Something is wrong with my cat

[tmwtoty]

Our girl is just under 2 years old, rarely leaves the house (we had to keep her indoors while waiting for her to be spayed, which took a while due to covid, and she hasn't really been interested in going outside ever since) so I know she hasn't eaten anything from outside.

We went out last night, got home in the early hours and she didn't come to greet us, which is unusual but she can be like that if we have been out a while.

I have woken up this morning and she is hiding under the bed, will not come out, I shook her dreamies and offered her yogurt but she will not budge. She doesn't seem injured, is walking fine but seems very frightened.

What on earth do I do? I presume I just leave her there until she wants to come out, but what if she is injured and I can't see? The way the bed is it would be impossible for me to get her out from under there so I can't physically get to her to check her/take her to the vets. I could dismantle the bed but if she is just frightened this will probably cause her more stress.

Please help I am so worried about her.

You need to deal with the fear first. I would lie or sit down next to the bed and chat to her occasionally in a calm voice and soothing tones.

If one of you can pick up some feliway locally, it might help.

Classical music is known to calm cats too.
IME a frightened cat will eventually come out to me if I sit with it for long enough.

If she's then not in immediate danger from a wound etc I'd wait til she's more settled before attempting a trip to the vets.

You can also try other treats, fish (salmon smoked or tinned, soft cheese, marmite, pilchards in tomato sauce etc).

I should say too, when sitting with her dont block all escape routes. She'll feel happier if she knows she can get out without having to climb over you.

@Kat1953 thank you so much that's really helpful I will do that now, I'll get DP to pick up the feliway on his way home from work. I am hoping something has just frightened her while we were out and there is no injury or illness etc. Thank you

Let us know how you get on op, I understand why you're so worried. Chances are she'll be ok though.

@Kat1953 I am doing as you said with classical music and a soft voice and she seems much calmer, her eyes are half-closed and she's slightly purring which is a huge change already, no sign of her coming out yet but I'm just so happy she doesn't look as terrified as she did earlier, thank you so much.

Oh I'm so pleased :)

Stressed cats sometimes purr to self soothe and it sounds like that's what she's doing - which I think, when taken with the half closed eyes, is a good sign. Sure she'll be happy to come over to you soon, poor thing.

She's now very close to me but still under the bed, she's pretty calm but someone posted a leaflet and she shot back to the back of the bed, poor thing I wonder what has spooked her this badly. Thankfully she doesn't seem injured at all but obviously I can't say for sure until she comes out. Thanks for all of your help @Kat1953 x

My indoor cat has done this a few times and I've never got to the bottom of it. She's scared of almost everything anyway, but every now and then she gets extra spooked. Your little one will come out soon.

Could she have scared herself while you were out by knocking something over? Or perhaps there was a noise in the neighbourhood or something. My cat regularly knocks over the clothes airer because he loves to play under it when there’s a big bed sheet over it. He’s always a bit sheepish afterwards and doesn’t know what to do with himself.

Sounds like you’re making food progress anyway. My cat can usually be tempted out from hiding places with a few strategically placed dreamies and me going to lay down and talk to him for a bit.

Poor daft thing. I don't suppose the window cleaner had been have they? Guaranteed to freak my cats out much more than fireworks or the hoover or just about anything else.

She's still not out but she's had some dreamies, we have figured out what has spooked her I think. My neighbours appear to have had a massive argument last night and I overheard the police say the house has been 'smashed up' when they were here earlier so I think that's what's upset her, the walls are paper thin so it must have been frightening for her on her own. I feel so awful now knowing how scared she must have been. Poor little thing.

Oh the poor love, no wonder she's so frightened. I'm glad she's starting to settle a bit, she'll be feeling safer just having you close by.

One of mine did this a few weeks ago. Couldn't work out if she'd got spooked and hurt her self. She perked up
In the middle of a video call to the vet. Obviously after I'd spent money. And was completely back to her normal self by the next morning. It was very odd.

Oh poor thing, hopefully she’ll be ok soon.
I was going to suggest your smoke alarms may have gone off as my cats freak when they do, but it was obviously the commotion from next door.

She's out now, still a little shook up but she's lay on the sofa enjoying all of the attention she's getting. She knows how to make us worry for sure! Thank you all for your replies to this thread, it's really helped I don't think I've ever been that worried about her.

That's good. Glad she's more settled now. They just don't know what they do to us!😄