Possible causes of non-recognition aggression

• The returning cat smells different. He may have absorbed smells from the environment at the veterinary clinic. If he had anesthesia, the drugs may have temporarily altered his body chemistry, which may also result in a different smell to sensitive cat noses.
• The smell of alcohol or other medical smells may remind the cat who stayed at home of a negative experience.
• The returning cat may have released his anal glands while he was in route to the vet's, or at the vet's. While this may seem simply be a stinky mess to us, to the other cat, it may signal fear and danger.
• The returning cat may behave abnormally. If he hasn't fully recovered from anesthesia, he may wobble as he walks. This may be perceived as a threat by the cat who stayed home.

How to deal with non-recognition aggression

• Never let the cats fight it out. Cats don't resolve their issues through fighting.
• Interrupt the aggression in a way that keeps you safe. Clap your hands, toss a toy, throw a blanket over the cats, or separate them by pushing a piece of carboard between them.
• Try to herd the aggressor into a separate room and close the door. This gives both cats a chance to calm down. This can take several hours, and sometimes, days.
• Don't try to soothe the aggressive cats - leave him alone to give him a chance to calm down. An agitated cat may continue to be aggressive and redirect that aggression against the humans in the household.
• Give the cats a chance to familiarize themselves with each others' smells and sounds after they have calmed down. In severe cases, you may need to start a gradual reintroduction, as if they had never met before.

How to prevent non-recognition aggression

• Make sure the returning cat has fully recovered from anesthesia or sedation before bringing her home.
• Remove any veterinary odors from the returning cat. You can bathe the cat if this doesn't add more stress, or use unscented baby wipes. Follow this by rubbing something with the cats' regular scents on them, such as a blanket or favorite toy. Rub both cats with this item.
• Keep the cats separated for a few hours to give them a chance to get used to each other's sounds and smells.
• Reward the cats with treats and praise once they interact in a friendly manner.
• Use holistic remedies such as Stress Stopper for the cat who is going to the vet's, and use Stress Stopper and Peacemaker for both cats once he returns home.

©Ingrid King 2014. All Rights Reserved. 

• When cats sneeze it is a sign of rain.
• When cats are snoring foul weather follows.
• When cats lie on their back, expect a storm.
• When a cat washes her face with her back to the fire expect a thaw in winter.