Cat Not Talking To You?

Anyone who knows cats knows that this is very real, but for someone who is new to cats or doesn’t know them at all, this may come as a surprise. You know you’ve told someone that you went home and your cat wasn’t speaking to you and they thought you were nuts, but this is real, and if you are new to cats or have just got a new feline in the household, it is in your best interests to figure out what you did wrong and fix it sooner rather than later.

You go and sit on the sofa and your cat walks right up to you, turns around and settles a few feet away from you with it’s back very deliberately turned to you. What did you do wrong? When you got home did you immediately go and speak to your cat, praise him or her for being such a good kitty and thank them for looking after things in your absence? Well you better go and beg for forgiveness immediately, apologise profusely and praise kitty for being the best that there is.

Have you not paid much attention to kitty today? Well you know what to do, get in there and shower kitty with love and attention. Brush kitty, play with kitty, let him or her know that they are a very important part of the household, and always remember to apologise and beg forgiveness for your faux pas.

Kitty will usually come around quite quickly once you have made amends, but don’t make it a habit or it could get out of hand. Kitty has feelings too!

Sudden Behavioural Changes

Sudden behavioural changes in your cat are, more than likely, the result of a medical problem. A bladder infection can have your cat peeing all over the house. Erratic behaviour can be the result of something going on in the brain. If your cat is becoming very lethargic and just wants to sleep, this can be a symptom of a thyroid problem. So if you notice any sudden behavioural changes in your cat, your first course of action is a visit to the vet. Depending on the problem, a course of medication and your cat could be back to normal in a matter of days.

Unfortunately, if your cat has a brain tumor, the outlook is not quite so positive, and erratic behaviour will get worse until you decide it is time for euthanasia. This is the situation we had with one of our cats, now deceased. When his quality of life disappeared, we made that very difficult decision.

Sudden behavioural changes can also occur if there is a change in the household - someone moves in or out, there is a death in the household (human or animal), a traumatic event in the household. Cats are very sensitive to the energy of others and can respond negatively to a change in the household. Depending on the situation, the remedy can take some time.

The onus is on you the human, to be aware of changes in your cat’s behaviour and take the necessary steps to nip the problem in the bud so that life can get back to that happy balanced household.

Two Weeks After Trauma

It has taken about twelve days for my cat to feel semi-comfortable upstairs, so much so that she has started lying on my desk again. It took the cat longer to move on than it took me after a burglar came into our home.  The point here is that cats (any animal) can be upset when something unexpected happens in the household, good or bad, and that it takes them time to get over it too.

Animals live in the present whereas we humans think about things that have happened throughout our entire lives and even picture the future, we live in the past, present and future. We can rationalise things to help us move on after something has happened. Our animals can’t do that. It helps them tremendously if we explain why something happened, or how it came about, what it means, what difference it may make to the animal and in the household generally. This is what really helps our animal companions get over that unexpected event. Help them understand too by talking to them, often.

One Week After Trauma

Last week I mentioned about my cat being traumatized because of a burglary in our home last Saturday night. I thought it would be useful to provide an update on her status one week after the event to emphasise that just one event can upset a cat in a big way.

She used to love going upstairs to lie on my desk at the window or on the landing at the top of the stairs where she could get the cross-breeze coming from both sides of the house. Now she is very hesitant to go upstairs at all, particularly at night, and if she does, she is back down very quickly.

She will sit near the bottom of the stairs just looking up as if she’s maybe not sure if to go up or if there might be someone up there who doesn’t belong. Yesterday I went upstairs while she was napping and she woke up and heard me upstairs so she hid round the corner and was just peeping around a piece of furniture to see who was coming down the stairs.

And yes, she did pee outside the litterbox - a very typical indication of something not right in a cat’s world. Thankfully, that only happened once. I have now had several chats with her, explaining what happened and trying to reassure her that there is no one else in the house, and that we are all safe. I think that has helped a lot. There are still, of course, different smells in the house as, not only was there a burglar, but also four police officers who came to investigate afterwards.

It has been an interesting week, that’s for sure but I do think she is settling down - slowly.

Talk to Your Cat!

I cannot stress enough how important it is to talk to your cat and to let them know what is going on. You’re going to working in the morning, so tell your cat you’re leaving for work, you’ll be back around a certain time and, give your cat a job to do, even if it’s just to have a couple of naps while you’re out. You know your cat, what are they good at? Keeping order amongst the animals or keeping the bed warm for you until you come home? Whatever it is, your cat would like to serve a purpose in your home, and if it’s just to keep you company, that can be the “job” assigned. 

Do think about the job you are giving your cat though. I used to ask mine to “look after things” while I was out or overnight while I was asleep. Unfortunately, I had a recently burglary while I was at home watching TV downstairs and someone broke in through an upstairs window. My cat was upstairs at the time and I’m quite sure she saw the person. However, for the rest of the night and the next day she was very depressed, and I had to explain to her that it was okay and that she was not responsible. I think she felt badly because she didn’t “keep an eye on things”. Fortunately, she brightened up significantly and is now her old self again after I explained things. So do be careful on the job you assign, make it something realistic.

If you’re going to be away and someone is coming to look after the cat, please explain what is going on before the person arrives and again when you’re leaving. If someone is coming to stay, tell the cat. If you’re moving house, getting new furniture, having a baby, getting another cat, repainting a room, anything at all, please tell your cat.

All that I have mentioned above should be applied to any animal in your houehold. Keep them informed, please. You don’t have to take my word for it, there is some much information out there that you can do your own research on the subject too. Happy pet = happy household!

Kitty Language

Cats tend to communicate with each other using body language more than vocalisation, so it’s very imporant to learn how to read your cat. Learn to recognise that tail twitch that means they’re getting a little agitated and it’s time to stop rubbing their belly or scratching their ears.

Meowing is largely for communication with us humans, and we quickly learn what each one means if we listen to the different inflections and volumes. You know exactly when your kitty is hungry or wants you to open the door so’s they can come inside.

Learning body language is equally, if not more, important as many a painful scratch can be avoided. It’s also useful if you have a multi-cat household as you can learn to recognise when a disagreement might be in the offing between two cats and evasive action can be taken.

It is worth your while to pay attention and learn when your cat is afraid, apprehensive, protective, agitated, wanting to pick a fight or just ready for a cuddle.

Cats & Change

As a rule, cats do not like change. Whether it be re-arrangement of the living room furniture, a move to a new house, the addition or removal of a pet, or even a different human in the house, some cats just don’t like it and take a long time to adapt to the new scenario.

A change in the household can result in a change of behaviour in your cat. It may stop using the litterbox, it might start spraying (yes, even neutered cats, male and female, can spray), it may disappear for long periods of time or just go into hiding in a closet, any number of unwanted and unexpected behaviours may occur when a change in the household is thrust upon your cat.

In the case of a death within the household, there is frequently little or no warning whether human or animal, but it can be just as devastating for your cat as it can be for you, so be aware of the fact that your cat may be grieving. There are homeopathic remedies that can be used quite successfully to help a cat overcome the loss of a loved one, but giving your cat lots of love and respect is also very helpful.

Your cat may not appreciate your longer working hours, so having someone visit during the day or popping home for a brief visit at lunch time can help your cat settle in to the new routine. Talking to your cat, explaining what is happening (ideally ahead of time) and lots of patience can go a long way to a smooth transition. 

Getting upset at your cat will only make matters worse. The unwanted behaviour is your cat’s way of telling you that it’s not happy with the new arrangement and, with patience, most cats will settle in, but for some it is just too much to bear. So as with most things involving cats, patience, patience, patience, but don’t forget communication.