Worried about cat behaviour

[Symposium]

We adopted our boy just over a year ago from a rescue. He’s been happy and settled but I’m getting a bit worried about his behaviour over the last few days. He’s seemed a bit jumpy and yesterday he came running in , rushed around the house crashing into a door bumping his head. He then bit and ripped up his cardboard scratch mat and went to hide under a bed. He’s been wanting to bite and rip cardboard a lot lately and that’s a new behaviour. I’m wondering if there’s something outside that’s scared him? A new cat maybe? I’m not sure what to do, if anything ?

My cats get more boisterous in the house when the weather means they go out less.
He sounds a bit giddy and wired rather than distressed.
Try playing with him more?
Any changes in eating/drinking/toileting?

Yes it's probably another cat, dog or a fox, maybe even a neighbour shooing him away, what time does he go out, does he use the catflap. If he wants to go outside today I'd go with him, give him reassurance, do you let him roam, I take mine out in the garden on a harness and lead. Is he neutered, how old is he,cats can get over excited and have the zoomies but hiding may mean he's been frightened. Can you check him for any wounds.

Possibly a cat encounter.
My nervy rescue cat once hid under a bush for days, wouldn’t come in, when I finally enticed them in they hid under the sideboard, came out to eat when we were in bed etc.
It was around a week before I could finally get anywhere near them and I realised they had a sore on their back where they had been attacked by, presumably, another cat. Not a serious wound, and the vet just gave antibiotic injection as a precaution, but It really did change their behaviour for a couple of weeks.
That said, if biting and ripping cardboard is new, have you checked their mouth/teeth? Maybe something is going on there?

That’s everyone. I’ve checked him over and he doesn’t seem hurt. He is about 3 years old and neutered . He’s allowed me to give him the usual strokes and cuddles today. He has a flap and comes and goes as he pleases during the day but we lock it at night. He hates the rain so it could maybe be that . I don’t think he has any teeth problems. He had a vet check up in October and nothing was noted then. I saw a cat hanging around our front door a little while ago. I’ve seen it before but it’s never come right up to our house before so maybe that’s it.

Here is the beautiful boy

What a very handsome boy

incredibly gorgeous cat OP! Something could have spooked him, but you may never know. It’s likely just zoomies. Weather is grim outdoors so he has energy to burn off indoors. Also at 3 he may still be a stroppy adolescent. One of ours is the same age. Aloof, magnificent lion one day, daft, giddy kitten then next.

We also have an orange boy - he will be three in January - and his "mad half hours" are lasting longer/happening more frequently now the weather is colder, although he is still going out as usual. The last full moon was a particular low (high?) when I had to stop him climbing the living room curtains which I have never seen him do before!

Our usual evening routine is that he has dinner, we have dinner, he gets brushed, then he goes in and out until bedtime, but we are doing dinner/brush/playing every night to try and burn off some energy. Normally I would only do a "play session" if it's too wet for him to go out (although we obviously play with him at other random times when he instigates it) rather than it being a fixed point he expects. He's recently started doing a dramatic FLUMP to the ground with an audible "oomph" when he wants something and isn't getting it which is very amusing.

Gorgeous boy! Have you checked for fleas? My lot go exploring in the fields a lot,
and although regularly treated, flipping fleas are relentless! One in particular is very jumpy and skittish when she has fleas 😾

Thanks everyone. I’m thinking it is maybe excess energy. Since the kids went back to school he’s probably getting a bit less playtime/attention at home and is probably missing that . I don’t think it’s fleas as I’ve recently given him his routine treatment.