Non-stop Growling And Hissing/biting Her Tail

[gardevoir99]

Okay, so we adopted Mimi as a stray cat around a year ago, and ever since she showed weird behavior, like constantly fighting against herself, kicking her own head and biting her tail, but this one is the weirdest.

That's the second time it's happening, she just starts to roam around the house and growl, occasionally letting our a hiss or a scream (like one as if someone stepped on her tail). Last time it happened, we thought she was in pain, so we took her to the vet, she got an anesthesia shot (or something like that... something that she wouldn't feel pain), but when we got home she continued with the behavior, but she randomly stopped on the following day.

Today she started again. She hasn't attacked anyone yet during her random fits, but it's really scary getting close to her. This is the first cat I've ever had it's painful to see she in this situation. What could this be?

I filmed her around for a little bit, but she didn't let out a bad scream in the video, just hisses and growls.

 

[ArtNJ]

This is the third thread I've seen on the seems to hate / be afraid of / non-playfully attack own tail topic. Here is the last one, which links the first one I saw: My Cat Is Anxious And Aggressively Chases His Tail For the original thread I found a directly on point article with some advice - Why Does Your Cat Attack Her Tail? Try the H.I.S.S. Test. Beyond that, there is not a ton of help in the threads. I do realize that your posting about a different situation with the same cat that had this tail issue, but the two situations are quite possibly linked. Honestly, this video of the current situation doesn't really look like much, and in isolation it could be something as simple as the neighbors doing a construction project that your cat hears but you don't, or coyote that your cat smells but you are unaware of -- but together with the tail behavior, I do think its quite possible there is an issue that needs our attention.

Check out the article I linked. The fact that you've been to the vet may make some things less likely, but vets can miss stuff if they aren't sure what they should be looking for.

 

[Desertmouse]

Hmm... you say you took her to the vet and she got a painkiller, but did you have the vet give her a check up and see if they could see anything? I’ve never had a cat with flees, but this is what I would guess it would be like given that they would be getting bit over and over. On the other hand it could be something inside that is giving her trouble. Is she using the litter box normally? Is there any pattern to when she starts? Is it possible she has some type of allergy?

By the way, welcome to the boards! Sorry I don’t have more helpful advice and only questions, but with luck someone with better ideas will post to

 

[gardevoir99]

This is the third thread I've seen on the seems to hate / be afraid of / non-playfully attack own tail topic. Here is the last one, which links the first one I saw: My Cat Is Anxious And Aggressively Chases His Tail For the original thread I found a directly on point article with some advice - Why Does Your Cat Attack Her Tail? Try the H.I.S.S. Test. Beyond that, there is not a ton of help in the threads. I do realize that your posting about a different situation with the same cat that had this tail issue, but the two situations are quite possibly linked. Honestly, this video of the current situation doesn't really look like much, and in isolation it could be something as simple as the neighbors doing a construction project that your cat hears but you don't, or coyote that your cat smells but you are unaware of -- but together with the tail behavior, I do think its quite possible there is an issue that needs our attention.

Check out the article I linked. The fact that you've been to the vet may make some things less likely, but vets can miss stuff if they aren't sure what they should be looking for.

Hi, sorry for posting yet another thread about it. I checked the links, but the thread never got resolved and on the HISS test one, I don't think it has anything to do with health, instinct or stress... And well, there's no ongoing constructions around right now and coyotes aren't a thing on my continent, so I'm not sure. There was a construction going on months ago but Mimi wasn't bothered my it at all, the noise wasn't loud either, considering we live in the 6th floor. We might go to the vet if something else weird happens again, because she seems to have calmed down now. I know the video doesn't look like much, but she was a lot worse than that. She was just screaming mRRROOW all the time and jumping in the air as if someone attacked her, then turning around at hissing at her tail.

Hmm... you say you took her to the vet and she got a painkiller, but did you have the vet give her a check up and see if they could see anything? I’ve never had a cat with flees, but this is what I would guess it would be like given that they would be getting bit over and over. On the other hand it could be something inside that is giving her trouble. Is she using the litter box normally? Is there any pattern to when she starts? Is it possible she has some type of allergy?

By the way, welcome to the boards! Sorry I don’t have more helpful advice and only questions, but with luck someone with better ideas will post to

Hi! When she went to the vet, she got checked for fleas, but there was none. Mimi's vaccines are up to date too. My family was thinking it might had been constipation, since she hadn't pooped the entire day, so we were giving her some yogurt (she loves yogurt) so it would help with that. She calmed down a few hours because she got sleepy and took a nap, now she woke up and pooped, so that's good. I don't think there's any pattern, she just randomly starts attacking her tail all day, in a really aggressive way out of nowhere during a morning, second time so far this has happened as I mentioned.

Most other days she just gets really electric and excited at around 11pm to 4am, running around the house like crazy, biting her tail, and playing with my sister by having her belly up and trying to claw her hand while she pokes her, then she goes to sleep at her usual bed spot (a box made of sisal rope, with a fluffy blanket and a cover so light doesn't go through). I don't think it's any allergies as she hasn't showed any yet. Hopefully she stays calm down like ^^

Thanks for the responses.

 

[mani]

Hi gardevoir99 and welcome to TCS!
It's absolutely fine to start a thread about your girl, and the video is very helpful.

Poor Mimi. She really doesn't look happy. How often is she like this and are there any triggers you've noticed?

I'm wondering whether it is a neurological disorder, or even a thyroid issue. I think I'd be going back to the vet. Neurological things don't necessarily show up in the regular tests and she may well need a specialist.

As for constipation, I know cats adore yoghurt, but I don't think it would help. Mashed pumpkin often does the job.

 

[Desertmouse]

Hi, sorry for posting yet another thread about it. I checked the links, but the thread never got resolved and on the HISS test one, I don't think it has anything to do with health, instinct or stress... And well, there's no ongoing constructions around right now and coyotes aren't a thing on my continent, so I'm not sure. There was a construction going on months ago but Mimi wasn't bothered my it at all, the noise wasn't loud either, considering we live in the 6th floor. We might go to the vet if something else weird happens again, because she seems to have calmed down now. I know the video doesn't look like much, but she was a lot worse than that. She was just screaming mRRROOW all the time and jumping in the air as if someone attacked her, then turning around at hissing at her tail.


Hi! When she went to the vet, she got checked for fleas, but there was none. Mimi's vaccines are up to date too. My family was thinking it might had been constipation, since she hadn't pooped the entire day, so we were giving her some yogurt (she loves yogurt) so it would help with that. She calmed down a few hours because she got sleepy and took a nap, now she woke up and pooped, so that's good. I don't think there's any pattern, she just randomly starts attacking her tail all day, in a really aggressive way out of nowhere during a morning, second time so far this has happened as I mentioned.

Most other days she just gets really electric and excited at around 11pm to 4am, running around the house like crazy, biting her tail, and playing with my sister by having her belly up and trying to claw her hand while she pokes her, then she goes to sleep at her usual bed spot (a box made of sisal rope, with a fluffy blanket and a cover so light doesn't go through). I don't think it's any allergies as she hasn't showed any yet. Hopefully she stays calm down like ^^

Thanks for the responses.

Hmm...I think mani might be on to something, but just to add another thing to check out, how is her skin? It couldn’t be dry skin could it? Oh and just for the record thank you for putting in a video, I think in cases like this it’s very helpful. Someone could say “biting their tail” and you can end up with three different people picturing three different things.

 

[gardevoir99]

Hi gardevoir99 and welcome to TCS!
It's absolutely fine to start a thread about your girl, and the video is very helpful.

Poor Mimi. She really doesn't look happy. How often is she like this and are there any triggers you've noticed?

I'm wondering whether it is a neurological disorder, or even a thyroid issue. I think I'd be going back to the vet. Neurological things don't necessarily show up in the regular tests and she may well need a specialist.

As for constipation, I know cats adore yoghurt, but I don't think it would help. Mashed pumpkin often does the job.

Hi! No triggers that I've noticed, the thing in common with the other time is that it happens out of nowhere during a morning before anyone wakes up. Since we adopted her on May of last year, and the first time it happened was during October, and now on April, we can assume it happens every 5-6 months. Where could I find a specialist? So far I've just brought her to regular pet shops for things like vaccination or trimming her nails. I'll look into the mashed pumpkin thing (no clue if she might like it though!).

I also wanted to ask, what's the optimal diet for a cat? So far we've only fed her dry food, with the occasional yogurt or fish here and there, since I heard that wet food makes the cat too fat, is she in risk of being dehydrated or having constant constipation with only dry food? Should I try introducing wet food for her? Thanks in advance.

Hmm...I think mani might be on to something, but just to add another thing to check out, how is her skin? It couldn’t be dry skin could it? Oh and just for the record thank you for putting in a video, I think in cases like this it’s very helpful. Someone could say “biting their tail” and you can end up with three different people picturing three different things.

Nothing that I've noticed on her skin, it looks fine as usual. And no worries! I thought the video might've helped visualize the issue.

 

[mani]

Your vet may be able to recommend a specialist. Otherwise I think it's a google job. I'm not much help with this as I'm in Australia.

I'd be adding some wet. Some people will say it should all be wet but I'm not one of those.. mine get a mix of good quality dry in the morning and wet at night.

I believe all dry could well exacerbate constipation as cats aren't big drinkers. In the wild they rely mostly on their food for moisture (which is why there are so many feral cats in outback Australia where it's very dry but there is plenty of prey).

Yoghurt isn't ideal.. just a little is fine. And unless the fish you give her is raw there won't be any taurine in it (canned cat food normally adds taurine.) Her diet might be an issue. How about trying her on some really good quality wet food for a little while? If you find something very tasty you could add the mashed pumpkin.

 

[gardevoir99]

Your vet may be able to recommend a specialist. Otherwise I think it's a google job. I'm not much help with this as I'm in Australia.

I'd be adding some wet. Some people will say it should all be wet but I'm not one of those.. mine get a mix of good quality dry in the morning and wet at night.

I believe all dry could well exacerbate constipation as cats aren't big drinkers. In the wild they rely mostly on their food for moisture (which is why there are so many feral cats in outback Australia where it's very dry but there is plenty of prey).

Yoghurt isn't ideal.. just a little is fine. And unless the fish you give her is raw there won't be any taurine in it (canned cat food normally adds taurine.) Her diet might be an issue. How about trying her on some really good quality wet food for a little while? If you find something very tasty you could add the mashed pumpkin.

I'll try introducing wet food into her diet. Mimi really isn't a big drinker, she eats a lot more than she drinks, and we occasionally see her sneaking into a bathroom and drinking from the toilet (she stopped doing that one) or from a bucket with water and soap in it on the laundry room, even despite the fact we constantly change her water bowl multiple times a day... We don't give her yogurt very often, only when she sees someone (usually my sis) eating yogurt and she begs for some, and yes, the fish we give her is raw (I also noticed she liked salmon a lot more than tuna). Thank you for your response!

 

[sabrinah]

My first thoughts are neurological or pain. Have her anal glands been checked? If they get impacted or infected it can be extremely painful. Did the vet consider a pinched nerve or something in the tail? An old break that aches sometimes?

You asked about the best food for cats. That varies greatly with everyone having a different opinion. I'm not in the boat of only feeding wet either, but I do like feeding half wet, half dry, and getting the highest protein, lowest carb food I can afford. I've never heard of wet making cats fat. It's usually the other way around. For water, have you considered a water fountain? Many cats find fountains far more appealing than a regular bowl.