My cat's recent behavior...

Discussion about pets, familiars, animal totems, animal spirits, pet ghosts, and more. All animal talk, crazy and normal, is welcome here.
MsMollimizz
Posts: 955
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:53 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Lost in Space

My cat's recent behavior...

Postby MsMollimizz » Sun Aug 10, 2014 7:02 pm

My part Maine Coon Charlie, has very recently started smacking electric cords
like they are snakes. This big boy when we lived in an open area, dirt roads,
maybe 7 houses in a square mile, so I had no problem letting him roam for an
hour or so. He generally would make his way back when I called him, so he'd
arrive at the motorhome within say half-hour...
One day he didn't make it back just before dark and went up to the over the
cab bed and stayed there for 3 days. He didn't come down to eat, pee or anything !
When he finally came down his right leg and paw were very swollen and anything
that resembled a snake. This led me to believe he'd been bit, if he would have
been a standard sized cat I would have lost him !
Fast-forward to now...
Why would he just recently start smacking electrical cords ?
The black cord to the oxygen machine was the first to take his strike, took a
towel and covered it up...he started reacting to the same cord that went around
the corner 5 inches, so that had to be covered up, also ! Now that that was covered
I thought all was fine...he woke me up smacking the white cord on the fan in
the bedroom ! Charlie turned 12yrs July 29th...
Could this be due to him looking his sight, his marbles...? Just something they
go thru ??? I cannot afford a vet...
Has anyone ever had this sort of thing occur.
:flyingwitch:
Gentle Light
MsMollimizz
Attachments
bth_CharlieI.jpg
bth_CharlieI.jpg (9.85 KiB) Viewed 1825 times

SnowCat
Banned Member
Posts: 3350
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 6:29 am
Gender: Female
Location: The Spirals

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby SnowCat » Sun Aug 10, 2014 9:32 pm

It sounds like a feline version of PTSD related to a snake encounter.

Snow

User avatar
Pinkpower_80
Posts: 409
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2013 7:36 pm
Gender: Female

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby Pinkpower_80 » Sun Aug 10, 2014 10:03 pm

It sounds like a feline version of PTSD related to a snake encounter.

Snow
That's what I was thinking. I'm not sure how to help him though. :( He sure is a beautiful guy.

User avatar
Echo_of_shadows
Posts: 1179
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:07 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Mushroom Valley
Contact:

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby Echo_of_shadows » Sun Aug 10, 2014 10:23 pm

When was they last time Charlie got something new to play with? Cat toys should be switched around every so often so they don't get bored. Maybe you could get him something to play with that resembles the cords to distract him from the real deal.
To discourage him from certain cords, such as the one to the oxygen machine, you could move the cord from the area and lightly spray the area with a homemade safe cat repellent, then move the cord back when the area dries. Google "homemade safe cat repellent" for ideas.

SnowCat
Banned Member
Posts: 3350
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 6:29 am
Gender: Female
Location: The Spirals

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby SnowCat » Sun Aug 10, 2014 10:28 pm

Check into natural stress relief for cats too.

Snow

User avatar
Shub Niggurath
Posts: 269
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:18 am
Gender: Female
Location: Moon

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby Shub Niggurath » Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:02 am

I'm not sure if cat repellent is a good idea. If he really has a post-traumatic stress because of that snake and you spray the cords he will feel even more stressed because the cords won't only remind him of the snake but will also smell like something dangerous - it might reinforce the trauma.
Giving him a safe cord to play with is a good idea though. It might be his way of getting rid of the stress because cords can't hurt him so by playing with cords he's learning that it's not something to be afraid of. If I were you I'd just cover all the cords in your house and give him a cord or something that looks similar to play with.
I'm sorry for your cat, hope everything's going to be okay :<
Image

MsMollimizz
Posts: 955
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:53 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Lost in Space

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby MsMollimizz » Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:27 pm


Thanks Gentle People for your replies :) It was 12 tears ago he was bit,
if he would have been a regular sized cat I probably would have lost him !
My big boy weighs 22lbs...2 lbs over apartment pet limit !
This started only a week or so when we've been here 5yrs !
"New" toy ? I guess I'll catnip their mice again...
I had to say something to the Lady that comes and cleans for me about
him not bothering the cord to the front room fan's cord; as soon as she
left he started batting at it ! She thought she was playing with him with
the vacuum cord he was already batting at the cord...she wiggled it and
boy did he jump !
His eyes look clear, no clouding... He still walks gingerly around the
area where the cords are covered. I wish I could figure this out !
Has anyone ever heard of a cat loosing their marbles ?
I've tried to ask vets online a question, no one does it for free as far as
I've found. This is really bothering me...I wonder if I can get him to
drink some chamomile tea from my cup, and wonder if it would help ?
Yeah, I have weird cats...we adopted Kidden from sis-in-law when
she went back to Michigan. She's no bigger than a 6mo old and she's
5yrs old... She was a rescue, people found behind the trash can at
3weeks old and no Mom.
I'll let you know if I come up with some sort of solution...
:flyingwitch:
Gentle Rainbow Light
MsMollimizz


MsMollimizz
Posts: 955
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:53 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Lost in Space

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby MsMollimizz » Mon Aug 18, 2014 6:36 pm


I just don't have any more answers...
The cord on front room fan, and now last night when I went
to bed and hubby went to the bathroom Charlie got up on the bed
an balked at the clear oxygen hose hubby uses and has for a long time.
Can his sight be going ?
That's the only other explanation that could be ??? :anxious:
I wonder if I could get an answer from a vet here in town
if I stopped by some time without apt ?
Gentle Light
MsMollimizz

Vesca
Posts: 1091
Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:24 am
Gender: Female

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby Vesca » Thu Aug 28, 2014 6:17 pm

Honestly, even if you can't afford it, I would say you need to speak with a vet. Some vets will work with your budget if you're tight on funding, but for a family member and fur-baby's health seeing a vet periodically is important.

MsMollimizz
Posts: 955
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:53 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Lost in Space

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby MsMollimizz » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:06 pm

I'm at my wits end...
He is searching out cords now !
He woke hubby up yesterday morn' by messing with the cord
enough to make some noise.
I just don't know anymore...?
Time to sit down and talk with him again !
:flyingwitch:
Gentle Light
MsMollimizz

MsMollimizz
Posts: 955
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:53 pm
Gender: Female
Location: Lost in Space

Re: My cat's recent behavior...

Postby MsMollimizz » Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:15 pm


Okay...
I'm at my wits end over this...
Charlie pulled hubby's oxygen hose off his head
the other night ! I'm seriously starting to think
he is loosing his eye sight ??? !
:flyingwitch:
Gentle Light
MsMollimizz


Return to “Animals and Pets”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests