Acting scared of me and flinching

[corrie86]

Hello everyone. My 7 year old cat has been having digestive issues lately so I am trying to get her to eat more wet food but she is acting scared of me and really skittish all the sudden. Flinching when I go to pet her. I don’t know if the change in her food routine might be the cause or what’s going on.
There has been no other change in her environment or new stressors I can think of. I hope i am not stressing her out too bad. I have her yearly vet visit next month but in the meantime I’m hoping she calms down. Has anyone ever experienced this before?

 

[Mr. Meow]

Are you accidentally shocking her with static electricity when trying to pet her?

 

[Remi&RiRi]

I don't have any experience with this myself but after doing some research you may want to take him in to see his vet if she carries on with the same behavior, especially if its abnormal behavior. Worse case scenario could possibly be that she has some hidden pain and may be stand offish because she does not want to exacerbate it, but hopefully that is not the case. You may want to take a look at people who have had similar experiences provided in these links. Best of luck to you!
Change in Behavior – Hiding, Flinching, Difficulty Chewing – Cat and Exotic Care
Why does my cat flinch when I go to pet him? He’s 7 years old and I have never hit him. - Quora
How To Tell If A Cat Is In Pain - Vet Help Direct

 

[rubysmama]

How long have the digestive issues been going on? You mention wet food, so I'm thinking constipation, maybe? If so, she might be feeling really uncomfortable. Is she indoor only? If so, are there regular enough deposits in the litter box? If not, or if you can't get her digestive issues back on track quickly, I'd suggest calling your vet, telling them what's going on, and getting their advice.