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Why are my kittens hissing at their spayed mom cat? Is this normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year and 8 months old | 17 lbs

My cat got spayed yesterday, and ever since we brought her home, her two kittens have been hissing and growling at her, they’ve been scared to go near here. Is this normal, and will it go away?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on January 25th, 2018

This can happen after a stay at the veterinary clinic. It should pass in a few days as Stella loses the scent of the clinic. You can try a pheromone product, such as Feliway spray or plug in diffuser, to decrease any anxiety.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Anna M., DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Stella! It's pretty common for cats to act strange towards each other after one of the cats has been someplace new such as the vet. The problem comes from the fact that Stella likely came home smelling different than usual (because she had all sorts of interesting scents on her from the vet clinic), and also probably acting different than usual (either a little groggy from the anesthesia, or a little scared after her big exciting day). That can cause the other cats in the house to feel like she's suddenly a stranger, and treat her accordingly. This is normal, and usually resolves on is own in a day or two. However, if any of this escalates to a real fight, that can cause lasting damage in their relationship that some cats never get over. So, I recommend separating them for a day or two until Stella is feeling rested and back to her normal self to avoid any lasting problems. It's not a bad idea to reintroduce them carefully by swapping scents (trade blankets that the others have been using, or have them in separate rooms for a day and then swap rooms so they get used to each other's scents again). Hope this helps and they are back to being friends soon!

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 17th, 2017

    When cats go the the vet's office, they often come back smelling differently than before causing the other cats in the home to view them as a stranger. This then leads to the behavior you are seeing. I would separate the cats, and slowly reintroduce them to each other. Take Loza, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them all treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let the other cats into Loza's room while she is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If anyone becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the other cats from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let Loza out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep Loza in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other.

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 11th, 2019

    Cats can be very weird in that they can behave this way after a procedure or sometimes even after just leaving the house for a day! It’s very likely that the other cats can still smell the clinic smells on the kittens (the other animals, the sedative drugs, even the suture material). It’s also likely that the kitten does not yet quite feel like her normal self (being spayed is a big deal) and so this also contributes. Go back again to the slow introduction and things will eventually get normal again with time. Rubbing the kitten down with some blankets that have the odors of the other cats may also help (don’t rub the incision!).

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on September 8th, 2017

    The scent of the animal hospital may still be on them. Give him a few days to reacclimate. Consider wiping then down with pet wipes and using a pheromone product such as Feliway spray or plug in diffuser to lessen the anxiety.

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