Question:
andre and twix are brothers. twix always loses control when he is taken to the vet. one time they had to gas him because he was biting everyone, and last time he needed a sedative so he would be calmer. today we took andre into the vet for a checkover because he is losing fur. we got back an hour ago. when we let andre out of the carrier, twix came over. when he got near andre he started hissing loudly and laying back his ears. we put him in my sisters room with food, water, and a litter pan while we went to dinner. we just got back from dinner, and let twix out. the minute he saw andre he started hissing again, just as bad as before. he is back in my sisters room. what can we do to stop this? is twix freaking out because he smells the clinic, which he hates? does andre smell different and twix doesnt recognize him anymore? any ideas would be appreciated.
Hailey

Answer:
Try putting a drop of vanilla extract on the back of each one's neck. If Twix hates the vet's that much, it could be the smell he's reacting to, and making them both smell the same might confuse them enough to let them get along. I did actually use this idea once on a cage full of shelter cats who were upset by a smelly new cat (he had been found by the police, doused in kerosene and taped in a box, and even after several baths, he still smelled "funny" to other cats). I gave them all liberal doses of vanilla, and things *did* calm down a bit, at least long enough for then to figure out he was just stinky and not a threat. No best friends came of it, but they did calm down. (BTW, kerosene kitty is just fine and living in a new home )
Usually such things work themselves out with time and space, but in extreme cases, you may need to re-introduce them gradually, as if they were strange cats meeting for the first time.
Answer:
Don't know that I can give much in ideas for solutions, other than ChinChin goes ballistic at the vet. He has since the first time WE took him to OUR vet. We acquired him at nine months from an elderly woman moving into a care facility and don't know what he experienced before hand.
But he doesn't react act all when Chelsea and I go for our twice-a-week 'hydration'.
It could be something in the chemistry-a cleaning agent, disinfectant, or whatever. It could simply be SOOOO many smells that they can't distinguish ANYTHING. Sort of like those things in the park we used to ride around and around and around on and then try to stand up (but throw up instead). Maybe it overloads them and they 'lose their bearing'.
The Vanilla sounds like a nice idea. Might not need to use the Glade for a few days as well. (I keep a few chunks of Vanilla incense in some crannies and the air vents in my car.)
I wonder what would happen with catnip?
Hope you don't need to take them often.
--Meow for neow--
Ethan
Answer:
I've noticed that catnip seems to make agitated cats more agitated and fearful cats more fearful (and I can vouch that it makes my nutcase biter more mouthy and quick to strike) I read an article about this a while back and discussed it with the shelter manager, and all the catnip toys had mysteriously disappeared by the following week. I've noticed that my cage of psycho-kitties (the ones who can't deal with people) have done much better since then, and introduction of new cats has seemed to go more smoothly more of the time.
Just anecdotal evidence, though.
Answer:
I think it's the dog smell. When I take my cats to a small-animal vet, they get all worked up. When I take them to a cats-only vet, then they're fine.

Answer:
I took Chelsea to the vet for her saline IV this morning. As the office was empty, I took her from her kennel in the lobby, and carried her into the back for the treatment-leaving the empty and open kennel on the lobby bench.
When the Vet Tech was finished, I carried her back out and found one of the two office cats (for doing cat-scans, naturally-they send out for 'lab' tests) IN her travel kennel. The 'invader' immediately saw me and scooted from the carrier. But when I put Chelsea in, the 'dander' of the other cat was SO strong she started hissing, but shortly (and optiomistically with my assistance) realized there was no else there but her. She was nice a calm on the way home.
She is still a bit aprehensive about going into the kennel and getting out of it at the vet, but she is rather quiet and settled on the way home, and I think I am doing better about bringing her back to a consistent, unique, recognizable place in the house that she is really familiar with. And she does seem less and less disoriented after returning.
For those who've not met her, Chelsea is an alley rescue. We've had her 9 months now, though the vet asserts her to be around 10 years old. She is spayed, front declawed, has kidney issues (hence the saline IV), and is blind. Search for ShadowCatCH3 and Chelsea for all the details.
--Meow for neow--
Ethan
Answer:
My parents cat has to have a sedative before going to the vet. One of the vets hurt her once (by accident) and ever since then she lashes out at everynoe at the office. So the vet will give my mom a sedative to give to her before they head over. That way Fidget can get her shots and her dry skin treatment without incident.
**Lenore**
Cats are our inspiration, comfort and joy. No matter what we do, they're always there.