cat neutered

Question
I have a 1 yr old female cat that is fixed.  I got a male kitten a few months ago
and when he reached the 6 mo. period I got him fixed.  The cats were good
together until I got the male fixed.  The female cat hisses, growls, and hits him
anytime he is near her.  This isn't her character at all.  Is this normal?  Is there
anything i can do?


Answer
Mary Ann,

Don't panic! (smile) This 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 neutered cat brought home MANY different smells from the vet: anesthetic, medicinal smells, and smells of other cats...all clinging to his fur. The female cat thinks he's another cat! She is protecting her territory from this 'intruder'.

when the neutered male grooms himself he will be replacing his 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 male and he smells like himself again.

Tabbi