Mancat Monday

I didn't have a chance to make a post last Friday, if I had it would have been called Fracas on Friday!  Let me explain....

On Thursday night, Archie and Casper went to the vet for their annual check-ups (Jimmy and Ben had already been for theirs back in May and Kip is on the November rotation with Rio).  After Archie's exam I asked to have his claws trimmed because he is so squirmy and difficult when we do it at home why not take advantage of some professional assistance while we were there.  So off to the back he went with a technician while Casper had his turn with the doctor.  All went well, they were both given clean bills of health and we returned home relieved there wouldn't be any more vet visits for a few months because I find the ordeal more upsetting than the cats!

We're healthy mancats :-)

However, once we arrived home something odd happened.  Jimmy started chasing Archie around the house and hissing at him!  Poor Archie, already stressed from the vet visit hid under our bed.   Perhaps Archie smelled more vet-like than Casper because he went into the back room at the animal hospital, or perhaps Jimmy was just agitated because the carriers had been out and that is never good.

Hey you at the bowl, you stink!

Whatever the reason for his odd behaviour, I though things would resolve overnight but in the morning Jimmy was still being nasty to his brother.  I was really quite distressed about the situation because my boys usually get on so well together.  I posted my problem to our CWB (Cats With Blogs) page on Facebook and got some great advice, especially from Teri of Curlz and Swirlz and Janiss, assistant to Sparkle the Designer Cat.   Teri told me that this is a very common occurrence and that Archie probably smelled like "fear" as well as "vet" and this wasn't sitting right with Jimmy.

my brother Jimmy was mean to me :-(

She suggested rubbing Archie with something that smelled like me (PJ's for example) and that this might help to counter his BO problem.  She also suggested sponge bathing both cats, swapping their bedding and of course separating them if need be.  I thought I'd start with the easiest approach first and spent the day stroking Archie with my PJ's then petting Jimmy with them too.  Janiss' recommendation was to rub both cats with catnip and get everyone happy and smelling of something good.  Luckily we had some industrial strength BC catnip that Archie's girlfriend Tiri from Clooney's Num-Num Fund had sent to us, so needless to say that idea went over very will with the boys!!!  I also dashed out and picked up some Feliway comfort spray which I misted on every cat surface I could think of and two refills for the plug-ins I regularly use that happened to be empty! 

mum says I was naughty to chase Archie

All of these efforts combined seemed to get the situation under control and by bedtime on Friday harmony had descended on the house once more.  Thank you to everyone who posted a comment or idea on Facebook, it was great to get so much support :-)