Yesterday I took one of my cats Colin to the vet as he was poorly (this cat is very sweet and timid). He had a fever and was given antibiotics etc, he was very traumatised during the visit and very nervous when we got home. My other cat Sim who is always more dominant has been going mad since we got back. He is hissing and growling at the one who has been to the vets, wont be in the same room as him. The cat who was poorly is walking round bemused trying to approach him but the other one is really aggressive.
We were only at the vets for 20 mins! its almost as if Sim no longer recognises Colin. i have tried rubbing the Colin with his blanket to reestablish his smell but nothing is working.

Can Sim seriously not recognise a cat he has lived with very harmoniously for 2 years just because he has picked up a different scent (i got this theory by googling) or is there possibly some other problem. Not slept all night as Colin has been prowling round meaowing trying to get close to Sim and Sim has been going crazy.

Any ideas???

Last week I took my two kittens to the vet to get neutered and spayed. When they came back my other two cats were hissing and growling, but settled down after a couple of days. I think it's just the scent. Hopefully Sim will settle down like mine did, just keep an eye on them for now.

It is the smell of the vets. Just keep an eye on both cats for a few days. I should resolve after this. Mine have mellowed a bit now and they are used to one of them going too the vets.

Whenever I have take Bookend to the vets her sister Gizmo always hisses at her when she gets back, she walks around her a bit looking suspiciously and then inists on cleaning her from top to toe. Once that little ritual is over then its back to normal. But if I take Gizmo to the vets when I bring her back Bookend is just pleased to see her , no hissing or anything.

Love the names

Bookend is so called as she used to sit on the shelf very regally and look just like a Bookend ( had another cat just the same before ) and Gizmo as she reminded me of Gizmo from Gremlins in the way she chattered as a kitten

Here is a pic of them

Bookend sitting up and Gizmo laying down on top of the old canvas wardrobe in what is my storage room but what they are fully convinced is their purpose built play room


Bookend and Gizmo together

Aww they are lovely (Bookend and Gizmo)...

That's so cute about her cleaning her sister. My two used to be like that, till they grew up. Now they ignore each other for the most part.

Hope Colin settles down.

one of mine used to do this after 13 years of living with his best mate, my other cat. Like he'd never seen him before. It is smell and it will settle down. I think you did the right thing with the blanket. You could also wipe the one that's been to the vet with a damp cloth or brush him so he licks himself, so he'll gradually start to smell like himself again.
It seems to be mostly nervous cats that do this hissyfitting stuff

My sister had one cat and a canvas wardrobe....you could knit your own blankets with the fur-pile left on the top after a week. (She still has the cat, just not the wardrobe any more)

I can`t imagine what`s wrong with colin, but the scent theory sounds most plausible at the moment.

I wonder if you could lightly scent them both with a bit of fish, biscuit/treats powder or something... not cover them in tuna juice or anything like that - but rather a "perfume" dab here and there, just to try and make them smell the same somehow, temporarily...it might take their minds off it

I don`t know...cats have got a mind of their own sometimes, it makes you wonder what they`re thinking of.

...and wash all the bedding, if they have any favourite blankets etc

Thanks everyone for your reassurance. I had never heard of this sort of behaviour before so its nice to know its not just my psycho Sim!
I had to go out for a couple of hours and was worried about leaving them alone. I left all the doors in the house open so they both had somewhere to go and be alone.
Came home and they were both sitting together on the stairs and appear to be friends again... phew what a relief!!!!!

for future reference, sometimes it helps to take them both, even if only one is to be treated, so they still both smell the same on their return

This has never been an issue for me. I have 2 cats, both get trips to the vet seperately as I only have one cat carrier but they've never hissed or had a problem with each other upon their return.

its the scent i think, iv seen it happen with my cats, one comes back from the vet, the other one walks over and smacks him and runs away

Vanilla extract under the chin