hissing and growling at older cat

Question
After more than a year of living with another cat (both have a mix of siamese), the younger one began hissing and growling at the older one after the older (2 year old) cat came from the vet for a hip surgery.  After six days, the younger cat still hisses and growls.  Vets tell me that the younger cat does recognize a foreign odor from the older cat and this may be the reason for the younger cat's behavior.  The older one has no reaction to this...its the humans who are perturbed by this abnormality (?)  How do I somehow get this younger cat to accept her older companion, that he is no different than he was prior to the surgery?  Wld appreciate your advise because I get all tensed up when the situation is at hand.


Answer
Hi Liza.  This is one situation where time is the best treatment.  Given some time, I'm sure the fear your younger one is experiencing from the strange smells will wear off.  Sometimes cats will even pick on others just because they're weaker.  And since your older one's just had surgery and is recovering, perhaps the younger one is taking advantage.

If the situation gets to the point where there are physical spats going on, you should separate the two completely for a couple of weeks to let them calm down, and the reintroduce them slowly.