Hi everyone!
I have read quite a few similar posts than mine, but none that quite reached the exact situation, so I am posting mine out of desparation.
I have had my cat now for almost 11 years. Let's call him Tiger. As he grows older, being 12 years old since March 1st, he grows cuddlier, too. He's always been a very cuddly cat and climbs on my lap at least five times a day and sleeps on my bed and all that jazz.
I have left the house for long periods of time, either for a summer camp or university. My most recent adventure was a trip to another country and I was gone for almost three weeks. When I got back, he was fine with me and cuddled me like usual. But then, the next day while I was in the bathroom, I reached out to stroke his back and pet him and he yowled as if he was in pain and hid from me. That was last Friday and to this day, he still hides from me. Now, I was very gentle in stroking him, so I really don't know how it could have hurt him.
I am trying to be patient and leave him space. He's also been very calm and quiet, unlike his usual lazy but crazy self. I figure by now that he would be healed if he truly was injured, so now it just leaves the fright aspect. My friends told me he was just sulking because I had been gone on a trip, but if that was the case, wouldn't he have sulked all those times I left for university? I truly believe I might have hurt him, but like I said before, I was very gentle and am very clueless as to how. At this point, I am just afraid he might be dying. I love him very much and wouldn't want him to die afraid of me. Please help!
I have read quite a few similar posts than mine, but none that quite reached the exact situation, so I am posting mine out of desparation.
I have had my cat now for almost 11 years. Let's call him Tiger. As he grows older, being 12 years old since March 1st, he grows cuddlier, too. He's always been a very cuddly cat and climbs on my lap at least five times a day and sleeps on my bed and all that jazz.
I have left the house for long periods of time, either for a summer camp or university. My most recent adventure was a trip to another country and I was gone for almost three weeks. When I got back, he was fine with me and cuddled me like usual. But then, the next day while I was in the bathroom, I reached out to stroke his back and pet him and he yowled as if he was in pain and hid from me. That was last Friday and to this day, he still hides from me. Now, I was very gentle in stroking him, so I really don't know how it could have hurt him.
I am trying to be patient and leave him space. He's also been very calm and quiet, unlike his usual lazy but crazy self. I figure by now that he would be healed if he truly was injured, so now it just leaves the fright aspect. My friends told me he was just sulking because I had been gone on a trip, but if that was the case, wouldn't he have sulked all those times I left for university? I truly believe I might have hurt him, but like I said before, I was very gentle and am very clueless as to how. At this point, I am just afraid he might be dying. I love him very much and wouldn't want him to die afraid of me. Please help!
