Kitty acting strange

Hello! New member here!
My cat is 8years old, and for the last couple of weeks she has been acting a bit strange.
Ever since I got her at 6months of age, she has been sleeping with me almost every night and coming to the door to greet me when I get home.
She has had a bunch of health problems these past few months: kidney failure, major constipation (still ongoing. On laxatives) and kissing weight (fattening her up)
It might just be because of the health problems...but she hasn't slept with me in a while. She is constantly trying to go into the basement to sit on blankets on a chair. Is there anything I can do for her behavior? She is eating, drinking and is active.
I'm very worried...

madamemoxxi said:

Hello! New member here!
My cat is 8years old, and for the last couple of weeks she has been acting a bit strange.
Ever since I got her at 6months of age, she has been sleeping with me almost every night and coming to the door to greet me when I get home.
She has had a bunch of health problems these past few months: kidney failure, major constipation (still ongoing. On laxatives) and kissing weight (fattening her up)
It might just be because of the health problems...but she hasn't slept with me in a while. She is constantly trying to go into the basement to sit on blankets on a chair. Is there anything I can do for her behavior? She is eating, drinking and is active.
I'm very worried...

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ALSO! My cat has been cuddling with people she never used to! Like my father and my grandfather.
Because of her kidney disease, I have to give her sub cutaneous fluid in the shoulder area to keep her hydrated as her dr order. Maybe she is beginning to hate me...?
It's strange because I am like her mother and she has always chosen me over anyone else to cuddle or sleep with..

Please take her to the vet.

psychomama said:

Please take her to the vet.

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I have taken her to the vet a ton of times this past month and I just can't afford it anymore.

madamemoxxi said:

Hello! New member here!
My cat is 8years old, and for the last couple of weeks she has been acting a bit strange.
Ever since I got her at 6months of age, she has been sleeping with me almost every night and coming to the door to greet me when I get home.
She has had a bunch of health problems these past few months: kidney failure, major constipation (still ongoing. On laxatives) and kissing weight (fattening her up)
It might just be because of the health problems...but she hasn't slept with me in a while. She is constantly trying to go into the basement to sit on blankets on a chair. Is there anything I can do for her behavior? She is eating, drinking and is active.
I'm very worried...

Click to expand...

madamemoxxi said:

ALSO! My cat has been cuddling with people she never used to! Like my father and my grandfather.
Because of her kidney disease, I have to give her sub cutaneous fluid in the shoulder area to keep her hydrated as her dr order. Maybe she is beginning to hate me...?
It's strange because I am like her mother and she has always chosen me over anyone else to cuddle or sleep with..

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is this a problem? is sounds like you have addressed the physical health problems -- kidney failure, constipation, etc, 

if you are truly like her mother, you will do what's best for her regardless of the consequences. 

detmut said:

is this a problem? is sounds like you have addressed the physical health problems -- kidney failure, constipation, etc, 

if you are truly like her mother, you will do what's best for her regardless of the consequences. 

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I have spent thousands of dollars on vet bills for her. I really can't afford anymore. It's not like I wouldnt. It's literally I cant.

What size needle are you using for sub Q's?  Do you warm the fluids a little? That stuff can be cold! You need to get on the TANYA's  web site for CRF cats. You may want to join the support group as it is very helpful!  the support group is a Yahoo group.

madamemoxxi said:

I have spent thousands of dollars on vet bills for her. I really can't afford anymore. It's not like I wouldnt. It's literally I cant.

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no. i realize that. i don't think you should take her to the vet. i think you misunderstood. she may now associate you with the negative -- giving the subq fluids, although cats usually tolerate this well. it seems like you are hurt because she is not as affectionate towards you. that's understandable. but that's only because you did what's best for her -- take care of her medical needs. i'm sorry. that's what i meant. unfortunately, you are the 'bad' guy, so everyone else seems like the 'good' guy. 

I have the same situation with ️Psycho . While loves me and gives me head nps , he has a special bond with my husband. I m the one who gives him his meds , cleans his ears takes him to the vet so he associates me with the bad stuff. He does not run from me in fear it s just that he prefers my husband.

What you're describing does not really seem strange to me.

1) Is she playful?

2) Alert?

3) Using her box normally?

4) Appetite?

5) Does she still show you affection in other ways; purring, coming for pets, showing you her belly, etc? 

If it's yes to all of the above, then there's nothing to worry about. You have been addressing her health issues, so it's probably not that either. Chances are her preferences changed. Cats do that. Mine used to knead on me every night before I sleep for 8 months. Then one day he just decided it wasn't very fun anymore. I miss that about him.

There is one thing that cats do that most humans can't figure out and that is

"Please give me some space to heal, I need a quiet place where I feel comfortable and I can rest and go into a deep sleep to help myself. I still love you but I don't want you to see me sick. I am not running away from you.

Like FhiCat said cats chance preferences. My 7 year old ragdoll/siamese male used to sleep at the foot of my bed ever since I have had him, now he wants to sleep in the kitchen which is just outside my bedroom, he still comes and now he snuggles up beside me to let me know he needs food. When he got sick last year he went into the storage room and slept there, I even put him on his favorite pillow and he still went to the storage room, after he was all better in a few days he came back into the bedroom to sleep on the floor. Some nights he sleeps on the floor in the bedroom and other nights in the kitchen, so I would not be worried about what she is doing. Just give her lots of ove and she should be fine.

Recently ️Psycho had a UTI and kept to himself on our bed during the evening. He has his own room so he sleeps in there at night in his fluffy bed. All the necessities are there food, toys, litter box and he loves it. Thanks for the insight into why cats do se of the things they do.

Anne with Cats said:

What size needle are you using for sub Q's?  Do you warm the fluids a little? That stuff can be cold! You need to get on the TANYA's  web site for CRF cats. You may want to join the support group as it is very helpful!  the support group is a Yahoo group.

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I can't remeber the size of the needle but I always warm up the fluid!

detmut said:

no. i realize that. i don't think you should take her to the vet. i think you misunderstood. she may now associate you with the negative -- giving the subq fluids, although cats usually tolerate this well. it seems like you are hurt because she is not as affectionate towards you. that's understandable. but that's only because you did what's best for her -- take care of her medical needs. i'm sorry. that's what i meant. unfortunately, you are the 'bad' guy, so everyone else seems like the 'good' guy. 

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I apologize, I misundestood your wording.
And honestly..I am hurt a bit lol but if she acts like this and she is healthy and alive. Than that is fine with me. I'm just wondering if I can make her less stressed.

FhiCat said:

What you're describing does not really seem strange to me.

1) Is she playful?
2) Alert?
3) Using her box normally?
4) Appetite?
5) Does she still show you affection in other ways; purring, coming for pets, showing you her belly, etc? 

If it's yes to all of the above, then there's nothing to worry about. You have been addressing her health issues, so it's probably not that either. Chances are her preferences changed. Cats do that. Mine used to knead on me every night before I sleep for 8 months. Then one day he just decided it wasn't very fun anymore. I miss that about him.

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All of those yes except the last one. She is liking other people now whitch is very strange! Lol she hated everyone but my mother and I.

It may be completely unrelated to you, her health problems, or anything else mentioned in the forum. 

Have you checked the weather lately? 

I too have young cats who used to sleep on my bed every single night. The colder it is upstairs (Cape Cod attic bedroom lol!) the closer to my feet or face they want to be. 

As soon as the weather got warmer, I have noticed my cats spending more time hanging out in the basement. If I feed them late, they will play down there for about an hour after I've gone to bed. Sometimes they decide to sleep down there all night and I'll come down in the morning to find them come blinking and tottering up the stairs. 

We humans bond with creatures purely for abstract reasons (love, companionship), but your kitties also have some very practical reasons for wanting to be close to you. You are very warm, and your hands give out things that are yummy! But during nice weather they may seek out other things that make them feel good, like the cool basement floor or an open window with fresh air and wonderful smells. Don't take it personally. When the weather gets colder, they will probably be right back at your feet. 

As to them gravitating toward other family members, all six cats I've owned over my lifetime have "rotated" the objects of their affections. One cat was "mine" and hated my dad (the disciplinarian) till she outgrew the kitten crazies, and suddenly he was the only person she'd cuddle with. Another decided she was a one-human cat... she'd snuggle with anybody until her favorite human came into the room, then she'd jump down off the couch for fear of provoking "her" human to jealousy. Generally speaking, kitties tend to branch out more when they are older or feel secure, and it's healthy for them to change up their routine and develop relationships with different people. Don't worry. They'll never forget who's their "Mommy". Especially if you are the one who feeds them.

Your cat's behavior sounds VERY similar to my cat's.  After 12 years of sleeping with me, she started sleeping in our basement, something she'd NEVER done before.  She started spending more time there, and when I noticed she'd not eaten in a day or so, I took her to the vet.  She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.  We tried subcutaneous fluids but after a couple days she didn't improve, still wasn't eating, so I made the choice to end her suffering and put her down.  After doing research, and looking back, there were more signs I missed.  It may be that her kidney disease is progressing to the point where it can't be managed.  If you're already giving your cat fluids...if I could, I would go back and end her suffering sooner rather than later, as hard as it was.