# Jealous Sibling?



## timetraveler (May 6, 2008)

New guy here with a question...

A little background: About two years ago my wife brought home two male kittens that had been found motherless in the attic of her office building. These little guys (Russian Blues, according to the vet) have been neutered and maintained as inside cats. Their relationship with each other has been one of affection, to include mutual grooming on a daily basis. Their relationship with us has also been of great affection. Lovely companions.

Well, on Sunday, one somehow got out and disappeared for about 48 hours. He returned last night.

Now, his brother hisses at him constantly, is avery aggressive toward him, and stays by my wifes side - defying the escapee to even approach.

We've been owned by cats for decades, but this is a first for us. What's going on?

Thanks for any help.


----------



## Heather102180 (Nov 19, 2003)

I would bet the cat that didn't escape smells an unfamiliar scent on the cat that did escape. Who knows where your little adventurous kitty went off to but chances are, he's still carrying a scent he picked up along the way that isn't settling well with your other. I'd give it a few days. He'll come around. 

When I was a multi-cat household, whenever I brought one home from the vet, the other one would getting hissy. Didn't like the smells that the other brought home from the vet.

Welcome to the forum by the way!


----------



## timetraveler (May 6, 2008)

Well... thanks, folks. If I had taken the time to read through other threads here, I would have learned that ours is a fairly common problem - probably based on scent factors.

But at least it brought us to this friendly forum community, where we can now share in our love of cats.

Good to be here!


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Welcome!

Yes...agree that it's scent related. You can help them re-acclimate a little faster by taking a towel, rubbing on the homebody, then on the wanderer and then back on the homebody. This will intermingle their scents. You can also put a dab of vanilla extract on the back of their necks. This will make them have the same overlying scent and kind of mask the 'offensive' ones.

I'd recommend doing both. They'll more than likely readjust in a couple days, but could take up to a week.


----------

