Why is my cat anxious and aggressive after coming home from spay?

It's possible Mica is feeling a little stressed, or is a bit under socialized. If the behavior happened suddenly or occurred after a surgery it is also a good idea to schedule a vet visit as behavior changes can sometimes indicate pain or illness. if Mica checks out healthy, you may need to practice some socialization skills. This includes making sure she has a place to hide/relax when people are over. if she does check out new people, have them toss a treat or play with a favorite toy such as a feather on a stick that can introduce positive interactions rather than attempting to chase or pet her. If there are other pets in the house causing stress, making sure she has access to food, water, litter and bedding without competing with other pets can also help to reduce stress. Pheromone diffusers in plug-in or collar form can also release a calming pheromone which can help with stress and anxiety. If the behavior continues it is also a good idea to talk with your vet or a veterinary behaviorist about a training plan that may include medication to help reduce anxiety while instilling calming behaviors.

I'm assuming that you may be concerned that the spay caused some hormonal change that is causing her to act like this. There have actually been various reports of behavior issues after surgical procedures and the potential causes are numerous. Bella could simply be painful, or anxious due to the trauma of the procedure. Alternatively, Bella could have had a pre-existing brain condition prior to the procedure that got worse with the anesthesia, or the anesthesia could have caused a momentary lack of oxygen to the brain that caused some damage. I would be most suspicious that this is a behavior issue rather than a more serious problem within the brain. For now, I recommend giving her a little time and see if her temperament improves. It's important to not treat her any differently, or try to handle her excessively. Treat her the same as you did before the procedure and handle her on her own terms. If the behavior persists after a month, then I recommend consulting your vet for further evaluation. At this time, it does not appear to be serious, so I would not be too concerned unless she seems to be getting worse or having other health issues. I hope that helps and all is well with Bella.

How long ago was it when she was spayed? If it was very recent, is she on pain meds? If not then I would recommend discussing this with your veterinarian and see if they can put her on some type of pain medication. If it wasn't within the last week then it most likely has nothing to do with pain related to the spay and there may be something more going on which would require a vet visit and potentially a trainer. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Occasionally they will act "off" for a day or 2 following anesthesia, and a lot of cats really hate wearing a cone. (though you should keep in on her!) The combination of everything you mention could lead to her being a bit cranky. And the walking backwards and falling over is probably from the cone. Take it off for a few minutes and watch her move around to ensure she walks normally without it. If she continues to be stumbling/clumsy/abnormal gait with the cone off, then take her to your vet for an exam. But If she is eating some (even if its less than normal), give her some space. Let her have her own isolated area... a small bathroom, laundry room, etc, with food, water, litter box, and some comfy beds and or boxes she might like. She should be acting more like herself over the next few days. If at any point she is becoming increasingly lethargic, she starts vomiting, she is completely anorexic (not eating anything at all for more than 24 hours), then take her to your vet right away. Thank you for asking PetCoach1

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ideally, you should contact a cat behaviorist in your area to help you in person with her behavior. However, spaying her would likely help with this behavior. Your veterinarian can consider sedating her so that they are able to proceed with taking the blood samples and the spay to see if that helps. Otherwise, it would be best to have someone help you in person to modify her behavior. Best of luck!

This may be difficult to correct but it generally can be done. Continue using the diffuser. Try switching litter boxes, beds, and rubbing each cat with the same towel to try to get them to smell like each other. Here are some links which may be helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-calm-an-anxious-cat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/bringing-home-a-new-cat-or-kitten/ Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Setting aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play for both cats or switching the food to Royal Canin Calm may help. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with aggression. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. No, this isn't normal behavior after spaying, and spaying doesn't cause aggression. It could be Clementine saw something at the vet that upset her, and she redirected her aggression at your other dog when she got home. I'd keep an eye on her for now, and if this behavior continues, I'd take her back into the vet. Best of luck.