Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The litter tray

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

Cat’s behaviour has changed

5 replies

FeatheryFlorence · 05/12/2025 20:55

My senior cat is 16 (at least - he’s a rescue), and over the past few days his behaviour has become distinctly odd.

He yowls if he can’t see me - loud and distressed, ow ow ow. If I go and find him and try to comfort him, he attacks me. This is completely out of character. He kept attacking me in bed last night, biting my arm again and again. When I got up to get some water, he savaged my legs.

He bit me again this morning, and we had more yowling, then he settled and had a nap. He woke up and started to stalk the other cat, while she was walking past minding her own business. He pounced on her and bit her ear. She got away and I separated them. They made up and have been napping together on and off today.

He’s just woken up and has attacked me again, growling, and was hanging off my arm by his teeth - I couldn’t unhook him.

He’s been to the vet for blood and urine tests last week, and all fine. He does have to go in for some dental work next week, and I wondered if his teeth were hurting.

He usually sleeps on my pillow, but couldn’t settle last night, and alternated between trying to curl up on my head and attacking me.

Any ideas? I love him to bits but the constant yowling is driving me nuts!

OP posts:
Sillysoggyspaniel · 05/12/2025 21:32

I'd say he is 100% sick, you just haven't figured out what the issue is yet 😢

FeatheryFlorence · 06/12/2025 06:17

Thanks - I’m taking him back to the vet on Monday.

OP posts:
Raggededges · 06/12/2025 06:21

I would guess he is in pain. When my cat's behaviour changed it was a sore tooth, confirmed by a few days pain killers which had her back to normal. She had 3 teeth out a week later and is completely back to normal.
I wouldn't rule out hearing or eye sight issues at that age but I presume he had an eye exam at the vets?
I would definitely ask to trial some pain relief.

snoopythebeagle · 06/12/2025 08:25

Dementia.

sodabreadjam · 06/12/2025 14:14

One of our cats had dementia and attacked our other cat because she didnt recognise her. The aggressive behaviour came on a lot more gradually, though, and she didn't ever attack us.

With the rapid onset I suspect there is something physically wrong with your cat. Good that you have booked a vet's appointment.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread