My cats are both 3, and we got them at the same time (5 mo and 6 mo) and were super well bonded a week after we got them. They have never been separated. They were like sisters up until I had to take the older one, Lucie, to the vet today. Lucie was acting like she was in pain in her back leg, we got some medicine, she was alright and within an hour, we already were home again. Within just that small amount of time, her bonded ‘little sister’ Aggie started hissing. She hasn’t openly tried to attack her but she isn’t letting Lucie eat, drink, or do anything.
I didn’t know feline non-recognition aggression existed before this. I have never had cats before them.
I used different cloths, rubbed it on Aggie, then to Lucie, and then I rubbed it on the different furniture they love to lay on. I wiped them down with flowery pet wet wipes to get a familiar smell. I sat in there for hours on end monitoring them but it never got better.
Now we have Lucie in the room they usually sleep in with the door shut (to help her regain her familiar smell) and Aggie is in my mother’s room with the door shut, and we set her up food, water, and litter box. Lucie is relaxing and calming down from the trauma.
After several hours of Aggie whining at the door and scratching it, we let them see each other and seemed to only get worse. Both seem super lonely.
They are my emotional support animals in a way. I rely on them heavily, and after the stress of thinking Lucie was hurt, I was looking forward to sleeping and relaxing with them. I feel insanely depressed Aggie isn’t acting like herself at all. Lucie is being completely docile and seems super patient with Aggie, she clearly wants to fix things. We also rubbed my bed sheets on Lucie to get the smell on her. None of this has helped.
I’ve seen people online about their own cats saying they may never fully rekindle. I don’t know what to do. I’m panicking. Is there any way to make this work better? Nothing I do has helped. I don’t want to rush this but I’m trying not to have a break down.
Giving one away isn’t an option. I don’t know what to do. I read why they do this, but I still am asking “why?” and so hurt and confused. It’s depressing seeing Aggie cry for Lucie and then treat her so bad thinking she isn’t Lucie. I’m worried the power balance will shift because Aggie is stronger but they bonded when she was a small kitten and couldn’t do damage.
TL;DR: One cat had to go to the vet. When they returned an hour later, its bonded pair rejected her and is hissing. I have tried many different things to ease their anxiety and fix the divide. I don’t know what to do at this point. Are they ever going to get better? Because they’ve never been separated will this take a long time? Please help! I’m desperate!
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/chy2ck/cats_never_have_been_separated_one_returned_from/
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