Non-recognition aggression and redirected aggression.

[WhoresDoeuvres]

My 15-year-old cat has had an eye operation. She came home and the other cat, who is about 8, freaked out immediately.

8 started hissing and spitting, trying to attack 15. We put 15 in her own room with a tray, food, water and keep going in to keep her company.

8 stalks around the closed door, and if I let her smell my hand or offer my fist for her to head-bump anywhere in the hallway, she hisses, spits, and swipes at me. I assume because she can't get to 15 and feels threatened.

I am a bit heart-broken about this because 8 and 15 didn't really get along anyway. 8 has come on leaps and bounds since she was a scared foster kitten, and I feel like she's regressing into aggression.

They have never responded to Feliway.

Has anyone come through this and seen a good outcome? We will reintroduce after 15 has her stitches out (10 days) and do it slowly, but I'm feeling a bit pessimistic.

I would try not to worry.

I had cats (littermates) who got on with each other until one got back from the vets once. Our girl had an infection and needed emergency surgery - she came home the same day and had a cone, and obviously smelt of vets.

Her brother absolutely freaked out. He hated her and he hated us for taking her somewhere that made her smell like that. He was always a massive softy, a big lap cat but he really didn't like her smell afterwards. He hissed, bit, and then hissed at us and lashed out (which he'd NEVER done before) if he could smell her/the vets on our hands.

As soon as the cone came off and she could wash the "vet" smell off, he was all over her, licking her and right back to normal! See what happens once she's recovered and can clean herself properly before worrying.

Hope 15 gets better soon!

Awh that's great news :) I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I tend to be a bit of an over-anxious cat parent and this has been very reassuring!

I agree about the smell. I've only got one cat but whenever he's been to the vets I can smell it on him so it must be 100 times worse for a cat.

I hope things are back to normal soon

Echoing RonSwanson's story, my poor fatcat got home from 2 days at the vet and went to greet his beloved brother only to be met with a hiss. They figured it out after a couple of days, it was quite funny to watch as fc is usually the boss of the two but was very submissive until he was accepted again. Hope your cat recovers ok and they return to grudging acceptance of one another again soon!