitten now. It won't last long. The vet usually tells people to keep the cats separated for a day or so after the surgery for this reason.

Answer 5

Sounds like the kitten has a new smell on her. Like the vet office. And you're older cat has most likely smelt that office and proably doesn't like it. once the smell has worn off and more of the older kitties smell is on the kitten they should be just fine.

Answer 6

My cats do this if I take one to the vet and it has to stay over night.

One thing that may help is if you put butter (or a favorite flavor) behind the ears of the sick cat - the other cat will want to lick it off and they will start to bond again a little more quickly

Answer 7

Yeah the older cat smells the smell of the VET's office on the younger cat. No cat or dog likes that smell especially if they have ever been to the VET's.

Answer 8

hmm..i just got my cat spayed a couple days ago aw well and the same thing is happening to me with the other kittens

from wat i know its just thatthe other cat just smells different from teh operation and plus like the medicine u give her. its just gonna take awhile for the cats to refamilairize with each other

Answer 9

her scent is different
give it time and her old scent will return