Kitty returns from hospital - others don't "know" her any more!

[presto]

I had to bring my 1 year old female to the emergency room on Sunday night because she seemed to be in distress, and had a sudden onset of vomiting.  I thought she had swallowed something.

Long story short:  They kept her overnight and treated her, but when I brought her home, my 3 other cats (one of whom is her sibling) were extremely hostile to her.  She definitely smelled like a kennel (or vet facility), so I assumed this reaction would abate, as soon as they realized who she was.  It has been three days now, and she is still being treated like an outsider!  The others avoid her, and when they meet at the food bowl (or wherever), she gets hissed at and chased away.  She is a petite female, and has always been at the botom of the pecking order.  But they always all got along fine - until now. 

I feel very bad for her, since she went through the stress of a hospital visit, and now her housemates hate her!  I am trying to compensate by being extra affectionate to her, and scolding the others if I catch them hissing at her or being aggressive.  Is this scenario normal?  Am I making it worse by favoring her (temporarily), and making the others jealous??  And has anyone had a similar experience, i.e, when your cat comes home smelling like a kennel, the others react to him/her badly? 

 

[Draco]

Cats recognize each other by smell, not visual. Your kitty smells like the vet and the others don't recognize her through the smell.

Try baby powder. It really helped me a lot! Put some powder in your hands (don't shake it around them) and cover all cats with it, especially around their ears and rump. This will help get rid of the "vet smell" and they will all smell alike. 

 

[AbbysMom]

You can also use vanilla. A dab on the chin and at the base of the tails for all of them should help.

 

[p3 and the king]

Did they give her medicine or an IV of some sort?  It's probably the medicine they smell on her.  It'll wear off but you can try rubbing a blanket or something they frequently sleep on on her as well, that could help.  I don't know about the baby powder, never tried it.  But, it'll wear off eventually and all will be normal again.  Don't worry!

 

[rad65]

I agree with Draco and AbbysMom. Trying talcum powder or vanilla extract on your cats will help them smell the same as each other and get over their issues.

 

[presto]

You can also use vanilla. A dab on the chin and at the base of the tails for all of them should help.

Thanks, I'll try the vanilla.  I don't want them licking talcom powder, and ingesting it into their bodies!  And yes, they gave her an IV and medicated her.  But she just smelled like a kennel - stinky.  In fact, when she slept on my belly for a while, I had to change my clothes because the smell got on ME.  She is very busy cleaning herself, and today she smells good, i.e., neutral - no smell.  But the others are still wary of her.  Thanks for the replies, I guess it will pass.
 

 

[crickets mom]

Hi Presto! I am going through nearly the exact same thing, as I posted in a more recent thread.  Only difference is that it was due to a spay that I had my cat at the vet, and then I had her in the bathroom for 3 days to recover.  Her mama and brother are being really mean to her ever scince, and they used to be the best of friends.  Its been 3 days scince she came out of the bathroom, things have gotten slightly better, but the are still hissing at her. 

Are your cats back to normal?

 

[presto]

Yes!  After days and days of licking herself, I guess the others know and accept her.  She smells like a cat should smell - neutral!  It took longer than I would have expected, but the others have taken her back into the fold.

 

[maxkitteh]

And I have to say, kittys smell awesome! Glad to hear things are improving.