Archie is suddenly attacking his cat girls!

When I brought in the cat carriers I lent a friend, Archie saw them & I'm sure was reminded about vet trips (he HATES his carier & the vet). He took off like a shot, and when he reappeared he began growling every time he encountered one of the 3 females (with whom he has lived peacefully for over a year). If one gets too close to him, he swats her, claws bared. He apparently thinks that they are new cats who have just arrived. Right now I have him isolated in a room by himself. Any suggestions??

He is smelling something from the carriers that he doesn't like. When you lent the carriers to the friend, did they take an animal to the vets? That could be the other thing. He is on high alert now until one of the girls tells him that it is us, you silly boy.

Is he neutered and are they spayed?

Yes those carriers should have been washed before coming back into the house, or else immediately washed once brought back in. Unless you know for sure that the other cat that was in it is completely healthy. But still, the scent alone freaked your cat out. So please wash those carriers, make sure everyone is spayed and neutered, that always helps with funny behavior and reactions, and maybe buy some Feliway plug ins.

I also recommend getting a brand new cat carrier, putting blankets and cat toys in it and leaving it out in your house for your cats to get used to. I have done that with mine and now when I bring a carrier into the room, my cats come running and jump right inside. Sometimes they will even sleep in it.

Yes, Archie is neutered & the girls are spayed. I did wash & clean the carriers, but maybe the scents have lingered. How long, do ou sppose, before Archie realizes that those are "his" girls? Should I isolate him, or let him have the run of the house & let the girls figure it out? (All 4 are indoor only pusses.)

Hummmmm, when Tammy-Timmy came home from the vet's after being spayed, Pete spit at her for two days. Now mind you, Tammy-Timmy had been grooming him big time. But it only took two days for him to figure out it was really her.

These vet visits can be traumatic, can't they?

Hi, I've been through this as well. It will just take a bit of time. My kittens got over it within a few hours but I've heard of it taking a couple of weeks for some cats to return to their normal relationship. If your boy is seeming vicious, I might suggest keeping them separated unless you can supervise them. The idea of vet visits can bring up some pretty unhappy memories for many cats. One thing that might help is trying to get your cats to smell the same. When one of my cats had to go the vet, I rubbed her brother with a cloth (to get his smell on it) and then rubbed her with it when she got home. This worked for me. You can try rubbing a teeny bit of vanilla extract above all of their tails.

I would put the carriers in another room away from him.Or clean them with enzeme cleaner to remove the scent.You can also dab a bit of vanilla on each cats chin, base of their neck and on their backside by their tail.That will help elliminate the confusion.