Unnecessarily worrying about cat....?

[spydie]

I'm starting to get a little worried about one of our cats....purely based on a change of behavior for the better! I'm not overly concerned, but there is a small part of me that doesn't feel comfortable!

Basically, we moved house 3 months ago. Our previous house was on a main road, and we had cat fencing to keep them in the garden. One cat is a total house cat, and the other, a Siamese boy, likes to go out. One of the factors in choosing our new house was a safe location suitable for cats (and we got that, cottage at the end of a track, with fields and woodland to hunt in!), as he needed to be able to go out and roam really. 80% of the time he was fine and content with his house and large garden, but every now and again would get destructive and clearly wanted to go out and roam. We sadly lost a cat on the road so it really was no option.

Anyway, they settled in well to the new house and after a few weeks he started going out, which was gradually extended for longer periods of time. They have a flap, and were up until recently allowed out morning and evenings (in for bedtime!), plus daytimes when we were in. He's been having a great time, bringing in countless bloody mice and generally seems very content.

The cat flap is pretty useless and he started breaking out of it overnight a couple of weeks' ago. When we blocked it off with a heavy object he resorted to destructive Siamese mode again, so in the end (and after him actually managing to move said heavy object) we just started leaving it open at night. First couple of nights he would go out and come back in, but now he's basically in virtually all of the time! I'm 31 wks pregnant, and get up throughout the night for the loo, and he's always asleep in his nest bed in our room. He basically appears to spend about 23 of 24 hours a day sleeping! He seems fine, is eating and drinking normally but has turned into the laziest cat ever! And this is worrying me!! There is nothing about him that suggests he is ill or there is anything wrong, other than he is spending almost all of his time sleeping.

Am I being totally crazy and worrying other nothing!!??

[ButtonMoon88]

I suppose if you are really worried the vet is the best place to go.

I'm a cat lover and currently have two, when I was pregnant last year their behaviour changed and changed again when DD arrived. Only slight changes but things that myself and DH noticed, things like only eating when I was around, sitting next to me constantly and following me from room to room. Now, this behaviour is reserved for DD.

Perhaps it's something to do with that? Perhaps your cat is just very content? Perhaps they strolled into another cats patch so are now staying in theirs? If there is no physical sign of anything being wrong I wouldn't give it much thought, cats are a law onto themselves!!

[spydie]

ButtonMoon that didn't even occur to me, but yes he spends a lot more time with me now, so maybe that is it. Well, most of the time trying to sit on my bump actually!

I'm not really worried, but just can't place it, it's so unlike him! The only thing I can think of (other than as you suggested re me being pregnant) is he's just so content in that he can completely come and go as he pleases, and so is just not bothered or stressing about having to try and go outside.

[PestoSkiissimos]

Another thing is, it's now turned quite cold. PestoCat1 used to spend nearly all of his time outdoors but now the weather's changed, both he & PestoCat2 are spending about 90% of their time indoors where it's cosy

[cozietoesie]

I was going to comment that your pregnancy might be a factor.

[cozietoesie]

PS - how old is he?

[spydie]

He's 8 cozietoesie :-)

The more I think about, the more I think there can't be anything wrong with him as the first thing he does when he is ill, is go off his food!

[tabulahrasa]

Cats tend to go out late on, come back in overnight and then go back out sort of pre-dawn time and arrive back for breakfast.

So he may well be going out, you're just not awake at those times.