Is Kitty Faking?

mbaughman

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My brotherâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cat is causing us great concern! He was sick about three weeks ago and the vet was unable to figure out why. Boots had a temperature of 103 and was lethargic. He received two blood work-ups and nothing was found. He is fine now, but now the strange behavior has begun.

He has become aggressive and has some weird behavioral problems now. He began limping about a week ago and when they took him to the vet nothing showed up on the exray. Plus, once he arrived at the vet he quite limping and became unmanageable. They had to push him back into his carrier and he was biting everyone. He use to such a laid back cat!

Once home he began limping again, but when they go downstairs to fill up the food bowl he runs down the steps as if nothing is wrong. Once he gets back upstairs he will begin to limp again. Boots has now began to live in the corner of the room…he will not leave that spot except when everyone is gone. My brother went to leave and forgot something inside when he went back into the house and Boots was running around. When he saw my brother he went back to the corner. This has happened to others in the house as well

He still uses the litter box and is eating and drinking. This is quite concerning for all of us because Boots was such a loving cat and very playful! If anyone has any experience with this type of behavior please advise on what to do. I do believe that something is wrong but unsure as to what it may be.

Thank you!
 

hissy

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Sometimes cats have undetermined things wrong with them. Have you checked between the pads of his feet for foreign objects? Is there any heat on his body where an abscess might be forming? Any swelling? The best way to check for heat is when kitty is relaxing and laying down, go over to the cat and taking your hand slowly pass it over the body without touching the cat. Just a few inches above it.If you feel any heat radiating up chances are there is a bite there or injury.

Cats generally do not fake being sick. And when they are sick, they withdraw from people they love and seek a dark corner to hide in or a closet to sleep in. They also do not show pain if they can help it, and they purr when they are in pain also. I had one kitty that had some wierd ailments as a kitten, and also almost died on us twice! They never found out what was wrong with him and today he is thriving and healthy. Good luck, but if anyone can find the answer, more than likely it will be the vet.
 

spacecat

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Very strange behavior......when I hear "limping", red flags go up. Does he have any scaly patches on the insides of his ears, on the top of his head or on his paw pads? When he walks on a hard floor, does he shake his paws, like he stepped in water or something annoying? Can you see any crusty discharge coming out of his nail beds? I'm assuming your vet did a thorough check of the foot he's limping on (squeezing the pad until the nails pop out, etc.). ?
 

cooie

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You may want to call your vet and describe Boots's behavior exactly as you described it to us, in addition to trying all of the good suggestions above.
 

angelzoo

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Hmmm well, I don't know what is going on with your cat, I don't have a clue, but cats don't 'fake' things like that. Specially if its as sudden as you say.

Some of it sounds medical, some of it could be behavorial. After you rule somethings out at the vet, I would suggest you ask about a behavorist, or speak to one yourself, see if they have heard anything like this, a behavorist might know exactly whats happening.
 
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