Significant behavioral changes in one year old cat

[eb24]

Background

So I am starting to get really worried about my almost one year old cat, Diego as he has been acting very strange. I'm sure part of it is that I have put both him and his sister through the ringer these past few months. Back in May I had to move out of my apartment suddenly and left them here. They had someone that they knew coming by each day to check on them but once I realized my absence was going to be extended I made the choice to move them with me. 

Where we were staying they were just confined to one bedroom and a bathroom. It was a lot louder there than they are used to, but his sister, Ella, seemed to adjust pretty well. And, for the most part, Diego did too. I then had to go out of State, and, instead of moving them back to the apartment I left them there at the new house. Again, the person who checked on them everyday was someone that they knew. I was gone for three weeks and finally moved them back to the apartment at the end of last week. 

Here is what I have noticed about Diego's behavior that concerns me:

1. He is no longer interested in his wet food, which he used to love. He will still eat his dry food but not his wet. 

2. It seems every noise, even noises he is familiar with (like my turning on the shower) scares the stuffing out of him. He used to be very outgoing and now all he does is hides. I have found him under the dresser, in a hideyhole that he's never gone in before, even scrunched up in his carrier- completely terrified. 

3. Last night he woke me up in a dead panic because I heard him making this horrible howl. It was not just a 'give me attention' meow but the deep, guttural, 'I'm in pain' bellow (you all know the one I'm talking about). I grabbed him and looked him over but he was totally fine on the outside. I put him back on the floor where he continued to sit, staring up at the bookcase and wailing for the next 45 minutes. He only stopped after I picked him up, put him under the covers, and tried to sooth him. He stayed under the covers for the next 12 hours- something he has NEVER done before. 

4. Frequently when he jumps, he misses. It's like he misjudges distance and doesn't quite put enough power behind it. He has missed the counter so many times lately he no longer even tries to get up there. Instead he whimpers at me to pick him up. 

5. When we were staying at the other house I noticed that when someone would come in the main door he would panic and hide. But, when they came in through the bathroom he was completely fine. The only difference I could come up with was the lightening. The main door was very dark while the bathroom had a lot of back lightening. 

So I guess my questions are these:

1. Has anyone experienced this type of behavior before? I'm sure he is partially traumatized from the move and then my being gone but I can't imagine that that's all of it. 

2. Does it sound like something is wrong with his vision? This is my main concern. The different reactions to people based on the lightening and his inability to make his jumps are what concern me. I also wonder if he has become more fearful of noises because he can't see where they are coming from. Does anyone have experience with a visually impaired cat? Anyone know of any ways to try and check/test to see if there has been a change? Externally as far as I can tell the eyes look normal. They are not cloudy and don't have any sort of discharge. 

3. I hate to go there because it is so rare, but I'm getting increasingly concerned that he might have FHS (Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome). Mainly, because he suddenly seems so freaked out by everything. Every sound makes him run for cover and he is constantly looking back at his tail. I have noticed some tail attacking and some back rippling but certainly not an excessive amount. Any thoughts on this? 

Sorry for the novel I was just trying to be as detailed as possible. I do have a vet appointment for him but it's not for another week, and I don't feel that this is an "urgent" issue (like an illness) that must be addressed sooner. I think it's a long term problem that is surfacing. 

I welcome anyone's tips, advice, and feedback. Please tell me what you think so that I can try and make life less terrifying for my poor baby Diego! 

 

[mani]

I honestly was thinking that it was all about the major changes he's had, until you got to the physical stuff.

That could still be stress induced, but it does seem odd, doesn't it?   

Do you use flower essences at all?

Do you have a good vet?

I'm not much help to you, but wish I could be...

Lots of

to Diego.

I hope someone has some good answers for you

 

[eb24]

I honestly was thinking that it was all about the major changes he's had, until you got to the physical stuff.

That could still be stress induced, but it does seem odd, doesn't it?   

Do you use flower essences at all?

Do you have a good vet?

I'm not much help to you, but wish I could be...

Lots of

to Diego.

I hope someone has some good answers for you

Yeah if it was just him being off his food and having his crying fit I would chalk it up to stress from so many changes. But, I just don't think that can account for his somewhat sudden lack of coordination (seriously have you ever seen a cat miss a simple jump?) and his aversion to people he knows well simply because of a difference in backlighting. To illustrate, my best friend has been a constant in Diego's life since the day he was born. Even when he would walk in the main door Diego would freak out and run. A few times he even hissed at him (which he has never, ever done before). We did test it a few times and if my friend talked when he walked in Diego was fine. But, if he went in silently he would bolt. Diego was also fine if he came in through the well lit bathroom. Really I can only think of a vision problem for something like that. 

I guess what I wonder too is if Diego does have some sort of vision impairment did it just start? Or, has he always had it but I didn't notice any signs because he was so familiar with his home? And, I wonder if what is happening now is just carry over from him having spent so much time feeling traumatized and not being able to see fully. The room where we were staying was always very dark (there was only one small lamp and it faced the dark side of the house). And, the problems he is exhibiting here seem to be manifesting at night. 

I don't use flower essences. What are they supposed to help with? Can you recommend a good brand that I can do more research on? Thankfully though I do have a wonderful vet. If I felt it was urgent I would get him in with someone else at the practice but IMO they aren't nearly as thorough (they are all more dog people and tend to write off any problems with cats as a non issue). I think it's worth waiting to see the one who I know will take it seriously. 

Regardless of what the cause is I can feel that something isn't right and that he is scared and unhappy. It breaks my heart and I just want to fix it for him. His vet appointment can't come soon enough! 

 

[mani]

Have you done any simple eye tests with him... in subdued light (moving your hand towards his face, dropping something light from a height etc)?

I use Bach Flower Essences and Australian Bush Essences.  They are quite alternative and some people think they're a bit odd, but I've had really good responses in both cats and dogs, and there's no such thing as a placebo with them!

I get a naturopath to make them up for me, but I think in the States you have all sorts of things ready made.  They work on an emotional level, so can help stressful or behavioural problems.

I really understand how you feel something is amiss.. 

And I'm right with you about waiting for your good vet.  I've been infuriated with some of them when they don't understand the subtleties of cat problems.

 

[jcat]

Have you tried a Feliway diffuser to help him adjust to the moves? A lot of what you're describing sounds like plain old reactions to stress, e.g., the jumpiness, wailing and hiding.

Have you seen this thread about juvenile cataracts? I don't have any experience with that in cats, but have had dogs that developed cataracts in old age and also misjudged distances and were very hesitant in darkness. If not cataracts, maybe he's developed an eye infection that's affected his sight. Vision problems could certainly cause him to be fearful.

Jamie had feline hyperesthesia, and his symptoms included "rolling skin" along his back, a constantly twitching tail, extreme hyperactivity (he didn't sleep for days at a time) and dilated pupils. The problem with diagnosing FHS is that every cat seems to have a different set of symptoms, some of which can also be caused by allergies or parasites. It is "episodic", with "normal" behavior between bouts. I've never heard of it causing vision problems.

Bach Flower Remedies are supposed to help with emotional problems. Some people swear by them, while others tell you not to waste your money. If you use them, you have to be sure to get the ones for pets, as those for people contain alcohol. This site has more information on them: Rescue Remedy and Bach Flower Remedies for Animals

 

[jillkristy]

Up to the jumping and missing it could have been stress. Stress eaters like the high carb dry food. Cats can jump and miss plus lack of exercise like being locked in a room for 3 weeks can be very negative. You clearly love them but be honest with yourself if you are giving them a good home. Why not a trip to the vet? That's a question only you can answer.

 

[jcat]

Up to the jumping and missing it could have been stress. Stress eaters like the high carb dry food. Cats can jump and miss plus lack of exercise like being locked in a room for 3 weeks can be very negative. You clearly love them but be honest with yourself if you are giving them a good home. Why not a trip to the vet? That's a question only you can answer.

She's already stated twice that she has a vet appointment.

 

[lcat4]

Not to discount going to the vet, but I wanted to say that my recent one year old girl has gone through some weird periods, and she seems just fine now.  There was a month or two when she was certainly skittish when people would come into the house, running under the bed, no matter if it was family or stranger.  Now she comes out to greet whomever.  There was a few weeks when she suddenly became cautious about jumping down from anything - and thus she mostly stopped jumping up.  When up high, she would basically walk down the counter or bookshelf, instead of jumping clear. At the time, I worried about her vision as well.  She now seems to see how far she can fly off the couch.  A couple days ago she got in a flurry about something and acted quite scared about being in the family area - choosing to hide in the bedroom.  She was even nervous while eating her early dinner, constantly looking around.  A lot of petting and playing with the bird toy seemed to allay her fears.  Everything was back to normal by late dinner. 

So not to say that it couldn't be something medical, but it might just be a stage. Probably all the moving around and your being in and out of their normal routine hasn't helped.  Were the people who were looking in on your cats really good about giving him wet food while you were gone?  My cats, who have not seen or smelled dry food for a long time, would probably choose kibble over anything else, given the opportunity.  It smells that good. 

So take him in to the vet as planned, just to make sure.  Keep them and you in a stable environment, if you can.  Give lots of love and assurance.  Hopefully it's a growing stage that will pass. 

 

[maewkaew]

     I too would wonder about vision.   These are  similar behavior symptoms I have heard about with  progressive retinal atrophy and it often starts with night blindness.

  IF  he has that,  it may have started months ago but  then the combination of it worsening plus being in a different place could exacerbate his reaction.    

There are various things that can cause retinal degeneration besides genetic causes.   things like taurine deficiency , vitamin A deficiency,  hypertension,  some kind of fungus infections  and other disease.

I would think the vet should be able to look with an ophthalmoscope and see if there is a sign of retinal degeneration that could be affecting him like that.  

My only experience with a cat who started missing jumps was that the cat ended up being diagnosed with diabetes . ( missing jumps was due to neuropathy) .  But diabetes doesn't seem like the most likely diagnosis  in a young cat,  unless he has been on a steroid which can cause at least transient diabetes.  .    I just mentioned it since you asked about seeing a cat miss a simple jump. 

It may yet be just a very strong stress reaction.    

If it turns out he does have a vision problem,   I have heard there are sites online with tips about how to help a cat deal with that ,  and many cats who are even totally blind seem to have happy lives once they  learn to adjust.    

Hope things will be OK with Diego. 

 

[eb24]

Thank you all for your replies and for all the good advice. There were two points made that I wanted to address further:

Not to discount going to the vet, but I wanted to say that my recent one year old girl has gone through some weird periods, and she seems just fine now.  There was a month or two when she was certainly skittish when people would come into the house, running under the bed, no matter if it was family or stranger.  Now she comes out to greet whomever.  There was a few weeks when she suddenly became cautious about jumping down from anything - and thus she mostly stopped jumping up.  When up high, she would basically walk down the counter or bookshelf, instead of jumping clear. At the time, I worried about her vision as well.  She now seems to see how far she can fly off the couch.  A couple days ago she got in a flurry about something and acted quite scared about being in the family area - choosing to hide in the bedroom.  She was even nervous while eating her early dinner, constantly looking around.  A lot of petting and playing with the bird toy seemed to allay her fears.  Everything was back to normal by late dinner. 

So not to say that it couldn't be something medical, but it might just be a stage. Probably all the moving around and your being in and out of their normal routine hasn't helped.  Were the people who were looking in on your cats really good about giving him wet food while you were gone?  My cats, who have not seen or smelled dry food for a long time, would probably choose kibble over anything else, given the opportunity.  It smells that good. 

So take him in to the vet as planned, just to make sure.  Keep them and you in a stable environment, if you can.  Give lots of love and assurance.  Hopefully it's a growing stage that will pass. 

Thank you for this insight. I agree that at least a component is behavioral I just can't see how that encompasses everything, especially given how long it's been happening. He has been in a shy funk for a couple of months now and so I had written that off to a growing stage. But, once all this behavior started it really made me question if there wasn't something more at work. 

Also, the problem with Diego's jumping isn't a fear of doing it or of coming down. He will look, jump, and straight up miss- like he didn't gauge it high enough. Oftentimes he will catch his paws on the edge and then hit the ground with a thud. If these were serious heights I would understand, but it's just the normal height bathroom counter, or trying to jump up on the barstool- jumps he should easily be able to make. I think only now because he has fallen so many times that he is looking to me to put him up there. This was happening before the move- I just wrote it off as the "kitten crazies" and him being too energetic to really think his jumps through. 

I do know that my pet sitters were religious about keeping up with their "normal" routine while I was away. Even when we were at my parents house every effort was made to do things same as they have always been done. My best friend is a bit neurotic, and in the beginning even went as far as to count cans of food and litterbags to make sure everyone was doing every single step. And, when one of my friends didn't clean the litterbox two times in a row, HE "fired" her and took over her days. She was a little bitter about that to say the least! But, he was just trying to help me and knows how important Ella and Diego are to me. I think he thought that the best way he could help me care for my Mom was to make sure I didn't have any worries with them. 

So, I can wholeheartedly say that every effort was made to make the best of a bad situation, and I think I did better for them than most would have in my shoes. I suppose I just have to wait until his vet appointment to get a better sense of if this is behavioral or medical. 

 

[lcat4]

I am so sorry to read of your Mother's passing. It sounds like it's been a difficult period; I'm very sorry for your loss. It also sounds like you took every precaution and care for your cats during that time of caring for your Mom. I do hope Diego will be fine and it's nothing too serious. As said above, the vet should be able to tell if there is retinal damage. I offer my best wishes to you (and Diego), again I am sorry for your loss.

 

[eb24]

I am so sorry to read of your Mother's passing. It sounds like it's been a difficult period; I'm very sorry for your loss. It also sounds like you took every precaution and care for your cats during that time of caring for your Mom. I do hope Diego will be fine and it's nothing too serious. As said above, the vet should be able to tell if there is retinal damage. I offer my best wishes to you (and Diego), again I am sorry for your loss.

Thank you for your kind words. I originally left all this out on purpose because I didn't want people to fret over what to say to me. Instead, I wanted to focus to be on Diego and what is going on with him. 

But, after not-so-subtley being accused of being a bad pet owner I figured I'd better elaborate (not by you of course). I wasn't just flittering around not having a care in the world; I was trying to be everything for everyone and there are only so many ways a person can stretch before they break. Moving them was the best option I had in my arsenal, and I did the best I could with it. 

I still agree it may just be behavioral from all the changes but I'll take him in just to be safe. 

Thank you again for your kind sentiments. They mean a lot to me. 

 

[eb24]

Sorry for the lack of an update. I was going to wait until I had more to say before I posted something but realize it has been too long already!

So we did go to the vet several weeks ago. While there the vet and I talked in depth about some of the behaviors I have been noticing and then he gave Diego a good examination. The good news is he didn't see anything blatantly wrong with his eyes (no cloudiness or foreign object that would be obstructing his vision). Unfortunately he agreed based on my reports and on watching Diego walk that something was definitely off. 

As well as we know each other I could tell the animal advocate part of him was kicking in and he was hesitant to say anything about prognosis out of fear of what it meant for Diego (since, for many cats it would mean an ad on Craigslist, trip to the shelter, or worse). But, we talked more and he knows I would never give him away, regardless of what his future holds. We talked about possible neurological problems and possibly permanent vision loss. Because of his young age and the signs he is exhibiting the vet did not feel that whatever was going on was going to be something curative but more degenerative in nature. He did refer me to a specialist (the same one another TCS member near me recommended so I was really happy about that). Unfortunately, life intervened the day before his specialist appointment and I had to go out of town. So, we haven't been yet. 

Since that initial visit I have been focusing on trying to make him more comfortable in the home. Thankfully my petsitter is also my very best friend so he was fully apprised and ready to keep up with making the changes I was working on as well as keeping a close eye on any new developments. I now have the "Diego Nightlight" that seems to be bright enough for him to get around but is angled away from me so I can sleep. Bestie has been working with him on being less skittish when people come in the home but I was super bummed when I got home from being out of town tonight and Diego coward under the bed. I laid on the floor and let him sniff my hand. Once it registered who I was he came bolting out and smothered me in kisses but it was heartbreaking to know he didn't recognize me visually. I'm thinking about adding some sort of bell to my keychain so he will always be able to hear when it's me coming in the door. 

So, that's where we are. We know there is a problem but don't know what yet. I hate that he hasn't seen the specialist but that was just the way it went. Hopefully I can get an appointment within the next week! 

Being out of town also made me miss his first birthday. 

 So, happy belated birthday Booger! 

 

[paws4life]

I hope everything works out for the best. He sounds loved