Nervous Cat

[wiggal]

Hey all,

My oldest male cat (now3.5 yrs old) has gradually been becoming more and more nervous.
I called him to me today for a cuddle, and he took around 5 minutes to creep across the front room, crouched down and looking terrified.
He used to be fine, very loving and not nervous at all. He then sat on the sofa next to me, and suddenly looked at the floor, again looking scared or like he was going to chase something, no other cats could see anything where he was looking and neither could I, and then he had his head hanging over the side of the sofa, staring at something on the floor that again wasnt there. He couldnt relax as he was so jumpy, and even if he is looking at me and can see me moving my hand to stroke him, he still jumps.
Please dont anyone think that he is scared of me, all my cats are very much loved & looked after and have never had a reason to be scared. I dont knowif it is something to take him to the vets about, he started of fine, then the last few months he has just got worse and worse. Even if another cat walks past, he will jump and run a mile to get away. I'm not sure what to do as i hate seeing him seem so scared all the time.

Please advise!
Wiggal xx

[jules77]

I would be inclined to take him to the vets for a check up. It could be nothing, and he could have just had a fright or been tormented by someone while he was out, but still better to be safe and get him checked over.

[wiggal]

I thought that maybe something had scared him, but would that cause him to get gradually worse over a few months?
He has always been a soft touch and loves nothing more then a cuddle, and there are quite a few male cats in our area, i was wondering if maybe he is kind of being 'bullied' if that happens in the cat world?

[garner]

Hi wiggal.Hope the rest of your lovies are ok.Yes cats can be bullied very much so, but to be on the safe side I would take him to the vets.Better to be safe than sorry if everything is ok I would be inclined to keep indoors for a while let his confidence return, hes king of his castle indoors but you are not to know what is happening outside.Bless hope all goes well for him.

[wiggal]

hey garner!
Kacey and little Cefa have an upset belly at the mo :( but we think that is due to them getting their little teeth into the dog food! It is hard to keep him in as he loves the outside and we often have to let the other cats in & out.
This might sound odd, but the dog has just come in from is wee break and been wondering around the front room, and Smokie Jo has been fine! Just jumped up on the sofa, walked right across the laptop bold as brass and doesnt seem scared!
Am i putting 2 + 2 = 5 by thinking the dog could make him feel better? Him and my samoyed are best mates, and often cuddle up together and he sits on the dog and kneads his fur!

[garner]

Lets hope so wiggal, who knows what is going on in our lovies minds, he might be just feeling a bit down you know .When one of my dogs [micky] gets the face on which he can do very often one of my cats [rastaz] joins him and the two join forces and its very funny to see them both sat together with the [dead eye] look, woe betide anyone who tries to move them when this mood is on we call them the kray twins lol.