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Cats fighting after she was spayed

15:29:37

Question
I have a male and female cat (bro. and sister). He was neutered a month ago, and today we brought her home after having been spade. He is being very defensive and hissing at her and growling at her. She wants to be with him, but I'm afraid he will hurt her. She's now in a room with me crying for him, and he's outside crying for her, but when they are together, he's growling and hissing. This is a new type of behavior as he has always been so sweet with her and they loved playing. Any ideas? Will this pass? Thank you for any help you can offer. Molly

Answer
Molly,

That is perfectly normal behavior.

Cats go by smell and not by sight in recognizing other cats (with humans, they go by voice...not by sight). Your spayed cat brought home MANY different smells from the vet: anesthetic, medicinal smells, and smells of other cats...all clinging to her fur. The male cat thinks she's another cat because she smells different! He is protecting his territory from this 'intruder'.

when the spayed female grooms herself she will be replacing her regular scent. You can also rub the cat who did not go to the vet with a towel, then rub the cat who did go to the vet with the same towel to transfer familiar smells but do not do it the opposite way because you will then be transfering the vet's office smells to the other cat.

A trick that I've heard a lot of people use in that situation (though I have never tried it) is to put a tiny drop of vanilla on each cats forehead so they smell the same.

Things will settle down in a few days when the smells are gone from female and she smells like herself again.

Carol