My cat doesn't recognise his brother after a trip to the vet?

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Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice regarding a bit of a problem I’m having...

I have two Bengal cats who are brothers from the same litter. They were separated for a short while as I adopted the first, Oslo, in January 2019, and the second, Orus, joined us in April 2019. I won’t lie, the first ten days of them living together were pretty rough, but eventually everything settled down. However, that’s not the issue now.

They usually sleep together, play together, and so on, but everything changed after Orus had to be rushed to the vet.

It happened this Thursday, 25th March. Orus had swallowed a piece of fabric, so I took him as an emergency to our usual vet. He was there all morning.

Since I brought him back at midday on Thursday, Oslo doesn't seem to recognise his brother—or at least he won’t tolerate him anymore. He’s hissing and growling, and it even turns into a proper screaming match if his brother gets too close.

I’ve tried wiping Orus down with plain water and I’ve plugged in two Feliway diffusers—one downstairs in the kitchen-diner where one cat is, and one in my bedroom where the other is staying. I’ve also tried using those CatComfort spot-ons, but unfortunately, there’s not much improvement...

The diffusers were put in yesterday morning and the spot-ons last night.

There have been a few confrontations that turned really nasty, with a lot of screaming. Oslo, who stayed at home, is quite a sensitive, vocal soul by nature anyway.

Being in the same room led to immediate growling, and during one altercation, Oslo actually wet himself.

This morning Orus tried to approach Oslo twice, which resulted in more growling and shouting from Oslo, but at least he only growls now if Orus gets within about 2 metres of him...

What else can I do? I could never give either of them up...

Thanks for your help,

I hope that all makes sense.

Translated from French
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15 answers
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    Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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    The trouble is, Oslo is naturally quite anxious and timid, whereas his brother is the complete opposite—really outgoing and adventurous.
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    Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there, No, not at all... I rang the vet back this morning and went to pick up some Zylkene, so we'll see how that goes. I’m leaving a door ajar so the cats can get behind it; Orus is meowing from behind it but Oslo won't go near... They certainly both love their food :)
    Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Oh wow, beauties! They really are gorgeous and they clearly aren't missing any meals. So, are they getting on any better now?
    Translated from French
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    Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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    Here are my fur babies

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    Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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    Here are my cats

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    Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there, yes, they’ve both been neutered since 2019. There’s no improvement in sight. Orus, who was the one at the vet's, seems to recognise his brother because he keeps looking for him. I’m still having to keep them separate, otherwise they just start fighting. This morning again, Orus approached his brother with his tail all puffed up to show him who’s boss; Oslo ended up on the floor in a submissive pose. Just as a reminder, I’ve had two Feliway diffusers plugged in since Friday and I've used some calming spot-on treatments, but nothing seems to be working. I even tried wiping Orus down with a damp cloth to get rid of the 'vet smell', but that hasn't helped either. Today I dashed to the chemist to pick up some Rescue Remedy... Can you think of any other remedies? Should I keep them separated for a week? Or should I take them both to the vet?
    Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    By the way, the first thing I should’ve asked is: are your two boys neutered? If not, then look no further—they’re competing with each other, and it’s mating season, so the scent of females in heat will be riling them up. Get them both neutered as soon as possible and everything should settle down. Just keep in mind that it takes about a month for the hormones to fully level out, so you'll have to manage the scraps in the meantime. Do get it sorted quickly, though; the peace and quiet of your home depends on it.
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    Erwann13115 Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, yes, they are definitely cats. Orus has been to the vet and now he’s attacking his brother. Nothing’s changed since Thursday and they’re having some really nasty fights... I’m at my wits’ end.
    Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Yeah, it’s the one doing the attacking who smells the vet on the one who’s just come back and starts hissing to drive them away; it’s completely normal. Are you sure they’re actually cats? 😁
    Translated from French

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