Yesterday our 4 year old neutered female saw a cat outside of our apartment. It was on our porch, and technically our cats "territory". She screamed like something I have never heard, waking me from sleep. I got out of bed and she was next to my feet, and still screaming so i thought she might be injured. As i reached down, she cut my hand and hid under the bed.
I looked in the living room and saw where she had pee'd on the floor in front of the porch door, and looking out saw this other cat.
After this, she spent all day under the bed, or closet growling and hissing. She will not be comforted by my wife or myself.
We got her as a kitten, so she is our spoiled little girl. We always play and entertain her. Her demeanor is wonderful. I have never had a cat so behaved and loving.
Last night we laid down to sleep, and she jumped into our bed like usual. After a few minutes she walked over for "pettings". My wife and I went slow and let her lead the petting. She would headbutt my hand and i gave her a petting without issue. I got up to get a drink of water, and when i returned, she immediately forgot me from 1 minute earlier and began screaming and peeing again. The wife and I slowly left the room and came to the living room where we have been ever since.
Earlier i walked by the bathroom where i could look into the bedroom and she was on the bed. She looked at me, ears back and began the low growl of warning.
My confusion is of course because i dont know what to do at this point. We have moved her food and litter box into the bathroom where she has access. I don't know if I should call someone, as she does not like strangers at all. Now i feel like i am a stranger as well, and I am trying to figure out how to make that connection that the wife and myself are her "mom and dad" and not some people living here to hurt her.
She has never been neglected or hurt, and this behavior is so out of the normal that I have nothing to compare it to. I really need someone who has seen this before to pass along some good information.
I read on some other sites something called Redirected aggression and really not sure why she would change after 4 years.
Thanks for reading,
D
I looked in the living room and saw where she had pee'd on the floor in front of the porch door, and looking out saw this other cat.
After this, she spent all day under the bed, or closet growling and hissing. She will not be comforted by my wife or myself.
We got her as a kitten, so she is our spoiled little girl. We always play and entertain her. Her demeanor is wonderful. I have never had a cat so behaved and loving.
Last night we laid down to sleep, and she jumped into our bed like usual. After a few minutes she walked over for "pettings". My wife and I went slow and let her lead the petting. She would headbutt my hand and i gave her a petting without issue. I got up to get a drink of water, and when i returned, she immediately forgot me from 1 minute earlier and began screaming and peeing again. The wife and I slowly left the room and came to the living room where we have been ever since.
Earlier i walked by the bathroom where i could look into the bedroom and she was on the bed. She looked at me, ears back and began the low growl of warning.
My confusion is of course because i dont know what to do at this point. We have moved her food and litter box into the bathroom where she has access. I don't know if I should call someone, as she does not like strangers at all. Now i feel like i am a stranger as well, and I am trying to figure out how to make that connection that the wife and myself are her "mom and dad" and not some people living here to hurt her.
She has never been neglected or hurt, and this behavior is so out of the normal that I have nothing to compare it to. I really need someone who has seen this before to pass along some good information.
I read on some other sites something called Redirected aggression and really not sure why she would change after 4 years.
Thanks for reading,
D