Cat Laying Down On His Side Much More Than Usual

[BagheeraMom817]

Hi everyone,

I’m a long-time lurker on this site (so helpful!) but this is my first post. I don’t know if this even constitutes as a problem or not, but I just wanted to be sure...

Here’s the backstory: I’m a first time cat owner. I adopted my boy about 10 months ago, he’s a domestic shorthair mix who was 7 when I got him, so he’s almost 8 now. He’s a wonderful cat, very social, affectionate, and friendly...my family thinks he might have some oriental-type breed in his ancestry, as he has a “pointy” sort of face, is very active and vocal, and doesn’t shed too much.

He adapted pretty well to his new home; we had some ups and downs but overall he’s quite well adjusted. A few weeks ago, though, I noticed he seemed to be getting more timid...not really wanting to be pet as much, hiding under the tables or beds a bit more. I thought this was maybe due to my sister moving back in for the summer, which probably shook up his “routine” (when my sister’s gone, her room is basically the cat room, so his “space” wasn’t really his anymore...).

Anyways, after some encouragement and giving him his space, he seemed to go back to normal, soliciting petting, following me around. Now a new change has appeared: he seems to be lying on his side a LOT more, on the floor, in bed, on the couch, wherever. He definitely “loafed” a lot before, but rarely lay on his side...my question is, is this indicative of a underlying health/behavior problem? I absolutely don’t mind if he just doesn’t feel as active as before, or that the summer heat is just making him more lethargic, but I’m terrified that I’m somehow reading this wrong and he’s in trouble...

Sorry for the long backstory! If there are any other background details that may be relevant I’ll post them as well. Thanks so much in advance for any insight anyone can offer.

 

[tabbytom]

Hi everyone,

BagheeraMom817, welcome to TCS!

Some possibilities may pop up as to your kitty's behavior. It could be due to your sister moving back as to him, your sister is a stranger and he's not use to her. It'll take some time for your kitty to get used to her presence. Have your sister interact more with him and have nice soft conversation with him. Once a routine is established, he should not be afraid.

Laying on her side maybe is that he's already quite confidence having your sister around and with cats, exposing their belly means theiey are confident where they are and people around are trustworthy.

If you think the summer heat is getting into him, turn on the fan or a/c for him and get him to drink more attar to keep him cool.

Lastly if you think that this behavior is due to health, it could be stress or maybe other causes as he's 8 years old now. Here are some articles for you to read :-


cat-acting-strangely-heres-what-it-could-mean.33905

how-to-get-a-cat-to-come-out-of-hiding.33840

solving-cat-behavior-problems-the-key-ingredient.33493

you-your-cat-and-stress.32758

is-your-cat-stressed-out.30307

six-surefire-strategies-to-reduce-stress-in-cats.30316

Observe him for awhile and see if any of the things mentioned in the articles fit the description and especially those that need the vet's attention as in health related, please do not hesitate to bring him in for a good check by the vet.

 

[Mishaxhi]

Like the above poster, I'd say lying on the side definitely exudes confidence. When my cat is anxious or hurting he tends to lie flat with his tail tucked to the side and paws underneath... which, incidentally, is also what he might do to preserve heat in the winter. Lately I've been noticing the same thing as you, very inactive during the day and spreading himself out - preferably on a hard, cool surface like the bathtub. I'm too broke for AC, so we're just gonna have to suffer together.

Really, I wouldn't worry about it unless he's hiding or being asocial - and it sounds like that's improved. If you're really concerned, observe him when it's cooler (early morning, or with AC pumped) and see what he does.