Can cats have amnesia?

pussnlex

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 7, 2006
Messages
3
Purraise
0
I didn't get much of a response from google but I'm just wondering...

We've now had Lexus for 3 years. Every.... single.... day is the same routine for her. We wake up and she's under the bed. Not scared, just sitting there looking. If we get down on our knees to coax her out she thinks we are coming after her and tries to stay in the middle of the bed where we can't get her. Once we have showered and left the house she gets underneath the covers and stays there until we get home. Every day, never any different. It doesn't matter whether one of us comes home at 9:30am or 4:30 pm, she will not come out until around dusk, doesn't matter what time we get home, she comes out when it gets dark.

Every day when she finally emerges, she walks around all skiddish like everything is completely new. If she sees one one of she freezes in her tracks and stares, if you move towards her, she runs away-ALWAYS. You cannot go to her, she has to come to you. Finally by about the time we go to bed she's back to her usual self, plays with our other cat, cuddles with us, eats, whatever.

I just find it odd that she will not come out during the day time, and it seems like after her day of sleeping she wakes up and we are all completely new to her. And what's with the covers?

Any opinions are helpful, we've tried the feliway which helped a great deal when she's up, but won't make her come out early.
 

kristykitty

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
237
Purraise
1
Location
Wisconsin
How strange


I wish I knew the answer. But if she has the exact same routine every day, she couldn't have amnesia, right? Because she always remembers her routine. Maybe she is afraid of daylight?
Or there is something in the day that scares her and makes her hide under the covers? Maybe it's some sort of noises outside or something.

I wish I could be of more help.
Poor kitty, maybe you can ask your vet. Sending vibes to you in hopes that you figure it out!
 

cheylink

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
8,259
Purraise
102
Location
queens, new york
Have you lived there long? Possibly strays roaming about outside or some other animal that she feels threatened by. They are aware of the outside environment of their domain, some more sensitive then others.
Does she seem to shy from light or sunlight completely? Photophobia is an extreme sensitivity to light.......
 

trillcat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
1,738
Purraise
2
Location
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by PussNLex

I didn't get much of a response from google but I'm just wondering...

We've now had Lexus for 3 years. Every.... single.... day is the same routine for her. We wake up and she's under the bed. Not scared, just sitting there looking. If we get down on our knees to coax her out she thinks we are coming after her and tries to stay in the middle of the bed where we can't get her. Once we have showered and left the house she gets underneath the covers and stays there until we get home. Every day, never any different. It doesn't matter whether one of us comes home at 9:30am or 4:30 pm, she will not come out until around dusk, doesn't matter what time we get home, she comes out when it gets dark.

Every day when she finally emerges, she walks around all skiddish like everything is completely new. If she sees one one of she freezes in her tracks and stares, if you move towards her, she runs away-ALWAYS. You cannot go to her, she has to come to you. Finally by about the time we go to bed she's back to her usual self, plays with our other cat, cuddles with us, eats, whatever.

I just find it odd that she will not come out during the day time, and it seems like after her day of sleeping she wakes up and we are all completely new to her. And what's with the covers?

Any opinions are helpful, we've tried the feliway which helped a great deal when she's up, but won't make her come out early.
I would just let her be in the morning. Why are you trying to coax her out? She is comfy, you say not afraid, just hanging out. Let her be. It sounds like you are trying to make her adjust to your behavior, and that will not work. You want her to be out and friendly and smooshy, she may just want to be left alone . Cats are cats. Give her space.
She may come out in the day, how do you know if you are gone? LOL, she may be having a good ole time while you are at work!
Cats are by nature nocturnal, we can to a degree change their body clock to ours, but night time is the time for kitties. Their eyes are built for it and their instincts are.
About the covers, cats like dens, she has made one of your covers. Maybe you could get her a box, plain ole cardboard box. Put it on the floor near the bed. Cats love boxes. Put a comfy cuddly something in the bottom (no towels, their claws can get caught on terry cloth loops)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

pussnlex

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 7, 2006
Messages
3
Purraise
0
Originally Posted by Trillcat

I would just let her be in the morning. Why are you trying to coax her out? She is comfy, you say not afraid, just hanging out. Let her be. It sounds like you are trying to make her adjust to your behavior, and that will not work. You want her to be out and friendly and smooshy, she may just want to be left alone . Cats are cats. Give her space.
She may come out in the day, how do you know if you are gone? LOL, she may be having a good ole time while you are at work!
Cats are by nature nocturnal, we can to a degree change their body clock to ours, but night time is the time for kitties. Their eyes are built for it and their instincts are.
About the covers, cats like dens, she has made one of your covers. Maybe you could get her a box, plain ole cardboard box. Put it on the floor near the bed. Cats love boxes. Put a comfy cuddly something in the bottom (no towels, their claws can get caught on terry cloth loops)
Well the morning thing, we don't try to coax her out everyday, we gave that up years ago haha. I was just saying what she does if you do try. Also, 4 days out of the week, one of us here. And even when we are here, about 8am or so she goes under the covers. We have only moved two times since we got her, but she always does this no matter where we live. We currently live in an upstairs apartment so I can't imagine it's some other animal.

She's a very sweet cat, I've never had a cat that will snuggle up against you under the covers while you sleep. When we had her spayed the doctor told us she had enough hormonal tissue for 4 cats. When she would go into heat it was awful, I wonder if other parts of her body are messed up or something? The doctor did say everything else looked fine and that she was a very easy cat to deal with.

I dunno, it's not a bother, just odd behavior. When we have friends come over, unless they come at night they only think we have one cat haha.
 

coolcat

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
Messages
36,938
Purraise
69
Location
The "Dark Side of the Moon"
Originally Posted by KristyKitty

How strange

I wish I knew the answer. But if she has the exact same routine every day, she couldn't have amnesia, right?
I feel the same feeling of strange....
.... It doesn´t to some odour to make her to avoid some places my friend?....
Maybe should to exist some explanation at this behaviour...
...

for Lexus waiting that she didn´t have some illness.......
 

emmylou

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
May 2, 2006
Messages
960
Purraise
10
It doesn't sound like memory problems. But it seems like pretty extreme fear, after three years. There's something going on with her. I would take her to the vet for a full check-up to rule out anything medical wrong with her.

Good that you're trying Feliway. But I would also consider having the vet prescribe an anti-anxiety medication and see if her behavior changes. It could really help, and give her a happier life.

Is it possible the other cat is giving her a hard time? If so, an area where she can be alone could help. But it really sounds like something else.
 
Top