any lay cat behaviourists out there?

Question

we have two 9 month old cats, previously the best of friends, grew up together, slept beside each other, eat together...... then one took very ill and was in hospital for 3 nights. Back home yesterday and was greeted with growls! why the change? thanks in advance

Answer 1

Probably the sick cat smelled of the hospital odors and not like it's normal self, which was unfamiliar to your other cat. Since cats identify each other by smell and obviously not sight, so they say, would be my guess.
However, one of my cats disappeared for 4 days. My other cat seemed very depressed, very quite and hardly eating anything.
When she finally came home, (she was accidentally locked in my neighbors garage) he just ignored her. They were also best of friends. At the time I didn't understand his behavior.
My neighbor also has a cat, that was also in that garage at the time.(Thank god there was food and water for her)
Now I think he was probably upset because he could smell the other cats scent on her and was jealous. By the next morning they were sleeping together and back to normal.
This jealous cat would react the same way to me if I pet other animals, even his best friend! He would just glare at me until I stopped. This had nothing to do with smell but with sight, so who knows maybe the one cat just didn't remember the other?
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Answer 2

That is very common. It is becuase the cat that came home from the vet or hospital now smells different to the other cat. "Re-introduce" them by rubbing the scent of the cat that stayed home onto the cat that went to the vet, then vice-versa. Note that a cat will normally transfer his scent onto an object by rubbing his cheeks and neck on that object; so, rub around the face area. I usually use an ordinary wash cloth to do this.

Answer 3

Normal... if your partner left for three days & didn't tell you, would't you be upset with them?

Normal... quite possible cat came back from the hospital "reeking" (in cat terms) of all kinds of weird things. You know your cat by sight, but they know each other at least as much by smell. Your cat might have smelled differently enough to seem like a stranger to the other one.

It should not last long. Pretty soon your sick cat should have recovered his "home" smell and everything should be fine.

Answer 4

Ah, this is a simple one. Much of a cat's world is ruled by smell. Since your cat was in the hospital, he no longer smells like he belongs in your home. To help him smell like he's home, try rubbing the other cat's blanket on him. That should transfer some familiar smells. Things will even out in a couple of days. Not to worry.

Answer 5

this one is quite common actually....cats identify each other mainly by smell...they have about 7 times the sense of small than we do... and what happens, is the cat that goes to the vet picks up the scents of the place he was at, the alcohol, the medicines, the food is different too, there might be some scented product on the technicians hands, any number of things that added/changed your cat's basic smell, and YOUR CAT DID NOT RECOGNIZE his housemate. my neighbor always took both cats to the vet, even though she didn't let the well one out of the carrier. when she got back home, both cats got out of their carriers at the same time and there was no more hissing. you could LIGHTLy spray one puff of Feliway into both carriers about 15 minutes before putting the cats in there.

Answer 6

The kitty who stayed at home could smell everything on that animal. If the vet had done a authanisation that day, there would be a smell of death on the cat too. Have both of them go off to the groomers, and you'll see it all change.

Answer 7

My best guess is that he came home smelling like the pet hospital and the vet's office, and brought back some ugly memories for the other one. Give them a couple of days, they'll be okay.

Answer 8

Its common.

Cats go by smell. The cat that was gone for a few days will smell different.

Give them about a week and they should be back to normal.

Answer 9

positioned the little bugger in yet another room. i assume he wasn't around very a lot of human beings on a similar time as turning out to be up. Have somebody circulate to that may not afraid of him and make an effort to make as much as him. He desires to learn that this unusual person can not injury him. may additionally attempt putting him in his provider(a cat field many times used to limit it on a thank you to vet or in vehicle.) place the provider with a blanket or something he acquaintances with you(convenience), interior the room with all of you while you're traveling. enable him experience shield in his little provider and meanwhile he could be conscious you all. Use love and endurance with him, no longer punishment. he will come around.

Answer 10

The cat that came home smells unfamiliar. It will pass in a couple of days.