non-recognition aggression

Our civvie Pepper had dental work done yesterday, pretty extensive with quite a few extractions. By the time we brought the poor guy home last night he was still loopy from the anesthesia, tongue hanging out, and stumbling a bit. He ate a decent amount and his condition has improved a bit, although he reminds me of how I was right after I had my wisdom teeth taken out in high school.

The problem is that Zulu doesn't seem to recognize him. I guess Pepper smelled "off" enough that Zulu is taking an aggressive stance, hissing at poor Pepper whenever he dares to be in the same room. Of course, after doing some Googling I realize I handled the reintroduction poorly, but I've never had this issue before. Has anyone else gone through this? The vet suggested I keep Pepper isolated until he starts acting more like his old self. Poor cat just had his pearly whites yanked and now he has to be locked away in the bedroom. Hopefully Zulu comes around soon.

 

I only had that happen for a couple of hours. Jones was gone for three days to the ER. I didn't think anything of it. Brought him home and let him loose.

 

Can last a day or so

 

Anytime Willow has to have something done at the vet, Mia hisses at her for a couple of days afterwards.

 

It's normal.....they "smell" funny and also aren't acting like themselves.

Best to put him in a quiet room for the night, let him sleep it off and take a towel or sock or something and rub on Zulu...then go rub the same thing on Pepper (and vise versa) .....it will help to scent-swap

 

I've heard this 1,000 times, just never seen it. Lets flip things around. You just had your wisdom teeth out, you just want to crawl into bed and have only one Tylenol 3 left and I decide that now is a good time to sniff your butt? Dickson!!! Get out!!!!
You're not going to use the spray bottle on me are you?

 

Thanks everyone - guess we just have to wait it out. Zulu was still hissy at breakfast, so before I left for work I closed up Pepper in the bedroom with a litterbox and some food. He didn't really seem to mind too much, still hopped up on bupe. I'll try the towel trick when I get home tonight.

 

@ZulusMom What I said last night would have been funny to a 12 year old but I think I pushed things a little too far. It wasn't mean spirited, just childish. Like I tell my wife, you're only young once but you can be immature forever.
Let's start again. Cats come home from surgery, they're not happy about it and they have all kinds of new smells. You did what I would do, keep him away from stairs and let him sleep. Maybe you'll have the same experience I had, a little turd dead center on my pillow.
I'll share a little secret with you. I am deathly afraid of the dentist and need valium just to have my teeth cleaned. My health plan pays for nitrous oxide and it's great. Time passes quickly, you're not out of it and you can drive home 10 minutes later.

 

No worries - I didn't read it as mean spirited at all.

 

LOL, same here
My dentist gives me shots BEFORE he can examine my teeth

 

They seem unaware of the pain they inflict. And please, consider shaving your hands and possibly your knuckles before you shove them down my throat and then ask me what I've been watching on TV lately. (and that day old Old Spice you're wearing isn't helping) I have trigeminal neuralgia so if the wind blows the wrong way I'm in agony, please stop vibrating my head.

 

Don't necessarily mean to bump this post, but just wanted to update it in case anyone else ever goes through this. I had to leave my fur babies in DH's care for three days for a funeral out-of-state. Pepper was in awful shape when I left, still swollen up, drooly, barely moving except to find another place to lay down, and not overly interested in food. Updates from DH were not good, and it sounded like he would need to go back to the vet before his 2 week check-up. Well, happy to say, when I got in last night, he came to the door to greet me, ate some Tiki Cat with no issues, and was up for playing. DH was stunned when he got home from work, since Pepper had refused to eat breakfast and things were still pretty bleak. Guess he just needed his "mom-mom" to help him turn the corner. As for Zulu, there was no hissing until they both went to use the litter boxes at the same time and Pepper got in his personal space (we have 3 boxes but they're all in the same closet, tiny apartment problems). But they're tolerating each other enough to both sleep on the bed with us again, and Zulu is taking the time to actually sniff Pepper out a bit before deciding whether or not to get defensive. So, it took just about a full week for things to go back to [mostly] normal. I guess the moral of the story is to be patient.