Aggression

[Gordon-nobbs]

I have 2 six month old kittens who are sisters they have lived as best of friends till last week when they both went to the vet to be neutered. When they came home one was fine however the other hid behind a sofa for 2 days and has only stared venturing out. Every time het sister comes in the room she starts hissing and growling at her. Have had her back at the vet in case she was in pain and have been given pain relief for her and calming diffusers however they do not seem to be working and the situation is becoming unbearable

[Mrs Kane]

When cats are neutered their normal smell is eradicated so I understand that it's scary for both of them. It's like looking at a best friend with a different face! Some cat may not recognise each other at all even if they've been friends for years.

Here's 2 tips I've found over the years:

Get a Feliway plug in if you can. It will calm both cats down in this time of stress. Place these in the cat's regular resting/hiding spots.

Separate them for a short time (perhaps a day) and lay down towels you aren't too fond of as beds. After 6-10 hours exchange the towels for the kitties. After another 6-10 hours put the towels back in their original place. They'll be able to see the get used to the new scents and hopefully get along better.

If this doesn't resolve the issue then rinse and repeat until both cats are happy. This can be a long process but also a sign that both kits are growing up. If they continuingly fight viciously in the future then perhaps you need to talk about space and what you can do to allow both cats happiness.

[Crewella]

I agree with Mrs Kane, scent swopping might help as they both now smell of the vets instead of home. You could also try rubbing a towel on both a few times so they smell the same. One sister also might be redirecting her upset over the vet visit and taking it out on the other - there's a good advice page on aggression here:

http://www.catchat.org/cat_aggression.html