Why Is My Cat Acting Strange

Not Interested In Favorite Things

As your cat’s health deteriorates, she will lose interest in things she once enjoyed. She may no longer want to play with her toys, may turn her nose up at favorite treats, and may even stop purring when petted. Disinterest in the world around her and a lack of joy for things she once loved are signs that your cat is ready to pass on.

Psychological Stress Or Depression

Like humans, dogs also suffer from psychological stress and depression due to the emotional availability of the owner or maybe due to shifting places. Sometimes, when a family member dies, your dog may become extremely depressed, and you would not notice it, making it even more stressed out.

Dogs become stressed out when you leave them home alone for longer durations. Behind you alone at home, your dog might feel lonely, resulting in your dogs strange behavior when you get back to it. Moreover, if there is an addition in your family, your dog might feel left out and present with weird behavior.

Another important psychological problem with dogs is separation anxiety. It refers to a condition in which your dog develops seriously anxious behavior in your absence.

Why Is My Cat Throwing Up After Being Outside

If your cat is throwing up after being outside, its probably eaten bad food, drank dirty water, or licked something toxic. Cats are extremely curious and extremely responsive hunters. Even if a feline has no intention of eating a bug, rodent, or bird, it may still catch it. If this creature then emits some kind of toxin or is carrying a disease, it may get into your cats mouth. Likewise, cats may scavenge on leftovers. Your cat may have:

• Snacked in a trash can
• Found a decaying carcass
• Lapped up puddle water

If any of this contained bacteria or toxic chemicals, your cats body will respond by ejecting the contamination. Vomiting will be messy and sometimes painful, but its the fastest way to get rid of the harmful substance the cat ate. If it continues for several hours, or the cat shows other symptoms, contact your vet.

Thankfully, cats vomit for less dangerous reasons, too. These include:

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Stress And Anxiety Relief

The first thing you need to know is that you should never punish or scold her for her anxious behavior. Dont have the yell or use harsh tones. Once you have noticed the anxious behaviors, make an appointment with your vet. Untreated anxiety wont probably get better on its own, and will likely become worse over time.

Treatment Of Flea Treatment Poisoning In Cats

The absorption of these anti-flea products can cause poisoning in the cat, even in relatively small amounts. These poisonings can be very mild or severe, the latter being potentially fatal if not treated in time. The most common products leading to flea-treatment poisoning in cats are fipronil and pyrethin. These are the group terms for different types of insecticides and pesticides. The exact amounts of pyrethin and fipronil in a product will depend on the brand.

When you discover poisoning, you will need to go to the vet. They will make an assessment and will determine if hospitalization is required. You will need to bring the product with you, especially if you have used an oral flea medication for cats. They will be able to provide the right antidote which will likely be applied via intravenous fluids.

The veterinarian will wash the cat to remove any remains of the treatment if applied externally. This will help to prevent seizures. Once this has occurred, the vet will apply the treatment necessary for treating subsequent symptoms. These symptoms may alleviate themselves on their own, but there is always a risk it will have affected the digestive system. This includes vital organs such as liver, kidney and brain. The vet may carry out tests to see if these organs have lost any functionality and treat accordingly.

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What Should I Do If My Cat Experiences Sudden Aggression

The first stop any time a cat shows these aggressive signs without obvious provocation is your veterinarian. She can examine your cat and make sure he does not have a medical condition causing the unwanted behavior. If your cat has a clean bill of health, your veterinarian can refer you to a behaviorist who can help determine the triggers of aggression and the steps you can take at home to resolve the problem.

In many cases, simply being aware of the early signals of a cat about to freak out gives you the chance to remove yourself from the situation before it escalates to violence. While you cant always control the causes of the anxiety, owners can often give the cat the space he or she needs to wind down without injuring anyone. With patience and some good detective work, many cats are quickly back in everyones good graces.

Want to learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of aggression in cats? Read an overview of the condition.

Napping In Tight Places

Cats love to slip into small spaces like boxes, dresser drawers, bathroom cabinets, or closet corners where they feel cozy and secure. They may even prefer these places to a comfy pet bed. This behavior can be traced back to their wildcat ancestors who would sleep safely hidden away to help avoid predators.

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Why Is My Cat Panting After Being Outside

Your cat is likely panting because it is anxious, overheated, or stressed. Your cat may have:

• Stayed in the scorching sun on a hot day for too long.
• Ran all the way home to avoid a rainstorm.
• Just left a fight.
• Escaped from the jaws of a predator.

You shouldnt be worried, as the cat will pant until it feels better. You should only be concerned if:

• Your cat is breathing heavily for long periods.
• The panting does not seem to go away.

In this case, you should investigate if your cat has a respiratory condition. It may also be suffering from an asthmatic attack or congestive heart failure. A full evaluation from your vet will confirm if your pet is fine or needs further treatment.

It May Be Feline Cognitive Dysfunction

But if the vet does not find a physical reason for your cats spacey behavior, it may be time to consider feline cognitive dysfunction.

Cats with feline cognitive dysfunction are usually between the ages of 11 and 20. More cases are diagnosed in cats in the older age range, of course, which is when other senses may weaken as well. Hearing, sight, and general awareness can be present in older cats and FCD only compounds the confusion.

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Grieving The Loss Of Your Cat

Grieving the loss of your cat is completely normal. She has been an important part of your life and provided companionship and love. Take that personal day from work if you need to, and talk to your friends and family. If you have other pets, let the routine of caring for them provide some normalcy. No other pet will ever replace your cat, but they all bring different things to our lives and are special in their own way. And most of all, look through old photos and videos to remember your cat at her best and consider ways you can honor her memory.

Interaction With Feral Cats

When indoor cats are allowed to go outside, they are likely to mingle and interact with stray or feral cats. Stray cats tend to be elusive, and they like to keep to themselves.

If your cat stays out for too long, it might pick up some of the habits of these feral cats. When your cat does come home, it will then appear to act weird or out of character.

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They Will Retain Some Kitten Personalities

You must remember that a cat will retain some of its kitten personalities throughout its life. By keeping cats as housepets, we inadvertently make them stay indefinitely in an adolescent state. Because we take the mother cats place, constantly protecting and providing them with food, household cats simply do not grow up.

The individual personality of your cat governs how often it renews its kittenhood. But the good news is that even if the kitten mode remains active, you can expect it to become less prominent as they get older.

My Cat Is Acting Weird And Meowing

Although we may be not speak the same language, vocalization in cats is an important means of communication. Despite its importance, it is not always well understood. To interpret the different types of meowing in cats, we need to look at the context of their behavior. If your cat is acting weird and meowing, it might manifest itself in the following ways:

• Shrill and prolonged vocalizations
• Lying in odd postures
• Excessive rubbing against objects/persons

If your cat is exhibiting the above signs, it is likely they are in their heat period. This will affect them throughout their lives, but can begin as early as 4 months of age. When symptoms arise, it can be unexpected and disconcerting. It is a physiological process which will continue if intervention is not carried out.

Sterilization is recommended by veterinarians. Not only will it prevent strange behaviors in the cat, but it will help to safeguard their general well-being. This is because spaying a female cat decreases the risk of various diseases, as well as stabilizing their hormone production. To learn more you can look at our article on the benefits, disadvantages and price of feline sterilization.

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Behavior Changes To Watch Out For In Cats

Adrienne Kruzer, BS, RVT, LVT, has worked with a variety of animals for over 15 years, including birds of prey, reptiles, and small mammals.

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Knowing which cat behaviors are normal is the key to recognizing any behavioral problems or changes in your pet feline. Once you know what behaviors you should expect to see in your cat, you’ll be better able to identify any changes that may be a cause for alarm.

Ways To Tell If Your Senior Cat Is Ill

Cats are notoriously independent and aloof creatures, and it is always difficult to know what they are thinking. They are also very good at hiding when they are ill, keeping their symptoms under wraps until it is simply impossible to disguise them any longer. Unfortunately, since cats can be just as affected by diseases and sickness as we can, this can make identifying that they are ill, diagnosing them and treating them all that much harder.

Unsurprisingly, the health of your cat will naturally start to deteriorate as she gets older. Age-related changes such as vision and hearing loss, reluctance to do as much physical exercise and even greying whiskers are all natural and unavoidable. However, since your cats body ages must faster than your own, other, preventable health problems may appear suddenly without warning. Thyroid problems, high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes are all more common in senior cats. Learning to spot the signs that might could indicate that your cat is sick can make all the difference when it comes to managing or treating whatever health problem is affecting her.

Here are 5 ways to tell if your senior cat is ill.

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How Does A Cats Behavior Change After Spaying Or Neutering

Generally, cats become less aggressive, more playful, and inclined to seek an owners attention following a spaying or neutering procedure.

If the cat had already reached sexual maturity then neutering/spaying will stop the unwanted behaviors associated with that. Roaming, fighting with other cats and spraying will decrease significantly in neutered male cats. Female cats will stop going into heat.

Could Your Cat Just Be Hyperactive

Your cat could be hyperactive, but there are chances that a medical problem, such as hyperthyroidism, is causing bouts of hyperactivity.

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Experience has shown that older cats are typically more relaxed and not as outgoing as kittens. They may resort to peeing outside the litter box or hyperactive chaos to make a point. For example, some behaviors are food, hunger, or attention-driven.

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Work With Your Cats Veterinarian

If you notice any signs your cat is aggressive, consult with your cats veterinarian to create a solution before leaving again. Some solutions may be as simple as using calming sprays, like the Comfort Zone cat spray, and calming treats, like Pet Naturals calming cat chews, to help ease your cats anxiety and make them less prone to aggressive cat behavior.

How Can I Comfort My Cat With Anxiety

A favorite toy or old scratching post can bring a good deal of comfort to your cat. While waiting for your cat to come around, try to maintain a calm, stress-free home as much as possible. You dont need to walk on eggshells for fear of disturbing the cat, however, and they should get used to your normal home.

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Becoming Loud Or Quiet

Another unusual behavioral change in cats can be in their vocalizations. Normal vocalizations vary from breed to breed and from personality to personality, but most cat owners get to know what is normal for their cat pretty quickly. If you have a quiet kitty, it can be very alarming when they suddenly start to call out to you often, and it can be disconcerting when a happily loud feline suddenly withdraws and becomes quiet. Either way, take the time to listen to your cat and find out what is wrong. They may be anxious or in pain, and it is always a good idea to check with a vet if any unexplained behavior persists.

Causes Of Sudden Aggression In Cats

Youre on the couch, petting your purring cat just like you have on many previous quiet evenings. She turns on her side as you rub her belly, and she kneads her paws in contentment. Then, before you know what happened, she hisses and bites your hand. What gives? What happened to turn your mild-mannered cat into Cujo?

Unfortunately, aggression is not uncommon in felines; in fact, its the second most common reason for a visit to a behaviorist. Sudden aggression in cats is a scary and frustrating problem for many owners, who fear the unpredictable nature of the kitty fury as well as the physical damage he or she can cause in the throes of an attack. In addition to the painful nature of cat bites and scratches, they can also transmit diseases such as cat scratch fever or serious bacterial infection. Cat aggression is truly no laughing matter.

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Changes In Her Appearance

Often, the easiest way to tell if your older cat is suffering from ill health that isnt directly related to her age is by her physical appearance. These may not be obvious at first, but eventually you may notice changes such as:

• Skin problems such as rashes, swelling, sores and dry skin.

• A coat that becomes dry, lacklustre and may have bald patches.

• Gums that are pale or discolored.

• Ears that smell bad, look swollen or red, or that are oozing liquid or pus.

• Eyes that seem sore, watery or clouded.

• Unusual lumps or bumps on her body.

If you notice any distinct changes in the appearance of your cat, you should arrange for a check-up with your veterinarian.

My Cat Is Acting Weird And Doesn’t Want To Play

After reviewing the most common reasons why our cat is acting weird, one other thing we need to take into account is their stage of life. As with humans, cats will change their habits during their lifetime. For example, after kittens open their eyes and begin to walk, they will start to play energetically. However, after some time, this behavior will reduce.

Reduction of play activity is particularly noticeable in senior cats. This is in part due to the consequences of aging. The cat’s joints and bones will become weakened, they will have less energy and they are more susceptible to degenerative diseases. For this reason, regular checkups every 6 to 12 months is recommended for all cats over the age of 6 years. To help you know what else to look out for, you can look at our article on the main 5 signs of old age in cats.

Another reason your cat may stop being interested in interaction is due to depression. If they are unhappy, they may lose their motivation. The reasons your cat is depressed are varied and can be difficult to determine. They may also be similar to the reasons your cat is stressed as not all cats will respond to the same stimuli in the same way. Discussing treatment options with your veterinarian is the best course of action.

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Why Do Cats Act Crazy

No matter the breed, all cats have moments when they run across a room, meow like crazy, and act as if they’re on a racetrack being chased. They dart about, faster and faster, looking all over the place and then suddenly stop in their tracks.

This wild behavior is sometimes referred to as the “midnight crazies” when it happens at night. Your cat may entertain itself with wild activity or jump on your bed to paw at your feet, elbows, hair, or face to get you to join in the fun. The reasons for this wild and sometimes-amusing behavior vary.