Hating the vet's smell

[Chatanuga]

Smokey's annual vet visit is coming up, and I'm hoping to curb an issue that has been happening with Casey since he was a kitten.

In the fall of 2008, Casey decided he'd had enough of his vet visits and went berserk on his annual trip. It was so bad that my vet gave me sedatives to give him a couple hours before he comes in to help calm him down.

While that keeps him controllable, the big issue is when Smokey goes to the vet. Normally, the two are best friends, but when I bring Smokey home from the vet, Casey begins hissing, growling, and swatting at him like he's never seen him before, which I'm assuming is from the smell of the vet's office. He used to do the same thing with my first cat Chessie, which was more often since Chessie had a heart issue and had frequent trips to have echocardiograms done on him. As a result, Chessie wasn't in a good mood when he came home and didn't take Casey's attitude, and things tended to mellow out not long afterwards. With Smokey, Casey will be upset with him for the remainder of the day, and I have to keep stepping in as referee.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to deal with this issue?

[Jessika]

I would probably keep them separated for the rest of the day following the vet visit. Do try some feliway to see if it will help "diffuse" the situation.

This is not an uncommon problem at all, but most clients I've talked to with the issue say that it usually resolves within a day or two. So try to keep them separated if you can't supervise them... kind of like when you're introducing a new cat to the house hold.

[Freedom]

It is pretty normal from what I have seen here with my own cats. I've never really done much, the one who 'was' at the vet usually heads off to sleep after all the 'horrible trauma' ha haa. By the time that one wakes up, no one seems to remember there was a problem.

If you keep them separate, be sure the one who was at the vet has access to water and a litter box.

[Karen]

Try putting a towel where Smokey will lay on it, so it gets god and saturated with his "normal" smell. Then, when he comes out of the cage from the vet visit, rub him down with it, and maybe it'll take away the "scary" smell, so Casey will "recognize" him again!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've also had this problem but it was usually only with my RB Storm. He would not only hiss and growl at a cat that had been at the vets but if he was the one returning home from the vets then he would also growl and hiss at any cat that wanted to come up and sniff him. I would then try to keep him back in my bedroom and usually by the next day everthing would be fine. Good luck.

The groomers also has the same reaction. When a few of my cats had been at the groomers for their lion or kennel cuts, then the other cats would also think that they smelled funny. Alani didn't recognize my RB Storm one time and he was trying to stalk him like he was a wild animal. Luckily after a few days this behavior stopped.

[moosmom]

Whenever I take one of my cats to the vet, I spray Feliway on the towel inside the carrier. It calms them down.

The "medicinal" smell the cats can sense, is scary to a cat. Keeping them separate for the rest of the day is a great idea. You can also take a dryer sheet and rub Smokey down with it. It'll take any static cling out of him and also leave him fresh smelling.

Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

[Chatanuga]

Just got home a little while ago from the vet with Smokey. Everything checked out OK.

Got home and brought him inside. Before letting him out of the carrier, I grabbed a dryer sheet. But Casey had already smelled the carrier and started hissing. I rubbed Smokey down, which he didn't want as he just wanted as far from the carrier as he could get. There was still some hissing from Casey, but it hasn't been as bad as before. Also, Smokey began hissing back, which is surprising as he normally only hisses at the vacuum. Smokey also started rubbing against me while I was putting some things away, which is a good thing as that also began getting my smell on him.

And I just checked on them again. Casey's curled up in the top perch of the cat tree in the living room. Smokey's curled up on the floor. So there's been no real fighting since trying the dryer sheet.

[Karen]

Casey's curled up in the top perch of the cat tree in the living room. Smokey's curled up on the floor. So there's been no real fighting since trying the dryer sheet.

Good to hear! Glad everyone is settled with no bloodshed this time!