Any idea what could be wrong with my cat?

[Meid]

I made a post a couple of months back about my cat not being herself. I thought maybe she was psychologically affected by a cat coming in our garden (we had just moved house and there appeared to be some territorial issues). I took her to the vet, and he prescribed antibiotics. She didn't get better, took her to another vet who agreed she is anxious and prescribed a pheromone collar.
The collar worked for about 2 weeks, she appeared to buck up, then she went back to being more tired than usual, clingy, soppy and a bit off her food.
Now, she has stopped jumping up to the window that I leave open for her to have access in and out. She meows at the door instead. No sign of pain.
I am reluctant to go back to the vets as I can see logically the answer is still that she is anxious. However, she had lots of knocks in life prior to this all starting and never reacted in an anxious way so it was always seeming odd to me that she could be anxious in the first place.

The timescale for all this is now about 4 months.

I am not dismissing her being anxious but I am asking any cat people if they have any idea of a physical issue that could cause all this?

Sorry this was long but any thoughts greatly appreciated.

[cozietoesie]

Cats cover up discomfort or pain incredibly well. Are there any other physical signs (especially with movement and jumping) that you can put your finger on? And how old is she?

[cozietoesie]

Sorry - I found your \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/1739864-Cat-not-herself\other thread} and see she's only 2.

Are you still with the vet in whom you didn't have confidence?

[Meid]

Thank you for replying.

I changed vet. The new one is lovely, but I don't have enough experience with her to have built up faith in her ability yet.

This is my concern - that she is covering up something. But as I'm talking about 4 months of changed behaviour surely a physical problem would have resulted in an obvious deterioration by now?

She is showing no other obvious discomfort. Just unable to jump onto the window sill which is actually quite high. Can jump up on other (lower) things. There has been the odd occasion in recent weeks where we have wondered if she squeaked in discomfort when being picked up, but it is vague.

I know it is all vague, but my gut feel is that she does not have the type of personality to suffer anxiousness.

As it is vague I can see there is probably no real logic in my posting here. I should take her back to the vet. But don't even know if the vet will have a plan B diagnosis and will just continue to say she is anxious.

[cozietoesie]

I think you made the point yourself - it's now been four months and in such a young cat, I would have thought that a physical condition would have manifested by now. (I'm inclined to disregard the not jumping after your description - cats do change their habits from time to time and if she has a willing slave to open doors for her - well, heck. Why put herself out? )

I'm a great believer in gut feelings as I said previously but I do like to have some physical or behavioural evidence to back them up - and I would have thought you'd have got that by now. You could take her back to the vet of course but have you thought that you're maybe a little anxious yourself for some reason (eg the house move which can be really stressful) which is leading you to watch her rather more minutely than you normally would ? Just a thought.

[Meid]

Thank you. You make some very valid points. It does help me think it over.

I have actually started opening a different window that she can get to and that is working.

And I think I could well be being a bit anxious/emotional about her myself. By way of background this cat was abandoned by her mother and hand reared, had her jaw broken as a kitten by a horrid child, got attacked by a dog and lay unconsious for 36 hours before stumbling home, heard her sister cat being killed by dogs, befriended a neighbour who subsequently died which bewildered her, got injured badly in a terrible hailstorm and has also moved house about 4 times in her life.
And through all of this she has always been her usual fiesty, independant self.

So, I think I do see her as rather precious and it upsets me if this last house move has been one knock back too many for her.

I probably need to chill a bit and only worry if she's showing obvious pain.

Thanks once again.