LoveToKnow Cats:AllComments

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Hi Irene,

Any major change in behavior can signal illness. Combine his increased affection with his other symptoms and I think you may be facing either thyroid, hormonal or renal issues with this cat. Hopefully, he is just getting friendlier, but because he is losing weight and having equilibrium problems, I really think you need to take him to the vet. Be sure to observe him closely and write down any symptoms so you can share a clear picture with your vet. And do mention the major changes in behavior, such as being more affectionate.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, My 10 year old cat Gizmo has developed some random symptoms and strange behaviour patterns recently including, weight loss, increased appitite, misjudging distance, falling off things such as the window sill or missing the table when tyring to jump, an aversion to walking on the floor, and a 1000% increase in petting needs (my cat after never being a lap cat has suddenly taken to lying out on his belly on the chest of anyone who will have him, as close to the persons face as possible...) After searching the online forums it seems that Gizmo's syptoms don't seem to tie in with the traditional cat illnesse.Any advice is welcomed, Thanks Irene

-- Contributed by: Irene

Hi Lorraine,

More than likely he is getting onto something and making a leap. One of my cats used to do this too. She was trying to get to squirrels that would run across our roof and go to trees. We just left her up there overnight and after that she quit getting up there. Of course, in the winter, this might not be such a good idea as he'll get very cold.

You can try to watch him and see how he is getting up there and remove that help. He may even be using the roof of a car, for example or climbing up a nearby tree. Your only other option really is to keep him inside. You could try a barrier collar to keep him from running out the door. Your local pet supply should have several options.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My 2 year old cat started going up on our roof about 8 months ago. He would cry constantly for one of us to get him down and we would try to and he would keep running away from the edge where we were able to reach him. We have made many dangerous treks on the roof to get him down but he just keeps going back up. One time he was up there for 12 nights and we finally got him down and he ate dinner and went right back up again. We have tried to keep him indoors but he has always been an outside cat and sneaks out when our other cat gets out. We are totally frustrated as only once has he managed to get himself down. I do NOT want to make the trek on the roof again this winter. Anyone ever had a cat that did this before???? We've had cats for years and this is a first. We don't know how he gets up there as we have blocked a post we thought he may be using but he still manages to get up.. He has been up there for 2 weeks before! Help!

-- Contributed by: Lorraine

Hi Milli,

Cornelius sounds like he is very affectionate. I agree that there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him. He just gets overly relaxed and happy when you pet him. Keep a clean hand towel nearby to wipe off the drool and enjoy his sweet nature :)

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello there,

My male 3 year-old Angora-Tabby mix Cornelius, is such a little lover he purrs and loves to rub all over me but there are a couple of weird behaviors that I noticed from him that range from a endearing to gross.

1) When I lean down to talk to him or have him laying in my lap he will reach a paw out (sans claws) to me and touch my face. He does it all the time.

2) While petting and rubbing him, he starts salivating. I went to the vet and there is nothing wrong with his nervous system or his teeth and he's very healthy but every time I pet him he starts leaking water like a broken faucet. I wouldn't mind it so much if he didn't love to rub said drool all over my arm, hands and head.

-- Contributed by: Milli

Hi Tiffany,

A sudden change in behavior like this usually indicates some type of illness. I would get him to the vet immediately. I'm worried he may have a urinary tract infection. He is likely defecating places other than the litter box in order to get your attention and let you know he is ill.

Do not delay in taking him to the vet. Go the emergency vet if necessary. His crouching down and other behavior indicates a potentially serious problem.

Before you let him loose in the house again, clean all areas where he has defecated with an enzymatic cleaner. This will discourage him from returning to the same spot again. I hope he is okay.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hey,

My male cat, Springs is having me worried. He's been yowling, for a very long time. I think he just does that for attention, or because he wants the door opened. But yesterday, he went poop in the bathtub. He's been growling and hissing and I don't know why. He's also been staying low to the ground when he walks.

Today my father and I were looking for him because we couldn't find him. He pooped near his water dish, that had plenty of water in it. I eventually found Springs under the sink in the cabinet. I fished him out, and he was fine, purring and being friendly. It was a steady purr. I took him upstairs and layed him on the bed, and he looked ready for a nap. So I went downstairs to get a glass of soda, and when I came into my room he was using the litterbox. I made sure not to make any noise to startle him, but when he got out of the litterbox, I coaxed him to jump onto the bed, and he did. But then he started a low growl. He hasn't touched his food for two days, he's neutered, and I've had him for about seven years. Is he sick? Or is he mad at me? Please help me figure out what's wrong!

-- Contributed by: Tiffany

Hi Sarah,

It almost sounds like the behavior you'll see in the wild as a cat hunts. It is most likely that he is simply playing, since he is still a young cat. Unless he gets aggressive I wouldn't worry about it too much. I would get him neutered as soon as the vet thinks he is ready. Try getting some interactive toys, such as poles, to keep him entertained and see if that helps.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I cant believe my eyes! My 10 week old tabby, Bubby, has recently had a change of heart. During the day i am a stay at home mommy for my kitten, but recently he has been displaying very strange behavior and im not sure what it means. He will rear up on his back legs, with his ears back and tail fluffed, he will stand at me sideways and with his chin tucked and hop (in the motion of a teeter-totter) It looks quite strange and doesnt seem pleasent. Do you know what hes trying to tell me?

-- Contributed by: Sarah

Hi Tosha,

I wouldn't let him out. It really isn't safe for him. His reaction may have been out of fear. Get him neutered as soon as you can and I'd keep him indoors, since he has this reaction. Hope that answers your question.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I need help! I have two male cats they are brothers with two different personalities. pookie is layed back but buster is a mess so to speak. he is not neutered yet when he goes to the litter box after using it he scratches everything but the litter, the wall side of the box and so forth. Both of them are house cats. about once a week i take them outside and watch them. I do this so the can have a feel of whats out there. Recentely i let them out, pookie stayed close to the house but buster went about two houses down and after about an hour of being out, i went to get him, he hissed at me and started walking towards me with his fur all puffed up and chased me back to the house. Please explain to me why this happened. That was scarry! all those claws coming at u! Should i let them out? I know the neutering has something to do with his agression, but that was crazy. HEllllllllP

-- Contributed by: tosha

Hi Katie,

Cats actually have several languages or sounds they use for different occasions. Meowese is a language they reserve for humans and what we normally hear. However, she has that instinct there to make these chirping and clicking type noises while hunting. That's all you are hearing. It's perfectly normal, so no need to be bothered by it. Either that, or she thinks she is a dog :)

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

My female tabby makes strange noises.. she likes to look out my window in the morning and watch the birds. But sometimes it seems like she's trying to sound like the birds.. not the pretty whistling birds but the other ones that make a short coughing type of noise. its almost like she's trying to "bark". she actually just started doing this at night too.. she stares at the walls like she's on to something and "barks" at them. It's starting to freak me out!

-- Contributed by: katie

Hi Shawna,

How is he going nuts? Is he climbing curtains and such? If so, that is typical kitten behavior. Kitten proof your house just as you'd baby proof it for a baby and guide him gently in the behaviors you want and don't want. Spray bottles filled with water and a firm "no" go a long way with training cats. If you mean something else, let me know and I'll see if I can help you with some ideas for that.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

When I brought home my baby kitty she acted normal for a month and a half. When we found out she's a he, he went NUTS! Is he going nuts because he has testicals?

-- Contributed by: Shawna

Hi Claudia,

I had a female cat, Jinxie, who did the same thing. She loved shoes. I do think it was the scent of the shoes, because if the shoes belonged to her favorite person, she was in total bliss.

I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as he isn't urinating on them or destroying them with his kicks.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Andrew,

It is a little strange, but cats have different personalities. I have had cats that will knock cups of water over, but I think it is more because they don't want to stick their heads down inside the cup than anything else. Perhaps the bowl is too deep for her liking? You may want to try a shallow bowl and see if that helps.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi. My burmese Tobias loves shoes. Whenever you leave your shoes out, he comes over and sticks his face in them and then proceeds to sit in them, often looking like he is about to pee. We always watch him carefully and many a time, remove him off the shoes to check if he has peed in them, but he never does. After sitting in them for a little bit he lies alongside of them and holds them whilst kicking and scratching them. It is the oddest behaviour to watch. I know that cats are particularly sensitive to smells and that they tend to like shoes... but this behaviour seems to go beyond that. Is it normal or something to be concerned about?

-- Contributed by: Claudia

Since my 5 year old cat, clover, has been a kitten she has always had a particular way of drinking water. After filling her stainless steel bowl with water She proceeds to paw at it until knocking it over and then drinks the water from the floor. Maybe the bowl leaves a metallic taste in the water, but she will also knock cups full of water and do the same. I was just wondering if this is a common cat behavior.

-- Contributed by: Andrew

Hi Kryssie,

Being in heat is actually a bit painful for your cat. Although she likely hasn't been in heat all this time, some cats will go into heat one time right after the other. These back-to-back heats make is seem as though she is in nonstop heat. The loud meows are simply a symptom of this.

Unless you plan to breed her, I would consider getting her spayed. It will stop the annoying behavior and prevent and unwanted pregnancy.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

hi, My cat just started going into heat. She seems to be into heat forever. She started about 3 weeks ago. In the past week though she started meowing these long loud meows upstairs when she is by herself it sounds like she is talking to someone, and now she does it at my door wanting in. She stopped being in heat after the second week, and she was really cuddly for a couple days and we thought maybe she was pregnant because she had gotten outside where we have males. Now she has started being in a heat again. Whats going on with her? Kryssie

-- Contributed by: Kryssie

Hi Lynn,

I'd try a different type of rug. There may be something in that one that is attracting him. Or, you can try keeping them hung on the rail when not in use and only put them down before your shower and take back up afterward. It is a little bit of work, but it will protect your cat from ingesting a harmful substance.

If that idea doesn't appeal to you, you may also want to try some of the cat repellent sprays on the market. You should be able to find several brands at your local pet supply store. You will have to reapply regularly.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

my Siamese cat is eating my bathroom rugs, He is 12 years old and has eating a bit before, but now he is destroying the rugs

-- Contributed by: Rug eating Siamese

Hi Vicky,

Yes, I think getting her spayed would take care of this. It sounds like she is in heat. Some cats can have cycles that last two or three weeks and run right into the next heat cycle. It winds up seeming like the cat is in perpetual heat.

I would go ahead and talk to the vet about your options.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello, my cat is 1 year and 4 months old. For the last few months she has started to meow really loudly in the bathroom and my hallway. She does not go out, never has done, but this behaviour does not seem to be stopping. It started when she was about a year old, which i put down to her having her first season, but she has not stopped it. She will also walk around crouched on the floor with her behind in the air meowing. There seems to be no pattern as to when she does this, if you give her attention she stops, until you stop. I have felt around her stomach etc but she is not in pain, she will play, eat and go to the toilet fine also. She has also been wormed as i though this may be the issue. If i got her spayed, would this behaviour stop and is it normal? I have never known this to happen before with cats but it is now getting very annoying listening to her crying for no apparent reason every night. Plaese help!!!

-- Contributed by: Vicky

Hi Kate,

A cat only has a few ways to communicate with us. If she is yowling as though in pain, she may be in pain. Or, it is also possible that she has some neurological things going on and is getting disoriented. With an elderly cat there are so many different reasons that they might cry out. For example, if her vision is failing, she may suddenly not hear noises at night and lose her sense of direction.

If her blood sugars are off, she may feel hungry and want food.

If she were my cat, I'd probably go ahead and take her to the vet for a checkup and explain what she is doing at night. He will likely do some basic blood work to make sure her organs are functioning correctly, check her eyesight, hearing and other basic functions. From there you can decide if it is worth pursuing further, or if it is just a quirk of her old age. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello, my 16 year old cat has just begun making the strangest yowling noises. Its like nothing else I've ever heard a cat make, it almost sounds as though she's in pain, its a very loud yowl, nothing like a meow. She only seems to make these noises in the middle of the night and they are so loud they wake us all up. I've gone downstairs and brought her back with me but she didn't seem to want attention. She seems perfectly healthy, I can't think what she wants. Any ideas? Thanks for your help!

-- Contributed by: Kate

Hello, my 6 year old cat, Tiger, has the smelliest poop. I have 2 cats and my other 3 year old cat Ruffio goes just fine and doesn't smell at all. However, when Tiger goes the smell fills the whole apartment. I feed them the same food and water and Ruffio has no issues. I think also that I seen a little blood on Tiger's stool, but I'm not sure. What do you suggest I should do? IS there something wrong with his diet?

Hi Karen, The awful smell, coupled with the fact that you've seen traces of blood in the stool might indicate that Tiger has a bowel infection. The best thing to do in this case is take a stool sample to your vet for evaluation. A simple antibiotic might clear up the entire problem.

Thanks for your question, and I hope Tiger's problem is over soon.

-- Contributed by: Karen

Hi Diane Lily,

I've answered your question on the Ask the Cats Expert page.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello, My eight year old spayed cat Hana is causing me much concern. We moved 1/4 mile down the street from where we used to live. The other three cats are fine with the new house and yard. Hana goes back to the old neighborhood for several days at a time and would stay there if I didn't go get her. It is getting harder to catch her and bring her home with me. She has the best of everything in her home, but will only stay a few days and then leave again. It gets cold at night here and she seems dehydrated when she comes home. She will sleep for a few days and eats lots, is affectionte, then she leaves again. Only once did she come home on her own, when it was very cold one night. Thank you for any help.

-- Contributed by: Diane Lily

Hi Katrina,

Is is possible that Ariel is wounded? You may want to check her over carefully and make sure there are no open wounds on her. If you do not see any, it is likely that she is just stressed from the argument. Cats feel stress the same way that we do. You may want to separate her into her own contained area for a few days. Put food, water and a litter box in the room for her and let her stay in there for a few days to calm down, checking on her often. She'll likely settle down soon and be back to her normal self. If not, please don't hesitate to come back and we can brainstorm a bit on how to bring her out of her shell again.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, one of my 7 cats has started acted strangely! My female cat (Winnie)has 4 female kittens, 14 weeks old, also other cats. Because of the litter box being a constant hassle, I started letting them all go outside. The kittens love it! I usually always had two kittens (Ariel & Piper) inside with me, as they were a little more prissy than the others. Last night, I let them all out over night. There was a fight sometime last night between mother (Winnie) and kitten, (Ariel). I don't know what provoked it, but there was hissing, hollering and slapping. I figured it was because Winnie occasionally still lets the kittens nurse and she didn't want to at that time! I couldn't find Ariel all day, and just a little while ago, she was up in the tree, hissing at the other cats. I coaxed her down, but now she is alarmed when the other cats smell her, and she hisses at them. Whats going on?

-- Contributed by: Katrina

Hi Alfrank,

When you say that he whines, is he meowing or moaning? If he is meowing, he is likely trying to tell you something. It could be that he is hungry and wants food or perhaps he just wants attention. Remember that cats are grazers, so make sure you leave food out for him if you do not want to get up early and feed him. As long as he doesn't seem to be in pain, I wouldn't worry too much. Just try to figure out what he is communicating. Did you know that cats don't meow in the wild? Meowese is a language felines have created to communicate with humans. They are such amazing creatures!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

my cats whines wvery morning for no reason that i know of what is up with him

-- Contributed by: alfrank

Hi, Perry,

I have a Siamese who does the same thing. I have always just attributed it to her being happy to see me and fussing a little that I've been gone. I usually give her a lot of extra attention and she settles down after a few hours.

Every cat is different in the amount of time it takes for him or her to adjust to changes. Some cats are very, very resistant to any type of change. Also, cats truly do love their owners deeply and are often very lonely when the family is gone. Give her a few days. I'm sure she'll adjust quickly.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

We went away for Christmas for three days leaving our three year old cat at home alone for the first time. Since we have returned she has been constantly meowing, pawing at us, and following us around. Is this the result of separation aniexty? What can be done to get her to act normal again?

Perry

-- Contributed by: Perry

Hi, Chris,

Korat is a rare breed of cat. The breed is usually strong and stays fairly healthy. They are prone to upper respiratory infections. Although it might clear up on its own, I think I'd go ahead and make a trip to the vet just to be on the safe side. Since we're into a holiday weekend, I would not rush to the emergency vet unless the cat's symptoms change or he seems to be in distress. However, I would make an appointment for later in the week for your cat. Hope he feels better soon!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello

My cat(a kograt) is about a year old and I'm wondering if he might have Pneumonia. When he purrs normally it's its a low deep rumbleing type thing. The last to days hes been very talkative which is not like him at all aloso, when he purrs there is this gurgling sound. I know the times when I had Pneumonia that is what it would sound like when I would breath but in him it only happends when he purs, He still is eating all of his food and drinking his water, sleeps and fights his brother as normal. Is this "gurgling" sound something to worry about

-- Contributed by: chris

Hi, Renee,

I have had several Siamese cats throughout my life and they are different, that's for sure. They have great personalities, though, and are very loving. We have a calico who will eat bread. She'll just chew it through the plastic wrapper, which I find very strange. It may be that she likes the softness of it. It may feel almost like biting into prey to her.

Since she seems to do fine when you contain her while you aren't at home, would continue to contain her with her litter while you're away. It sounds like it will be safer for her and less of an aggravation for you.

She may have defecated because the bread upset her stomach. My Siamese seems to have a very sensitive stomach, especially as she ages. I have to purchase special food these days for sensitive stomachs or she throws up everywhere.

All that said, if she continues to have accidents, it wouldn't hurt to make a trip to the vet. Anytime there is a change in litter box behavior, it can indicate a health issue. Before you get upset, I think this is just a matter of the cat being able to defecate in the kitchen and thus doing so. She may have been a little upset that you weren't home with her, for example. It never hurts to get an opinion from the vet and rule out any health issues, so keep that in mind if her behavior continues.

Let me know if she does anything else strange or her behavior changes again. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hello,

I have a 18 month old female siamese. She's done some strange behavior in the past, urinating by the front door, but I figured it was because she was in heat and after we got her spayed the problem went away. But today, she deficated 5 times in the kitchen and ate the equivalent of 2 slices of bread that she snatched off the counter while we weren't home. Normally when we are gone we don't let her have free reign of the house, but my husband felt that he'd give her a chance to be good. As far as eating bread goes, we know she has a thing for baked goods because she's done that before and I didn't remember to put the bread away. Strange that she didn't choose the chicken I had thawing out over the bread. My husband said the litter box was clean when he looked at it, so I'm not sure what the cause could be, no big changes around the house either. Why is she doing this? And why does she like bread so much?

Thanks,

Renee

-- Contributed by: Renee

Hi, Wendy. I wouldn't worry too much about the food issue. That sounds minor and is probably just one of those weird behavior issues. However, the cat defecating and urinating outside the litter box is something to cause concern.

First, have there been any major changes in the household around the time this behavior started? A new pet, person or even a person moving out for college can impact a cat's behavior. The things I would look at next include:

Has the litter brand been changed?
Is the box being scooped regularly (at least once a day)?
Has anything in the general vicinity of the litter box changed?
Is the other cat pouncing on him as he enters or leaves the litter box?

If the answer to all of these questions is no, I would definitely take him to the vet for a check-up. A sudden change in bathroom behavior can indicate an illness such as a urinary tract infection or kidney stones. I hope this gives you some ideas on how to work with him on this new problem. Please don't hesitate to come back and ask again if this doesn't solve your problem.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have 2 one yr old male cats they each have their own litter boxes but our one male insists on BMing and urinating in the tub or most recently in the dirty laundry we put down the chute or in boxes of clean clothes we have packed away is there a reason for this i am not understanding the has just started withing the last 2 1/2 mos before that he was always using the litter box is it the age they are at? Also my other make ever since we have had him has dug the food out of the bowl making a mess and walking way what is up with that is it normal?or does he have what i call a brain tickle and has mental issues?

-- Contributed by: Wendy

Hi, Jillian,

Is it possible that the cat toy has catnip in it? I have a cat that acts insane when we give her catnip. She almost acts drunk. The other cat doesn't have as severe of a reaction to the catnip toys. I would try swapping the toy for one you know to be catnip free and seeing if this stops his behavior. Check back in and let me know if this could be the culprit. If not, we'll brainstorm some more ideas to try to get him to stop this at least when it will wake you up.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

We have a male cat who is 15 years old. Ocasionaly, when I was home alone with him and it was quiet he would be upstairs making very weird high pitched growl/purring noises. I had never heard him make this noise before. It would feak me out and i would just yell his name and he would stop. I caught him doing this once and all he is doing is sitting there holding his cat toy in his mouth. He now does this much more frequently and very loudly, especially while we are sleeping. What does this mean?

-- Contributed by: Jillian

Hi, Rhonda,

As you probably are already aware, you really can't make a cat do anything. They are highly independent, intelligent creatures. The kneading, as you said, is from kittenhood. It means she is content and happy with you and is feeling loving. You might be able to shift her focus a bit. One of my cats likes to cuddle and I can snuggle her up and go back to sleep.

You might want to start by asking yourself why she is waking you up at that time. Is she hungry? Perhaps a timed feeder would be the solution. Your other option is to confine her to the room with her litter box when you go to bed, so that she can't wake you earlier than you'd like. At night, I usually place my cats in my office, where their food, water and litter is located. This works fine but if they want out early in the morning they just start jumping and twisting the door handle and the noise wakes me anyway.

We have many good answers on this site about why cats knead that will help you understand this behavior a little better. I hope you're able to distract her and get some rest.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I adopted an 8year olc cat about a year ago. This is my first pet. I've learned a lot about her over the past ear. Biut I'm stil lbothered that she wakes me up every morning Kneading my comforter. Can this be stopped in a kind way. I know its from kittenhood and kneading her mother for more milk and its a sign of affection but its keeping me up - is there anything that can be done?

Thanks Rhonda

-- Contributed by: Rhonda
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