Brother Hissing at Brother After Long Vet Stay

Hi everyone, I've picked up some great advice from this site and these forums. Finally it's become time to register and ask my own question.

I inherited two moggies (Tom and Jack) a few years ago and they're brothers. They came from a rather traumatic early life, but soon settled into our house and have been great company. They've always got on incredibley well, often curling up together for a sleep and sometimes even grooming each other. They would fight from time to time, but it always seemed playful.

We recently found out the reason for Jack's hyper-activity and that was an over-active thyroid. After a failed attempt at controlling this via medication, we opted to have the glands removed surgically. He's just got out of hospital after spending a week there post op. It was supposed to be just one night, but his calcium level was dangerously low, so they kept him in.

He's totally himself and just as loving as ever, however his brother seems to be upset about something. Soon after Jack got home, Tom gave him a sniff and then hissed at him. This is behaviour we've never seen before and it's not very nice to see. Jack's now been back for a couple of days and the hissing has continued from Tom. It's not constant and they eat quite happily out of adjoining bowls. However if Jack walks past Tom, Tom will often hiss at him. I think I've also seen Tom raise his paw at Jack too.

Is this behaviour something we need to be concerned about. Or has Tom just got used to being on his own and having us to himself? All help much appreciated

Klaus

Tom (ginger) and Jack (black and white)

Hi and welcome,
It is because Jack smells of the vets, Lots of people here recomend pure Vanilla essense, a dab on both cats so that they smell the same or rub a towel over one and then the other so that they smell familiar. Anyway it doesn't usually last long and they will soon be pals again.
Anne

Hi Anne, thanks for the quick response!

I was very much hoping this was the case. I've tried the towel thing and hopefully they'll be back to being best buddies before long

Klaus

Yes, cats recognise each other by smell, and anything that upsets that makes one cat seem like a stranger. As soon as you have got them smelling hte same, they will be fine again.

Try sprinkling them both with a little cornstarch baby powder (not the talc). Then rub it in their coats so they smell the same. That should work on them accepting each other again.

Or you can give both a bath using the same kind of shampoo.

This is the reason we actually take both Bijou and Mika to the vet together even if only one of them is having a check-up. They actually seem to calm each other by their very presence and our vets have never minded us bringing them together.