On hissing after ER visits - I’ve had this too with one of my cats. When either of the other two would visit the vet, on their return, she wouldn’t recognize them, as cats are so driven by smell and now the one who went to the vet smelled differently and perhaps moved differently too if she had to have anesthesia. There was hissing and all kinds of drama and stress and we had to do a slow re-introduction and wait for the cat who visited the vet to ‘air out’ and get back to her normal scent.
Yes—so well said. It’s wild how something as simple as a change in scent can disrupt the whole dynamic. Thanks for sharing the slow re-intro tip—such a helpful reminder that cats often need time to recalibrate after something stressful (especially with things like anesthesia in the mix). Glad your crew was able to settle back in!
Thanks so much for sharing that! I love the idea of using wipes to help neutralize the vet smell—especially if it helps ease the transition back home. I’d just add a gentle word of caution: some wipes (even pet-branded ones) can contain ingredients or fragrances that might irritate a cat’s skin or be toxic if they groom themselves right after. I try to stick with unscented, vet-approved wipes when needed—and I’m always a fan of pairing that with something more cat-led, like color therapy or giving them a safe, familiar space to recalibrate on their terms. Appreciate you chiming in! 🐾
On hissing after ER visits - I’ve had this too with one of my cats. When either of the other two would visit the vet, on their return, she wouldn’t recognize them, as cats are so driven by smell and now the one who went to the vet smelled differently and perhaps moved differently too if she had to have anesthesia. There was hissing and all kinds of drama and stress and we had to do a slow re-introduction and wait for the cat who visited the vet to ‘air out’ and get back to her normal scent.
Yes—so well said. It’s wild how something as simple as a change in scent can disrupt the whole dynamic. Thanks for sharing the slow re-intro tip—such a helpful reminder that cats often need time to recalibrate after something stressful (especially with things like anesthesia in the mix). Glad your crew was able to settle back in!
There are unscented and scented pet wipes that could help make a returning cat smell “neutral” when returning home.
Thanks so much for sharing that! I love the idea of using wipes to help neutralize the vet smell—especially if it helps ease the transition back home. I’d just add a gentle word of caution: some wipes (even pet-branded ones) can contain ingredients or fragrances that might irritate a cat’s skin or be toxic if they groom themselves right after. I try to stick with unscented, vet-approved wipes when needed—and I’m always a fan of pairing that with something more cat-led, like color therapy or giving them a safe, familiar space to recalibrate on their terms. Appreciate you chiming in! 🐾
Woo is right up my alley. Woo be good. Thanks for some of it.