- Joined
- May 3, 2012
- Messages
- 4
- Purraise
- 0
Hi, this is my first post so I'll provide some background. We have a 4 year old girl kitty (spayed) who is a bit anti social but otherwise a very good cat. She's a bit aloof (I think it's gotta be a black cat thing), but she's really good about never using her claws or playing too hard or being aggressive.
We normally sleep with our windows open when it's nice - but there are screens there too. Kitty loves windows and often sleeps in the sill or right close by. Wednesday morning at about 4am I heard what I thought was something hitting up against the window screen and then a strange cat vocalization (I don't remember this 100% because it startled me awake). I went into the bedroom where I heard the noise some from and literally all hell broke loose.
Our kitty made the most god awful noises I've ever heard. The only time I've ever heard anything similar was if I had accidentally stepped on her tail, and she'd give me a quick yell but then just look at me like "dude, watch out". This was a similar yowl, but drawn out loooong and directly at me - she was basically screaming at me. When she wasn't screaming, she was doing a low pitched growl and hissing constantly. This absolutely scared the hell out of me and I was sure that either:
1. another animal had managed to get through the window and she was attacking it
2. a demonic presence had come through the window and possessed her
3. she had some kind of seizure or something
She was in such a panic to get away from me that she ran out of the room, bouncing off the walls. My wife is freaking out at this point because she's in the other room and doesn't know what's going on. I can't explain it either. She runs back into the room I'm in and immediately gives me more screaming, hissing and growling. It may sound lame but it was honestly absolutely terrifying.
She hid under the bed and was so stressed she peed just a little bit. We could only guess that maybe she was just freaked and would be ok in the morning. We tried to sleep (obviously very shaken up) and I got up at about 6am. She was in front of the now-closed window and as soon as she saw me, she gave a quick hiss and retreated under the bed again. Any time I'd get close to the bed, she'd start screaming - by this time, I hate this sound.
We were sure at this point that she may have been in pain or had an infection of some sort, so we made an appointment with the vet. Mind you, kitty has never been to the vet, or in a pet carrier - so I figured that this process would be as traumatizing as everything else we had done so far. We went and bought a pet carrier and came back. My wife managed to get her into the carrier by wrapping her up in a large sheet - she had to do it alone because the cat, I assume, was still associating the previous night's trauma with me, and would growl whenever she saw me. This sucks even worse because I've had that cat as a baby and am used to her being the opposite - apprehensive towards everyone BUT me. Once she was in the carrier, she immediately got calm and barely made a peep. She actually fell asleep on the way there and in the vet lobby. The fact that she seemed so out of it just made me think even more that something HAD to be wrong. I couldn't believe she wasn't flipping out.
So we got into the vet's exam room and he opened up the pet carrier and kitty was low to the ground, but fine. They actually commented on what a sweet kitty she was and how well she was doing. She tolerated all the exams and handling and was totally fine the whole time. The doctor checked out her bladder and abdomen to make sure it wasn't a urinary issue, took her temp and heart rate and made her walk a bit to see if she seemed injured. The only thing he said was that her heartrate was flying at like 250 (and then down to 230) bpm, but he assumed it was just because she was really stressed and nervous, and apparently some cats show that by hiding her head like she was trying to do. He suspected that there was probably an altercation with a raccoon or another cat or animal on the other side of the window that got her spooked, and that it would just take her a bit to get over it. He gave her a shot of buprenophine because he said if she was in pain, it would help, and if she wasn't - it wouldn't do anything but sedate her a little bit.
We got her home and opened up the pet carrier and she seemed to be acting pretty normal, but obviously a little stoned from the shot. She walked into the kitchen and just kinda plopped down on the floor, which is not totally abnormal, but she doesn't usually lay there unless she's begging for wet food and trying to look cute. I laid down on the floor with her and gave her lots of loving, and she was reciprocating with purrs. Her face was practically melting into the floor - she was pretty out of it, but seemed to be enjoying the affection.
We then had to split and go pick up a prescription for my wife, and kitty retreated to a hiding spot she has under our bed. We were so freaked out about the previous night (and I know this sounds crazy) - that we made sure to check on kitty throughout the afternoon by just petting her under the bed and making sure she was still breathing and stuff - but we stayed the night at my parents. There's like a 99.9% chance that a similar incident would never happen the very next night, and she always sleeps in the window - but we just didn't want to repeat the previous night again and unfortunately felt really weird about being in our house.
This morning I dropped my wife back home on the way to work and checked things out with her. Kitty had finished off her wet food and had some water, and there was evidence of litter box use - so all those things are good. Only thing is, she's still hiding out quite a bit. She has been known to disappear for a bit whenever we have left for 2-3 days and had someone unfamiliar checking on her and feeding her - so I'm not extremely worried but just want some reassurance I guess.
1. What do you guys think - was it just another animal that spooked her and then me immediately running in and freaking out made her associate me with the outside threat? My dad told me that they have their cats confined to the (large) finished basement when it's bed time because they make all sorts of god awful noises at bats, each other, birds, chipmunks - whatever they happen to see outside. He actually mimicked the exact sound our kitty made, so that made me feel a little better like it was just a normal reaction that I walked in on and overly freaked out about.
2. Do you guys think it's normal that she's kinda hiding out and retreating after being to the vet? I suspect that the sedative wore off after a few hours but she just feels safe in her hiding places and will take a little bit before she's prowling around again. Just stinks because I would feel better if I saw her right when I got home and she gave me some affection and I knew she was ok with me again - I hate that I was associated with that threat specifically. Not trying to take it personally, though.
3. We thought about trying a Feliway diffuser - not because she pees outside the litter box or has ever been aggressive, but more because my wife's mom (who has a veterinary background) swears by them and uses them in her house. They have had a positive effect on her cat Skyler, who now likes to sit on laps and cuddle a bit more than he ever used to, apparently. We were wondering if trying one of them out would just calm any residual kitty nerves from everything that's gone on - the spooky night, the vet visit, etc.
Sorry this was so long - thanks for reading and I'd really appreciate any advice!
We normally sleep with our windows open when it's nice - but there are screens there too. Kitty loves windows and often sleeps in the sill or right close by. Wednesday morning at about 4am I heard what I thought was something hitting up against the window screen and then a strange cat vocalization (I don't remember this 100% because it startled me awake). I went into the bedroom where I heard the noise some from and literally all hell broke loose.
Our kitty made the most god awful noises I've ever heard. The only time I've ever heard anything similar was if I had accidentally stepped on her tail, and she'd give me a quick yell but then just look at me like "dude, watch out". This was a similar yowl, but drawn out loooong and directly at me - she was basically screaming at me. When she wasn't screaming, she was doing a low pitched growl and hissing constantly. This absolutely scared the hell out of me and I was sure that either:
1. another animal had managed to get through the window and she was attacking it
2. a demonic presence had come through the window and possessed her
3. she had some kind of seizure or something
She was in such a panic to get away from me that she ran out of the room, bouncing off the walls. My wife is freaking out at this point because she's in the other room and doesn't know what's going on. I can't explain it either. She runs back into the room I'm in and immediately gives me more screaming, hissing and growling. It may sound lame but it was honestly absolutely terrifying.
She hid under the bed and was so stressed she peed just a little bit. We could only guess that maybe she was just freaked and would be ok in the morning. We tried to sleep (obviously very shaken up) and I got up at about 6am. She was in front of the now-closed window and as soon as she saw me, she gave a quick hiss and retreated under the bed again. Any time I'd get close to the bed, she'd start screaming - by this time, I hate this sound.
We were sure at this point that she may have been in pain or had an infection of some sort, so we made an appointment with the vet. Mind you, kitty has never been to the vet, or in a pet carrier - so I figured that this process would be as traumatizing as everything else we had done so far. We went and bought a pet carrier and came back. My wife managed to get her into the carrier by wrapping her up in a large sheet - she had to do it alone because the cat, I assume, was still associating the previous night's trauma with me, and would growl whenever she saw me. This sucks even worse because I've had that cat as a baby and am used to her being the opposite - apprehensive towards everyone BUT me. Once she was in the carrier, she immediately got calm and barely made a peep. She actually fell asleep on the way there and in the vet lobby. The fact that she seemed so out of it just made me think even more that something HAD to be wrong. I couldn't believe she wasn't flipping out.
So we got into the vet's exam room and he opened up the pet carrier and kitty was low to the ground, but fine. They actually commented on what a sweet kitty she was and how well she was doing. She tolerated all the exams and handling and was totally fine the whole time. The doctor checked out her bladder and abdomen to make sure it wasn't a urinary issue, took her temp and heart rate and made her walk a bit to see if she seemed injured. The only thing he said was that her heartrate was flying at like 250 (and then down to 230) bpm, but he assumed it was just because she was really stressed and nervous, and apparently some cats show that by hiding her head like she was trying to do. He suspected that there was probably an altercation with a raccoon or another cat or animal on the other side of the window that got her spooked, and that it would just take her a bit to get over it. He gave her a shot of buprenophine because he said if she was in pain, it would help, and if she wasn't - it wouldn't do anything but sedate her a little bit.
We got her home and opened up the pet carrier and she seemed to be acting pretty normal, but obviously a little stoned from the shot. She walked into the kitchen and just kinda plopped down on the floor, which is not totally abnormal, but she doesn't usually lay there unless she's begging for wet food and trying to look cute. I laid down on the floor with her and gave her lots of loving, and she was reciprocating with purrs. Her face was practically melting into the floor - she was pretty out of it, but seemed to be enjoying the affection.
We then had to split and go pick up a prescription for my wife, and kitty retreated to a hiding spot she has under our bed. We were so freaked out about the previous night (and I know this sounds crazy) - that we made sure to check on kitty throughout the afternoon by just petting her under the bed and making sure she was still breathing and stuff - but we stayed the night at my parents. There's like a 99.9% chance that a similar incident would never happen the very next night, and she always sleeps in the window - but we just didn't want to repeat the previous night again and unfortunately felt really weird about being in our house.
This morning I dropped my wife back home on the way to work and checked things out with her. Kitty had finished off her wet food and had some water, and there was evidence of litter box use - so all those things are good. Only thing is, she's still hiding out quite a bit. She has been known to disappear for a bit whenever we have left for 2-3 days and had someone unfamiliar checking on her and feeding her - so I'm not extremely worried but just want some reassurance I guess.
1. What do you guys think - was it just another animal that spooked her and then me immediately running in and freaking out made her associate me with the outside threat? My dad told me that they have their cats confined to the (large) finished basement when it's bed time because they make all sorts of god awful noises at bats, each other, birds, chipmunks - whatever they happen to see outside. He actually mimicked the exact sound our kitty made, so that made me feel a little better like it was just a normal reaction that I walked in on and overly freaked out about.
2. Do you guys think it's normal that she's kinda hiding out and retreating after being to the vet? I suspect that the sedative wore off after a few hours but she just feels safe in her hiding places and will take a little bit before she's prowling around again. Just stinks because I would feel better if I saw her right when I got home and she gave me some affection and I knew she was ok with me again - I hate that I was associated with that threat specifically. Not trying to take it personally, though.
3. We thought about trying a Feliway diffuser - not because she pees outside the litter box or has ever been aggressive, but more because my wife's mom (who has a veterinary background) swears by them and uses them in her house. They have had a positive effect on her cat Skyler, who now likes to sit on laps and cuddle a bit more than he ever used to, apparently. We were wondering if trying one of them out would just calm any residual kitty nerves from everything that's gone on - the spooky night, the vet visit, etc.
Sorry this was so long - thanks for reading and I'd really appreciate any advice!
