Preventing Cat Conflicts: Protocol for Non-Recognition Aggression

After a trip to the vets, cattery or groomers a cat will inevitably pick up new, strange scents. Certain procedures (bandages, medical collars, hair clipping and grooming etc.) may have altered their appearance too which can compound the problem. Upon their return, it is not uncommon for a resident cat to be alarmed or frightened by the ‘alien’ smells causing it to withdraw, hiss, spit and even attack the returning cat. This altercation can seriously damage their relationship, sometimes ruining it forever. This guide provides instructions to help prevent problems.

Key Recommendations

• Separate the returning cat from the other resident cat(s) and place them in a familiar room but with access to all their own necessary resources.
• Synthetic pheromones containing the Cat Appeasing Pheromone have been shown to reduce cohabitation problems so using this in the environment may be helpful.
• Give the returning cat chance to completely recover from their clinical procedure.
• During this separation time, through contact with their home environment, the returning cat should begin to smell familiar again.
• To ensure that the group odour has been regained, once the returning cat has recovered, scent swapping can be carried out (see Harvesting and Transferring Cat Scent resource: https://petcourses.co.uk/free-resources/the-importance-of-a-cats-scent-profile).

• If the cats appear calm and relaxed in the presence of the scent, proceed to face-to-face meetings.
• For repeated problems or more serious conflict (fighting) keep them separated and seek professional advice from a suitably qualified feline behaviourist.