My cat is distant and growls after baths. What's wrong with him?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Draco. This can happen. He smells differently, and the other cat sees him as a stranger. Keep them separated for the next 48 hours, then slowly introduce them again. Low meowing and hissing is fine, I would not get worried about that. I would only be worried if there was aggression. I hope this helps!

Poor Nato! It's possible the bath scared him to the point of urinating on himself (which can happen), however if he's suddenly having a behavior change and doesn't want to be handled, or has started urinating on the bed it could indicate an underlying issue such as pain or even a urinary tract infection. It would be best to have him checked out by your vet and a sample of urine tested to look for possible causes such as this. If he checks out healthy, keeping him out of the room he urinates in, using an enzymatic cleaner to completely remove any accidents, and letting him approach you rather than you try to pick him up may help him relax some. Pheromone collars and diffusers can also help reduce stress and anxiety in cats and may reduce aggressive behavior and inappropriate urination as well.

Great question! Washing Rikku and Lucy will have changed their smell, and they now see each other as strangers. I would separate the cats, and slowly reintroduce them to each other. Take Lucy, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let Rikku into Lucy's room while she is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove him from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let her out of her room, and see how she interacts with him. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep Lucy in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other. I hope this helps, good luck!

Hello, I would not consider it abuse to bathe an animal, even though they may dislike it. If Strawberry is so stressed by being bathed that you feel the need to use excessive physical force to restrain her, I would recommend talking to your vet about getting her a prescription for anti-anxiety medication to give her prior to future baths. Gabapentin is a drug commonly used for stressful situations like this. If she is just sad about being bathed, then that is completely normal as cats typically dislike water. Like most pets, they will occasionally get dirty and need to be cleaned, so it is a necessary (though not fun) part of cat ownership. Using treats, like special canned food, tuna, catnip, or toys to reward her after baths may help her cope with stress as well. If she is more smelly than dirty, a foaming waterless bath spray may help to extend the time between full water baths. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I would recommend a full vet check to identify any medical causes for his altered behavior, discomfort and possibly over grooming. I would be concerned about a UTI or cystitis causing pain and a urine sample may be required to investigate further

This sounds like a behavior he has developed. This will not hurt him but if you want to stop the behavior, I would recommend keeping the bathroom door closed at all times so that he does not follow you into the bathroom. If he becomes too persistent, then I would recommend using a can filled with coins and just lightly shake it in your hand to startle him and say "off!" when he attempts to jump up on you. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It is possible - many cats are sensitive to changes like this. As long as he is eating and drinking I would wait a day or two to see if his behavior goes back to normal. If his behavior is abnormal for more than 48 hours or you notice any other signs like vomiting or diarrhea I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to make sure everything okay. You could also ask the groomer if anything out of the ordinary happened this time when he was groomed - if he was particularly anxious he might benefit from a sedative before his next appointment.