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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat freaked out

42 replies

whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:08

My cat has been acting strangely since I've seen him this morning.

He keeps walking around in slow motion, sniffing everything and being on edge. He has been getting freaked out by things left lying around the house that have always been there. For example, ds' plastic sword and does that paw tapping thing with it. He is acting like he is completely paranoid.

He is an indoor cat and nothing different has happened since last night, when he was completely normal! It's almost as if he can sense another cat in the house - which is not the case.

Any ideas? He was so edge he didn't have his usual morning naps, but is now fast asleep.

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cozietoesie · 30/07/2014 17:10

How old is he, whethergirl ?

Original poster
whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:15

Oh yes, meant to say, he has just turned 1.

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Original poster
whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:16

And neutered!

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IScreamForIceCream · 30/07/2014 17:18

Could another cat have snuck in albeit briefly and he can smell that?

Is it the weather, are you due a thunderstorm? Makes my cats go a bit odd.

cozietoesie · 30/07/2014 17:19

Ah - his behaviour sounded a bit like Seniorboy when he had what I suspect was a little stroke a while back - but he's a much older cat.

Are you completely sure that nothing untoward has happened in the house since you've been away - or that another cat could either have got in or, for example, sprayed on the outside of the front door? (He would likely be able to smell that if it was the case.)

I assume he's neutered?

cozietoesie · 30/07/2014 17:20

Sorry - x post.

Original poster
whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:23

I was thinking that IScream but I don't think that's possible. I've never seen another cat in my garden (except when I had my previous outdoor cats and they would just come to fight). The garden door has been open but only when I've been at home, I would have known if one came in, my house is very small. He'll normally stay inside. At most, he sits by the doorstep, and if feeling very brave, he might even sit on the outside bit of the doorstep. Until he hears a plane and comes running back inside. So not the bravest of cats generally!

I'm wondering if something of ours got a bit of cat piss on it somehow, from outside, and that's what he can pick up?? Clutching at straws here!

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Original poster
whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:27

It's the first time he's been like this and we've had a few thunderstorms of late.

cozietoesie - didn't think that kind of behaviour could be linked to something like a stroke. He does have a grade 4 heart murmur so I hope it's not connected to that.

He was absolutely fine last night. All I've done is go to bed...although the bedroom window was slightly ajar but it would have taken a very determined and stealthy cat to come through that window unnoticed.

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Original poster
whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:28

Hmm, just realised that "determined and stealthy" is actually quite a good description for a cat! I don't think it would have been possible for another cat to climb through though.

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cozietoesie · 30/07/2014 17:31

They can be - stealthy and determined, that is.

I'd reckon he's smelled another cat in some way - especially if he's a scaredycat, that might have unsettled him.

Maybe let things go on as normal and see how his behaviour is for the next few days? (And keep an eye on the garden to see if you notice - say - a mean tom hanging around.)

Original poster
whethergirl · 30/07/2014 17:44

Yes I think I agree cozietosie, somehow another cat smell has invaded my cat's sniffing space. Will keep an eye. Thank you.

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Original poster
whethergirl · 31/07/2014 22:40

No better today Sad

Still sniffing everything constantly, walking very slowly with a low back and acting edgy. Then this morning we heard some banging and crashing in ds' bedroom, and the cat came running out with a fluffed up tail. The long mirror in ds' bedroom had fallen down. It is normally propped up against a wall and has never fallen down before, in fact the cat normally likes to sleep in front or behind it. It would take a lot for that mirror to fall down. I'm guessing, given his edgy behaviour, maybe his reflection surprised him and he attacked it?

We were out the whole day, when we came back this evening he didn't come to the front door to greet us as usual. He was on his cat tree, and although purring and happy to see us, would not get down for ages.

He is now refusing to go into ds' bedroom.

I just don't understand. It seems so unlikely that another cat would have got in. And if a cat had sprayed anywhere in or near the house, surely I'd be able to smell it?

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cozietoesie · 31/07/2014 22:49

Not necessarily - they have really sensitive noses.

Was the house shut up tight when you were away? (No half open windows upstairs or anything?) His being up high and refusing to come down suggests an intruder almost.

Original poster
whethergirl · 31/07/2014 23:05

Yep, all windows and doors definitely locked every time I go out. The night before he was affected, I had the small top part of the window partially open, no cat has managed to get through there before - not even my previous cat who was very adventurous. There is no way to climb it really, as there is a big window bit below it and so nothing to grab and climb.

It's not one area he is sniffing either. He is currently walking around the sitting room and sniffing everything, the floor, the sofa, the TV, the curtain. He even sniffs his food before he eats it. It's as if it's the first time he has been in this house.

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Original poster
whethergirl · 31/07/2014 23:06

And he won't play Sad

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cozietoesie · 31/07/2014 23:12

When did he last see the vet?

gamerchick · 31/07/2014 23:15

This is the second thread I've read tonight on different boards about cats acting out of sorts.

I wonder if there's some extreme weather coming or something.

crazynanna · 31/07/2014 23:21

My housecat one day last week was miaowing madly at me and walking around on circles near the back door. She was going on for about an hour, and I thought it was the pelting rain. Turned out it was a baby fox sheltering from the rain under an old chest of drawers right in front of the back door . Poppy must have felt a bit threatened it being do close to her door

crazynanna · 31/07/2014 23:28

She also gets like your cat,OP, if neighbours are drilling, or roadworks outside or a day when lots of rumble loud lorries are going by

Original poster
whethergirl · 31/07/2014 23:54

cozietozie he last saw the vet about 5 months ago.

Oh really gamerchick, how strange, I will look that thread up. My friend is a bit woo and is convinced my cat is picking up some other presence!

crazynanna - I will have a wander around the outside of the house tomorrow to see if I can spot anything. He is quite jumpy generally with noises, but we've had building works going on for ages outside and also my neighbour fixes motorbikes so he is kind of used to it.

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Original poster
whethergirl · 31/07/2014 23:55

He keeps doing that weird thing of staring into the distance as if he can see something!

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cozietoesie · 01/08/2014 08:12

I'm not altogether comfortable with what's been happening. I'd see how things go over the weekend (trying to keep strictly to his routine where possible and checking the place out again as you suggested) but if no improvement by, say, Sunday, I think I'd have him up to the vet for a check up.

Best of luck.

Original poster
whethergirl · 01/08/2014 10:17

Still no improvement today. Was holding off going to the vets because he is already so unsettled. I'll go pop into the vets without him today and see what they say.

It's so upsetting to see Sad.

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cozietoesie · 01/08/2014 10:27

Might be a good idea to make a little list of what's been happening before you go (if you do) so that you can give it to them. It's very easy, once you get there, to just come out with - 'Oh he's not himself' rather that telling all the circumstances.

Let us know how things go anyway.

crazynanna · 04/08/2014 14:33

How are things. OP?