Non-Recognition Aggression Littermates After Spay

willerin

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I have two kittens (littermates) that I kept from a stray cat that I found over the summer. They're 5 months old. They're best buds, do everything together, and groom each other. Greybie is more skiddish around new people and has hissed at visitors/ the vet in the past. Luna is a very laid-back cat.

Today they had their appointments to get spayed, and we picked them up at 5:30 (about 2.5 hours ago). Greybie had hissed at the vet and growled at me when I picked up her carrier. In the car she cried the whole way. Luna was quiet.

Anyway, we got home and I left them in their carriers for a while to calm down a little. I then let greybie out and kept Luna in. Greybie hissed at Luna a few times, so I now have them in sepeatate rooms.

We tried having them play with the same toy through the door which was fine. We also opened the door a crack so they could see each other, but greybie hissed and life's her paw to swat at Luna. Poor thing was confused. We shut the door and Greybie then started hissing at Luna's paws under the door, so we moved her to the bedroom for Luna's safety (son now Luna is in the bathroom, greybie is in the bedroom, and no one is in the living room).

Anyway, I'm wondering what the next step should be. It's been only a few hours since their surgery so I wanted to keep them apart until the anesthesia wears off at the very least (so tomorrow?). They can eat tomorrow morning--should I feed them both on either side of the door? How far away from the door?

I was going to do scent swapping but the thing is they both smell pretty noticeably different...even to me. Especially greybie...I'm wondering if she might have peed on herself or something, poor thing. We're not supposed to bathe them though because of the incision. So I'm sure to them the smells are very different and very weird. Would scent swapping even be beneficial? What if I rub an old blanket with their old smells on them? Or should I do the vanilla thing?

Also, for sleeping tonight...I live in a one bedroom apartment. I could keep Luna in the bathroom and greybie in the bedroom and sleep on the couch...or I could sleep in the living room with Luna and my boyfriend could sleep on the bedroom with greybie. I'm just worried that greybie will hiss at Luna from under the door? She did that earlier which is why Luna is now in the bathroom and not the living room.

Basically, I don't know what to do and I'm afraid they'll never be the same (I know it's been hardly any time at all but I'm a worrier). I just really want them to get along. But I know greybie pretty well and I just have a hunch that she will continue to hiss at Luna through the door if we open it a little. She's just very scared and that's her go to defense. :(

Right now greybie is in the bedroom with me sleeping. She's purring which is good. Luna is in the bathroom with my boyfriend, also purring and very affectionate.
 

amethyst

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My thoughts are one the anesthesia hasn't fully worn off yet, along with any pain meds that may have been given, so they are going to be a little out of it. Second they are both going to smell weird from being at the vet, so they don't smell right to each other. They just had major surgery and the whole ordeal is going to have been pretty traumatizing to both of them. Give them time to settle back down, and get the smell of vet off them and a more normal smell back.

If Greybie did pee on herself you can try using unscented wet wipes, I know I've seen some for cats before, just don't go anywhere near the incision site. That should help with pee smell for now until you can give her a bath later. Or you could just wait and let her clean herself off.

For now though, just give them time, let them spend some time apart to get the smell of vet office off them. Using a blanket that has their scents on it should help, if you have two that would be even better. Swap out the blankets between the cats over the coarse of a few days. Put them in what ever rooms you feel comfortable with them in, and they are able to relax in. I know with one of my cats when I got her spayed she would cry if I left her alone, so I ended up having to sleep in the room with her. Resting and healing are more important right now then reestablishing friendship with each other. Just make sure you give them plenty of love and attention so they aren't lonely. Also honestly recovering in separate rooms isn't a bad idea anyway, they need to rest and they would end up playing (or fighting) and possibly hurt each other or pull stitches.  You can also do feedings on either side of the door, you can try right next to the door if they normally eat next to each other. If that doesn't work try pulling to bowls back until they are comfortable enough to eat.
 
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willerin

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So this morning after eating across the door they're both meowing and scratching at the door and sticking their paws underneath it. Is this a sign that I should try a viewing again and see if greybie hisses or should I wait a while still?
 

amethyst

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I would still wait until they smell normal again. They can smell each other under the door so they know each other are there. Also you and your boyfriend will have the scents on you too, so they know the other is around. When they are smelling more normal again you can probably let them see each other and see how it goes. However I really would wait about a week before they actually are together again, and that under supervision so they don't accidentally play too hard and open an incision. I have had many cats fixed or otherwise to the vet for injuries or surgeries and had to keep them separated for a time, and never had an issue with them reintegrating back into the house with the others once healed. They don't have that short of memories, they will remember each other so no worry there of forgetting who each other are. It does sometimes take a day or two after being together again but it should go back to normal.
 
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willerin

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Updating for anyone else with this issue in the future:

The morning after the surgery both kittens were crying on either side of the door. I rubbed the non-agressive cat (Luna) with a blanket that she likes to try to get her old smell back on her so that the agressive cat (Greybie) would recognize her. We decided to open the door and see if Greybie would still hiss at Luna; they both cried and cried when they saw each other, forced the door open, and it was like nothing happened. Of course I watched them closely all day because I was worried something would happen, but within a few hours they were playing, grooming each other, and cuddling. :) 
 
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