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Have you had your own NonRecognition Aggression Experience
Write to your Vet:
[Name]
[Home Address]
[Phone]
[July 16, 2024]
[Veterinarian Name]
[Veterinarian Address]
Dear [Veterinarian First Name]:
Re: What Happened When My Cat Came Home
After we went to our appointment, [tell story].
We are respectfully requesting that your practice begin to give instructions on returning a cat to a multi-cat home. This is easy to do and I’ll link resources below from the website www.felinenonrecognitionaggression.com.
As you may know, cats rely heavily on their highly developed sense of smell to recognize and remember other cats. Each cat has a unique scent that serves as their primary means
of identification and communication. This is quite different from humans, who rely primarily on sight to recognize one another. When cats live together, they often mix their scents to create a unique community scent that represents their shared territory. This
communal scent helps reinforce social bonds and maintain harmony within the group.
Non-recognition aggression occurred for us after our visit as [cat’s name] returned home with a different scent, leading to our other cats in the household to perceive it as an intruder. Cats are inherently territorial animals and will instinctively chase away any “strangers” encroaching on their territory. This perceived invasion can trigger
intense and prolonged inter-cat aggression, which can manifest in various forms:
Turf Battles: The returning cat is chased or attacked by the resident cats, leading to physical confrontations.
Long-term Fear: Cats have long memories and may associate the returning cat with fear or threat, resulting in sustained aggression.
Permanent Estrangement: In some cases, cats may never reconcile, causing persistent stress and conflict within the household.
Owner Injuries: Attempting to intervene in cat fights can result in injuries to owners.
Shelter Surrenders: Continuous fighting may lead some owners to surrender one or more cats to shelters, as they struggle to manage the situation.
Some simple steps we ask of you for cats that are going back home to other cats.
Please give the following written instructions:
1. Have a safe space for your cat’s recovery after he or she returns home.
2. Because your cat's scent has changed, postpone the cat reunion.
3. Let the scent from the visit dissipate and the medicine wear off.
4. Gradually reintroduce the cats following a protocol and judge for yourself how quickly you can proceed. Each cat is different.
Please also include the following in your email with appointment instructions:
IF YOU HAVE A MULTI CAT HOUSEHOLD, YOU MUST READ AT LEAST ONE OF THE TWO DOCUMENTS BEFORE YOU RETURN HOME.
1. How to Manage a Fear Free Return Home
2. Non-Recognition Aggression in Cats
To visually see the reintroduction process, view the Cat Introduction Infographic.
Thank you for making our future visits to your office safer and happier for all our cats and us.
Sincerely
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