Sammy is MAD now!!

We have two cats. Cosmo had to go to the vet due to some problems urinating. He was gone overnight. When I brought him home, our other cat Sammy is going crazy every time Cosmo gets near him. They have been together every day for years and have been best buddies. Sammy is now hissing like crazy and growling at Cosmo. HE WAS ONLY GONE 1 DAY..!

What the heck is going on. Did Cosmo pick up some scent at the vet or what would make Sammy be acting this way?

I'm not expert in this, but I do know that when I take one of my Girls to the Vet the other two hiss and spit at her for days after we get back.
We could be gone for as little as 20 minutes...the Vet is only a block away...and the other two still have a fit.

Like you, they have been together for years.

I just always assumed that the one who had been at the Vet picked up the scent of the Vets office and that's why the others freak out.

Originally Posted by nelsonbilly

What the heck is going on. Did Cosmo pick up some scent at the vet or what would make Sammy be acting this way?

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Yes that is exactly what happened. Sometimes they may need a few days before things are back to normal. Put pure vanilla extract on each of them on their neck, head and base of the tail so they smell alike. You might want to pick up some Feliway for these occations when one cat goes away for a day or so. Sometimes even a few hours can cause this type of reaction.

Cats recognize each other by scent, not by sight. Sammy doesn't recognize Cosmo simply because he smells like the vet's office. Cosmo has also been stressed, being at the vet's overnight, and that will alter his scent as well.

One thing you can try is what we call "The Vanilla Trick". Take some vanilla (the real stuff works much better than the imitation vanilla extract, if you have it) and dab a drop under the chin, at the back of the neck, and on the back at the base of the tail on both cats. This will fake out Cosmo's unfamiliar scent to Sammy until Cosmo is back to his normal scent because they will both smell the same.