Do cats remember each other?

We have twice left our cat with family when we had to go on long trips. He is very social, and even being checked on twice a day wouldn't have been ideal.

Our relatives have two cats of their own. All three cats are very social and friendly. Both times (four months apart), the cats took about a day to stop hissing at each other and ended up being very friendly. The second time around, they were so cute with each other that I felt guilty about bringing our cat home.

Will the cats remember each other or will we have to introduce them all over again? The first two visits aren't the best gauge, because the two cats were very newly acquired at the time of the first visit, so things weren't normal for them.

Thanks!

I'm sure cats remember each other - just as all animals can remember others - but remembering them and being happy to share territory are two different things. Have you thought of doing scent swapping for a week or so before dropping him off? That way, they can remember and start accepting each other before face to face contact. You might be surprised at how much it helps.

Thank you Columbine! It would be great to avoid the half-day of hissing we get before they go all cuddly.

You're welcome
:cross: that the scent swapping does the trick!