Cat acting terrified intermittently.

My two year old cat Simba, who I adopted from the humane society in September, has been acting very unusual lately. It all started last weekend. On Saturday morning she was perfectly normal, but when I called her for breakfast she refused to leave from under the couch. When she finally got out she was terrified and hid under my bed for two days straight (coming out reluctantly to eat and use the litter box). From Monday onwards she gradually became her normal, active self again, but this Saturday morning, she once again began acting completely out of character. This time, she would be too scared to even eat. She now only sleeps or sits in the corner with her tail tucked tightly in her hunched body. I want to emphasize that in between these two episodes, she was completely normal for 5 days. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of behavior? I live in a very small apartment with no other pets, and noticed nothing abnormal that caused her to be this way. Please give me any suggestions as to what is going on and how I can help her. 

P.S. I started feeding her raw in the beginning of this year. Before she was adopted, she was in a serious car accident that broke her tail and pelvis. 

have you rule out anything medical by taking her to the vet? maybe she remembering the car accident? if so try to comfort her with a calm, soft voice 

I always start with the basics so excuse me if I sound ridiculous.

Any of the following:  new people or pets in house, new sounds from neighbors, new vacuum schedule or new vacuum, construction outside,

neighborhood new loud car, new TV show, new cat or dog walking by the window or spraying around the house, someone teasing (obvious detective work needed). New anything ie. plants, furniture dishwasher etc. 

It sounds like the trigger happens on Saturday morning.   New deliveries, different mailman truck, low military flights, a gardener with new blower, ......so many things can trigger a sound reminding her of the accident.  Any of which can be inside, outside, down the street etc.  Cats can hear a mouse walking on concrete from across the street so it can be coming from anywhere.  But, most likely, if you are vigilant this Saturday, sitting with her from early morning on, listening, and if possible using a quality recording device to capture all the sounds up to the point she is startled, you will find the problem sound or event.  You may not hear "the sound"  but the sound will have been recorded.  Note the time and play it back ...Through Headphones.

During this week you might want to get her used to a comfy cubby like cat cave where she feels totally safe (not under the bed but in a similar type area that you can easily get to her) like a cat carrier with the door off and a big towel draped over so she is in her own little cave.  Put her favorite blanket or toy or a piece of your clothing in so she knows it's her place.  Quietly give a treat right when she goes in.  Make sure she has an open path to her cave Saturday.  If she gets scared again, let her be alone for a while then softly start talking but don't go in after her, she'll come out when she's ready or hungry.  Of course try to keep the house calm.

Feliway wall plug ins actually have a calming effect on cats, damn expensive but they do last a good month and you can purchase refills.  google  Feliway

This will not prevent the trigger from terrifying  her, it may help calm her faster in the aftermath.

Best prices are found at on-line Pet Supply Stores.   One atomizer will take care of your whole apt.  I'd put it near her safe zone.  

I purchased a small handheld Olympus digital recorder ($40 5 years ago)  that allowed me to record 16 hrs at a time (check settings) and delete each day if nothing happened.  That way I wouldn't miss the event if it were to occur by chance on Wed or in the middle of the night.  You want to set the microphone to the most sensitive setting.  Also, recordings were transferable to my PC through a typical USB cord (You can amplify sounds on the recording with a PC and common software to clarify street noises).  All electronics stores and some office supply chains carry these digital recorders.  Olympus, Sony, Panasonic etc.   

Set it up on something that won't be hit or rattled during the normal course of the day.  Near the back corner of main room facing the street. Your call.

 

All this said and it could also be a new smell, I bet not  based on 2 Saturday mornings in a row and calm in between.

All suggestions are from my experience  You might check with your vet to make sure some other factor isn't  the cause.  

Good luck to you and your gal and thank you for adopting a cat.

Thank you so much for your response, Dad2many. You seem like you have a lot of experience with this matter.  I'll try to see what I can do and let you know if there is any progress.