Aggression after vet appointment

[fieldsofbutterflies]

We have three neutered males and have never had an issue with them fighting - they're 1, 4 and 8 and have access to outside. Lots of resources, litter trays etc.

Our oldest has arthritis and has six-monthly checks at the vet - he went on Wednesday and had a blood test (which he's had done before) and ever since he's been aggressive with the other two - hissing and growling which he's never done before.

He also slipped jumping out of the window the other day so I wonder if he's in a bit of pain, but he's never been like this before even when his arthritis has been really bad.

Our other two don't retaliate and seem to respect his space but he's getting a worse - he's been sat by the back door growling at them this morning 😩

Any advice? He's a rescue so we don't really know his background but he's never ever behaved like this before except for maybe within 24 hours of coming back from the vets.

I forgot to add, he's fine with DH and I and is coming for attention as normal.

I wonder if he is in pain now from the arthritis, is he on any medication for it yet? If not maybe a vet visit especially as you noticed him slipping so isn't as agile as normal. Hope he improves soon!😸

(wonder if he struggled during blood taking and somehow hurt something?)

I would think he's feeling vulnerable possibly due to pain and is trying put the others in their place, may be worth having another chat with vet if he's not settled in a few days.

He's on Metacam and has been for about seven months - he's still hissing and growling at the others now 😩

I've rung the vet as he's really not right - he's still eating etc. okay but he's never been like this before.

So I took him back to the vet after he tried to attack our four year old cat 😩

They've given him the equivalent of kitty morphine which seems to have calmed him down - they also think he has a bit of an eye infection so we have drops to give him too 😬

I just wanted to update this to say they're back to normal today.

I also got some Pet Remedy spray from Amazon which they love. I put some on their cat tree, boxes and beds and around the back door as that's where a lot of the fights were starting. We've had nothing at all day and they're all currently sleeping within a few inches of each other.