My cat bites and hisses after vet visits but is still loving. Why?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Brett. She is a beautiful girl! I'm wondering if the move has caused this change in behavior. Moving is very stressful for a cat, and that can lead to aggression. I'd try using Feliway diffusers around the home. These release calming pheromones that can help relax her. I'd pair that with a Sentry calming collar. This will release calming pheromones when in contact with her skin. If this doesn't help, then I'd have her seen by a vet for a health check. I hope this helps!

Oh dear, how stressful! Unfortunately it can be common for cats to lash out when one cat in the household suddenly smells or acts different - as they tend to do when they come home from the vet. Most of the time they go back to their normal interactions once the strange smell (in this case, from the vet clinic) wears off and the cat relaxes and acts like herself....but in your case, there's nowhere for Tribble to hide and isolate herself while she readjusts to being home. The most important thing right now is to not allow them to fight or have negative interactions. As long as they can be kept separate while they both settle down, they will probably do ok - but if they continue hissing and growing, and worse yet if it escalates into a fight, that could permanently damage their relationship. I would absolutely keep them separate until they seem to be relaxing. I understand that'll be challenging in a 1 BR living space - but if possible, you could put 1 in the bathroom with her own litterbox & food, and then have them switch places tomorrow so they can get reacquainted with each other's smells. If that's not possible, you may need to crate them both while you work on their reintroduction. Perhaps you could borrow dog kennels so they can each have their own living space while they're confined. I know this isn't an easy answer - but the most important immediate intervention is to do what you need to do, to keep them from fighting while the stress levels come down! Finally, adding a pheromone diffuser such as Feliway Multicat may help promote a calming atmosphere. I hope this helps!

Hi there! It can often take several days for cats to fully calm down and return to normal after a stressful event, so I would tend to agree with your vet - it's likely that he just needs more time. You can try using a Feliway pheromone diffuser to help him relax, or a natural calming supplement such as Composure or Zylkene to see if this helps.

Is she biting and scratching you or the other cat? This sounds like something has changed and she is stressed. I strongly suggest you visit this website (Feliway) and purchase some of their products. The website has good cat behavior information and the products are basically "happy cat" pheromones that help to mellow cats out. Of course it won't work for every cat but I have had many respond favorably to this treatment. I like the diffusers that you plug into the wall. https://www.feliway.com/ca_en If this does not help then I suggest you talk to your vet about putting her on medication for behavioral modification like amitryptilene, fluoxetine or other. These work well but it is best to try something natural like the pheromones first. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

The first thing I would do for now is put Attila in a room by herself with a litter box, food and water bowls, comfortable resting places, etc. and leave her alone for the next few days apart from coming in briefly to refill her food and water and change her litter. When cats become upset and aggressive like this, for whatever reason, it can take up to a week for them to fully calm down and return to normal - until then, it's best to leave her completely alone and give her plenty of space. Some cats can have serious aggression issues that are triggered by a strange or scary noise, an unusual smell, or anything else that startles them. It's possible that Attila may have had a scary dream that frightened her, or she could be painful due to a pinched nerve, arthritis, or some other issue that may have been aggravated by petting. If she calms down over the next few days and things return to normal with no further problems, you may not need to do anything else. If she is still acting aggressive a week from now, or if this becomes a recurring problem for her in the future, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can evaluate Attila in person and help you determine what may be triggering these episodes, and will also give you some specific suggestions for managing her when this happens. Prescription medication is helpful for some cats with aggression issues, so this is something that could be discussed also. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

This happens quite a bit actually. Could be territorial aggression - she left and now he is trying to tell her the house is his OR it could be that he feels threatened due to the way she smells when she returns. I suggest you start using some Feliway products. I would spray the carrier when you take the cats to the vet and use the diffusers (multicat) in the house. ( https://www.feliway.com/us ) ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Why-Use-Feliway/how-to-stop-cats-fighting )

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.