Something odd happened today

[Xarv]

Hello catlovers. I wish to present to you a weird case of cat behaviour today.
Background: I have two cats, Luke and Leia (both male, 4 years old, neutered before the age of one). Leia is the boss in the house, Luke slightly more timid. Both are very friendly. They can go outside, but not outside of the garden, as it is catproofed. No other cats can come in either.

This morning everything was fine as per usual, but when I came home after work, Leia was very timid. Something outside seemed to have spooked him good. He was stalking around, hiding, moving in that usual slow way of a cat that is very on its guard. He kept looking outside when not hiding, even growling at the windows, then hiding again. He did come down for his usual food, and when enticed eats a treat or comes over for some petting. But now hours later, he is still very much on guard. Luke behaved as normal.

Ontop of that, there has been a case of spraying in the house. Not once, but three times. This has never happened before. I'm suspecting Luke did it, because I saw him spray outside (for the first time too, mind you) outside a few days ago. So I know he knows how to spray. I have little home camera that I now placed on the most sprayed spot, so I can find out if it's him or not within a day or two (or well, I hope it won't happen again, to be fair...).

But surely these two odd cases are related? My guess is something spooked Leia, which made Luke also very insecure, so he started spraying in the house? So when Leia finally calms down, no more spraying? Or does a cat that starts spraying never stop anymore? I surely hope it was a one off thing, because I am not looking forward to dealing with a spraying problem.

I should add nothing changed in the house nor garden.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Cat psychology can be mysterious and hard to decipher — just like humans.
I would guess another animal or person has been trespassing in your yard and spooked your cats ... ?

 

[Xarv]

In that case Luke should be scared as well. He's the scaredy cat (when visitors come over, he hides until they are gone). Leia loves visitors. So not sure how that would fit in. No large animals can get into the garden, it's all fenced off.

 

[ArtNJ]

Cats react differently to the sight & smell of other cats. Some react a lot, some not at all. So thats a definite possible, and a different species could be at issue as well.

Also check for wounds. Perhaps the skittish one did something and got hurt, and the other is reacting to the stress of the incident.

Watch for problems between the two of them. That would be normal given this level of stress.

 

[FeebysOwner]

As noted above, just because a cat is the timid/shy type doesn't mean they are going to be spooked by something any more - or less - than any other cat. Each will respond to outside influences in their own way. Luke might even be spraying because of the behavior change in Leia. The fact that he sprayed a few days ago outside, even before Leia got spooked, does suggest that something is in fact going on outdoors in your garden.

Cat proofing may not be possible if something has dug under your fence or cat-proofing barrier. You might want to take a thorough look around. If you are so sure that no wildlife/cat entered your yard, then you need to start searching for other possible reasons. Anyone allowed in your home/yard while you are not there - family/maintenance workers/etc?

 

[maggie101]

Can you use your camera outside to find out what is bothering him? Is he fixed?

 

[lollie]

With the spraying, it sure sounds like another cat. Is the fence see through (chain link) or wood? Even if they couldn’t see another cat, they may have heard them. You may want to take a walk outside the perimeter with a black light and see if there has been any spraying. If it is another cat, or other animal, motion activated sprinklers (weather permitting) have worked wonders.

 

[Xarv]

I live in a city in the Netherlands. There's no wildlife here that would dig under fences. Other cats have always been around. Sometimes they even patrol on the fence itself (they can't jump in). Both Luke and Leia respond to them, follow them, but it never upsets them greatly and they certainly don't stay scared for a long period of time afterwards.

I checked Leia and he's perfectly fine. No wounds. Today he also acts more like himself. Still a bit on guard, but a lot less than yesterday. There has been no spraying inside today (that I found so far, at least).

Still a mystery what spooked him. Perhaps he got a bit stuck somehow, somewhere. I wouldn't know how or where. My garden is only 16 meters long and 4 meters wide, and there aren't any objects in it that could trap him. I can't find signs of a struggle, like hair. I even checked his nails to see if they were worn down or bloody from a struggle, but nothing.

" Luke might even be spraying because of the behaviour change in Leia. " This is what I meant with the two things probably being connected. Leia is the boss in the house. Seeing him upset probably upset Luke and made him insecure, which made him spray. I hope now that Leia is himself again, their territory is safe, and Luke also feels secure again. Time will show if this is the case.

 

[ArtNJ]

Sounds like you have a pretty nice and safe setup back there, so hopefully they can enjoy it without any repeats. If that means you never figure it out, well, that happens, and its better than a difficult recurring problem.

Use an enzyme cleaner on the spots and hope for the best I guess. Good luck!

 

[maggie101]

Glad he's ok. Have you ever seen buzzards,eagles,or falcons?

 

[Xarv]

There are some, but again, this is the Netherlands. Our wildlife isn't of any threat to cats, haha.

 

[Kflowers]

Raptors can injure and even kill cats in the attempt to carry them off. Foxes have been known to kill cats, especially small or older cats. Where European badgers are somewhat nicer than US badgers, they are not harmless to cat sized animals that come too close to them. Your cats may never have confronted these animals, but cats know they are prey animals. You can tell this by the fact that they will use a litter box and cover their excrement, by the way they search new spaces for exits and hiding places, by the way they take their time meeting new people and animals.

Your cats reactions are based on their perception of danger, not yours. That you male is spraying is a way of marking territory and telling another cat that this space is mine.

 

[Xarv]

Yes, I know these things. I am an ecologist. Like I said, I live in a city. We do not have badgers nor foxes in urban areas (this is not the UK where urban badgers or foxes are a thing). Our bird of prey do not attack cats, unless it is in an attempt to protect their nests. It's in the middle of winter here, so no active nests. And I am fully aware cats are predators who are aware they are small and vulnerable.

The other cats have never been an issue. But maybe a bigger, more threatening cat moved in lately. Who knows. As a human, I can't tell, I agree. But for now, I am hoping that the fact Leia wasn't his normal self, upset the balance, and Luke felt he had to step in and defend their territory.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Let us know if their odd behaviors pick back up. Not saying we will have any 'new' ideas for you, but there might be a chance that you do have a new cat in the area, perhaps unneutered which could set them off more than some of the others you have seen.

This whole issue could have been a one-off, but if it starts back up again, there is definitely something triggering it that you will have to continue to gather information about as you can. Perhaps, cameras focused on your garden might be something to consider.

 

[maggie101]

Yes, I know these things. I am an ecologist. Like I said, I live in a city. We do not have badgers nor foxes in urban areas (this is not the UK where urban badgers or foxes are a thing). Our bird of prey do not attack cats, unless it is in an attempt to protect their nests. It's in the middle of winter here, so no active nests. And I am fully aware cats are predators who are aware they are small and vulnerable.

The other cats have never been an issue. But maybe a bigger, more threatening cat moved in lately. Who knows. As a human, I can't tell, I agree. But for now, I am hoping that the fact Leia wasn't his normal self, upset the balance, and Luke felt he had to step in and defend their territory.

Just curious if that may be what scared him