Question:
We have a large, black cat who is usually very outgoing. Recently he has become afraid of everything, even the fridge door! He runs away and hides in any dark space. What is wrong with him?
Kitty, via e-mail.
Answer:
Dear Kitty,
If your “spooked-out puss” goes outside, maybe a new cat on the block is terrorising him. Look out for tufts of hair missing or bite marks on him. If not, you need to think about what has changed in his environment. Is there someone new coming around? Is there a new pet or baby in the house? Has something scary happened to him? Try to notice whether it is triggered by anything in particular. It can even be something that smells different, or someone who smells of a big, scary dog, for example.
You should also have him thoroughly checked over by your vet because cats that lose their sight (due to lots of different reasons — and it can be quite sudden), or that have other medical illnesses can become very disorientated and feel frightened.
If that checks out all okay, then your vet or animal behaviourist needs to consider the use of medication and behavioural modification to manage the anxiety.
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