Bit worried about Guinness

Since Monday there have been builders in the flat below fitting a kitchen & bathroom for my neighbour. Guin has always been timid but since Monday I have hardly seen him and when I have he is walking with his belly on the ground. Yesterday I woke up and he wasn't inside, I finally called him and he came running inside at 3.30pm.... Normally when I havn't seen him all day he wants a stroke but yesterday he kept on shrinking each time I went to stroke him, as though he thought I was going to hit him.

Then, last night his behavior was even more weird. I have a new pair of slippers - plain, nothing scary except they have some sequins on the toe bits. Last night he was growling at my feet and I got up to see what was wrong and he jumped in the air freaked. Later on in the evening I was putting some washing in the machine and as I closed the machine door the same thing happened, he jumped and looked petrified.

The weirdest thing happened this morning. After a lovely night with Guin at the end of my bed, when I got up to feed him he was scared of his food bowl!!!! I have not changed it or done anything different. It's the same food etc. He kept on eyeing it, walking round it and after about 1 hour (no kidding) he very cautiously ate it.....

He stayed inside a bit this morning and kept on looking out his cat flap. He trod in his litter tray a bit but then decided to be brave and go outside for the toilet. I can't see him now so I expect he has taken cover in one of the neighbours gardens until all the noise has stopped / buliders have gone home.

Do you think all this is just because of the noise and strange people he can hear? Oh and... what an essay!

Thanks

Gilly it could be the builders making him jumpy

I know Rosie is very timid, and if theres any noise and i go to stroke her she dips her head down and runs off, and even little "Miss No Fear" Sophie can jump from time to time.

If i'm re winding something in the video, Sophie stares at it like its a rottweiller coming for her, and if i touch her when she's staring at it she jumps with fright

Just keep an eye on him. Will the builders be there long?

Originally Posted by Gilly

Do you think all this is just because of the noise and strange people he can hear? Oh and... what an essay!

:

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I think so. And there are probably also new smells you dont feel- but he detects.
some noises more weird than another.

Our cats usually dont react on noises from outside. Not even the New Year shootings.
But once I found the othervise unfraid Vagis hidden with extremt big black pupils. I get scared! Vagis sick! But after a while I understood he was afraid. And I understood why.
The neighour was doing something, the noise was new and different from all the others. This.

In your case. Perhaps you could place your cat somewhere else when they working down there? some relative or good friend? Better shy and unsure in a new but friendly place than this weird scary going on...

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Gilly it could be the builders making him jumpy

Just keep an eye on him. Will the builders be there long?

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I think they are finishing today - thankfully.... I just saw him in the garden (jungle) next door taking refuge. I hope that he can calm down once it's all finished because he has me worried.

It's the silly things that Guin is suddenly scared of now that reminds me of re-winding the video! He too has always been facinated by it yet won't get too close to investigate!

Originally Posted by StefanZ

I think so. And there are probably also new smells you dont feel- but he detects.
some noises more weird than another.

In your case. Perhaps you could place your cat somewhere else when they working down there? some relative or good friend? Better shy and unsure in a new but friendly place than this weird scary going on...

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I hadn't thought about the smells. I suppose all the boxes, rubbish and any DIY stuff they have are letting off smells? Also, they have tools in the garden (which I share) so I guess this is new stuff and scary stuff if you are a cat.

I wouldn't leave Guin in the care of someone else no matter how much I knew them etc. He just wouldn't cope, he is that timid. He only lets me and my neighbour stroke him and is petrified of anyone else...

Thanks both I shall keep an eye on him as I don't like to see him like this, especially since I go back to work on Monday I want to be sure that he will be okay again.

Originally Posted by Gilly

The weirdest thing happened this morning. After a lovely night with Guin at the end of my bed, when I got up to feed him he was scared of his food bowl!!!! I have not changed it or done anything different. It's the same food etc. He kept on eyeing it, walking round it and after about 1 hour (no kidding) he very cautiously ate it.....

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Alfie has done that before too. I put the food down, and he kept walking around the plate in circles, eyeing it up, sniffing, walking away - the kind of behaviour I would have expected if he'd just found a partially dead mouse! No idea why, but he gave in and ate it eventually

Well the buliders have gone... and Guin is still in a weird mood He woke me at 3am and was sitting by my bed growling at the door stop! Then earlier on he was in his bed and I went to stroke him and he started acting all strange towards me and again, was cowering.... The poor boy I am going to keep an eye on him over the weekend then if by next week he's still acting strange I might get him checked over at the vets. I don't like seeing him like this.

Might be best to take him in for a once over Gilly

Have you felt around him to see if he's in pain somewhere?

I already did a check of him - felt tummy and checked ears, paws, bottom etc... I think he's just been shook up a bit but as I say, the change is concerning.

Like you say, see what he's like over the weekend, because now the builders have gone he may settle down again with an overload of fuss thrown in as well of course!