A German shepherd may be home safe after a vet’s appointment, but her feline housemates aren’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat.
Racking up over 738,000 likes on TikTok (@romancedev), the video, posted on July 15, shows the dog sprawled out on the sofa, looking exhausted. But it is her cats’ reactions that have caught the attention of internet users. One feline cautiously approaches for a sniff, while the other keeps a watchful distance, staring suspiciously from under a nearby chair.
The scene ends with the more-cautious cat silently observing from the shadows—trying to figure out if this really is the same dog they knew before. As the caption puts it: “It’s not her fault she smells different now.”
The clip may seem like classic feline drama, but animal behaviorists say there is more to it than meets the eye. The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) says that cats can experience a phenomenon called nonrecognition aggression. This behavior often occurs when one feline from a multi-cat household returns home after being away—such as a visit to the vet or groomer—and is suddenly treated like a stranger by the cat that stayed behind.
The reason? Scent.
The IAABC notes that the returning feline’s scent is often masked by unfamiliar smells such as disinfectant, alcohol, iodine, or anesthetic gas from the vet’s office. This loss of a shared “group scent” causes the other cats to see the returning pet as an outsider—and sometimes even a threat.
While this phenomenon is said to be unique to felines, one commenter under the video shared: “My dogs and cats do it!!! It’s like parts concern, anger, and afraid.”
How To Help Pets Reunite Peacefully
To avoid nonrecognition aggression, the IAABC recommends the following steps:
- Allow pets to fully recover from sedation or anesthesia before reuniting them with others.
- Reduce unfamiliar scents by bathing the returning pet or rubbing them with a familiar-smelling item from home.
- Take pets on outings together to maintain a shared scent.
- Supervise reunions closely, and if aggression occurs, separate them and reintroduce gradually.
TikTok Reacts
The video has since racked up over 158,000 likes and nearly 500 comments.
“Cat under the table looking like is bro ok???????????” wrote one user, earning 29,500 likes.
Another posted: “The one under the table was almost convinced they gave them the wrong dog back.”
And a third asked: “Genuinely want to know what smell the vet office is pumping out that every animal is ready to square up with their pet sibling or act like they’re strangers.”
Newsweek reached out to @romancedev for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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