The cat changed dramatically in behavior. Strange cat behavior

Changes in cat behavior

Do you have a cat and you don’t understand why her behavior has changed? There are some changes in cat behavior you should know...

We expect that cat will be lazy, lick its paws, making this activity its hobby, purr in its sleep or when it wants to be caressed, follow you everywhere when it smells of fish, enthusiastically guard its territory like no other, etc. and so on. These are, of course, the most important characteristics of the behavior of a domestic cat. Let's find out a few more behavioral features of cats and their significance. If you have a cat, you already know about them. So now imagine that your cat’s character has suddenly changed, and you are not able to find out and understand why this happened. What then? How will you find out why your cat’s character has suddenly changed and what to do about it? This is exactly what this article is about, in which you will learn why cats change their character and how to cope with such changes in their behavior. cat behavior. Read on to find out why cats' behavior changes.

To understand cat behavior problems, you need to understand cat behavior. The following are the most common reasons for changes in cat behavior. Read them and see if they apply in any way to your cat. Cat Behavior Problems

Reluctance to use the box

If you have trained your cat well, she will use the box as a litter box. If your cat used to use the box and suddenly stops doing so, something is wrong. Perhaps the cat is affected by certain illnesses or symptoms and has stopped using the box. And since she is in pain, she may not want to use the box. The condition, called feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), can cause crystals to form in the cat's urine, making urination very painful and causing the cat to avoid the litter box because it is associated with pain. This condition is the most common cat disease. In addition to this disease, there are other cat health problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease and liver disease, which can lead to painful urination and bowel movements.

Stress due to illness is another important factor that can cause a cat to be reluctant to use the litter box. Stress due to illness, loss of loved ones, moving and other circumstances can also lead to changes in a cat's behavior.

Eating grass

Did you enter the garden and see your beloved cat happily munching on the grass? We wondered if she was going to become a vegetarian. Hardly. All animals exhibit an instinct for self-preservation and concern for their health. Even stray cats who don't visit a veterinarian survive. How? Because they have an innate instinct that tells them what is good and what is bad. Typically, a cat eats grass when its functioning is impaired. digestive system. The herb can relieve pain, although it can also relieve irritants, thus leading to relief. Don't interfere with what he's doing cat. But if you notice that she is starting to get sick more and more often, take her to the vet.

Sleep disturbance. Aggressive behavior

Is your cat acting aggressively? Your usually peaceful cat begins to misbehave. The most common sign is that she begins to growl or even scratch when someone tries to pick her up. There are several reasons that can lead to aggressive cat behavior. The most common one is that the cat is in pain. It could be a toothache or the cat might have been injured during a fight. Another reason may be aging, which negatively affects the cat's hearing and vision, making it feel uncomfortable.

Cats often have disturbed sleep and don’t sleep all night, and what’s worse, they start meowing (constantly meowing cat). This can happen due to excitement or fear, and in order to attract the attention of the owner, the cat begins to meow. If this behavior continues long time, it needs to be adjusted. Try to get your cat to fall asleep by grooming it and being close to it to help it relax. Also, never show your cat that her meowing bothers you, otherwise she will start using it as a way to get your attention.

Pregnancy

A pregnant cat, which will soon have to give birth, also noticeably changes in behavior. She will become calmer and more reserved and will purr all the time. As the birth approaches, she will begin to follow her owner everywhere, as she will need support. Although, of course, only some cats behave this way. In other cases, the cat will begin to look for a place to birth of kittens, and in search of such a place will look for secluded places. Understanding cat behavior will help you understand that you shouldn't worry too much about it.

Changes in cat behavior always indicates any circumstances, such as experiencing pain and fear, and thus help to understand what is bothering the cat and take effective measures to care for it. So next time cat will not be the same as always, take a closer look at her and find out what is wrong with her.

In cats, behavior may be surprising or simply incomprehensible to humans, but it falls within normal limits, and in other cases it is an indicator of a certain problem for which it is necessary to immediately go to the veterinarian.

The cat’s behavior has changed dramatically, what does this mean and what is the reason?

Have you noticed a drastic change in your pet's behavior? Do his actions seem strange? All this may be symptoms of the disease, if we exclude such seasonal changes in behavior as “spring search for a mate.” Therefore, immediately contact your doctor and describe the changes in detail so that the veterinarian can quickly diagnose the disease or, on the contrary, reassure the owner.

Behavior of cats and cats after mating

After mating, male cats require the celebration to continue and therefore may continue to scream for another day or two - this is normal.

Cat behavior a few hours before giving birth

Shortly before giving birth, the cat feels anxiety, which is accompanied by pain. Also, characteristic training contractions can indicate an imminent birth, that is, the cat begins to hunch over. This is due to the fact that the cat’s uterus contracts (trains before giving birth).

Behavior of cats if there is negativity in the house

Cats, like all animals, feel either negative or positive energy in the house, which can affect their behavior. It’s just that the behavior changes strictly individually and is not particularly noticeable in most cases, but the owner will always notice when the cat begins to treat someone more negatively.

Cat behavior if there is a kitten in the stomach

With such a pathology, the cat will behave as usual and not show it, but its belly will still remain full, which will indicate that the kitten remains. A veterinarian can confirm this.

Behavior of a cat if it has been poisoned or is sick

The cat loses coordination of movements and may feel sick. She refuses food and drinks less water, or even doesn’t drink at all. Any obvious behavioral changes may indicate a disorder in the animal's body, so it is best to consult a veterinarian.

Cat behavior before and after sterilization

Whatever cats were like before sterilization, their behavior will change after surgery. Usually pets become calmer and more affectionate. Their extraordinary activity comes to an end after surgery, and sterilization also helps in case of particularly aggressive behavior from the cat.

Behavior of a cat with rabies

Clearly, a cat’s behavior changes dramatically after being infected with rabies. In the first stages, the cat may hide in a corner, hide from people and be afraid of bright light. But in the last stages the cat clearly shows aggression: it attacks and bites.

Behavior of cats before and after castration

Cats after castration are similar to cats after sterilization. They become calmer and less active. They no longer respond to seasonal “crazes.”

How does valerian affect cats?

Valerian only affects cats. Cats often do not change their behavior at all after consuming valerian, and in general they are not particularly drawn to try it, not only by taste, but also by smell. Cats, after smelling or tasting valerian, are under a narcotic effect, since for cats valerian is a real drug. Cats squirm, caress and react inappropriately to their environment.

Behavior of cats and signs of death

Before death, pets begin to behave more actively and try to spend the last hours of their lives with their owner, playing games and simply cuddling on their laps. This was often noticed in cats who, due to their age, could not run for a long time, and in the last hours of their lives they became young and loving again. And, of course, their main sign of death is leaving home, after which the animal never returns...

Cats' behavior in the weather

The most common weather behavior of cats is their sleep. When a cat falls asleep with its belly facing up, there will be warming, and when it curls up into a ball and covers its nose, it will become colder.

Any change in a cat’s behavior that is significantly different from its character should alert us, but how can we recognize that such behavior portends illness, and not a passing change in mood? It turns out that cats send us subtle signals. What should you pay attention to before contacting a veterinarian?

Minor changes in behavior as a symptom of the disease

The first of these is a change in the relationship between pet and owner. If your cat begins to avoid contact, more often than usual, sits in isolated places for long periods of time, and does not show joy when we try to establish contact with him, then you should increase your vigilance. We should also be concerned about changes such as anxiety or aggression of the animal directed towards family members or other animals.

Another group of signals concerns changes in eating behavior and physiological needs. If your cat loses its appetite or is thirsty, this could be a symptom of illness. It is also worth monitoring the animal’s behavior during urination and bowel movements. If you notice any difficulties in the functioning of physiological needs, then you should urgently contact your veterinarian. If the cat begins to go to the toilet not in the litter tray, as it was accustomed to, but in other places, then this is also a cause for concern.

One of the first symptoms of the disease is changes in activity levels. Both a significant decrease and a significant increase in activity should be a warning to us. When we see sleep disturbances, a significant increase or decrease in time spent sleeping, we must closely monitor our pet. Let's examine your cat for the following symptoms, which we review below.

Sick cats - symptoms that should concern us

Alarm signals that may be a symptom of diseases:

- Behavior: depression, hyperreactivity, aggression, avoidance of contact with family members, drowsiness, restlessness, frequent meowing, often hiding in hard-to-reach places and other significant changes in the cat’s behavior.

- Weight: sudden weight loss or sudden weight gain should give us pause, so you should monitor your cat's weight regularly, such as once a month.

- Ears: all kinds of discharge from the ears, deposits, swelling of the auricle and frequent scratching and rubbing of the ears, shaking or shaking the head and hearing impairment.

- Nose: any discharge, dry nose, constant sneezing.

- Eyes: any kind of discharge, change in eye color, conjunctivitis, visibility of the third eyelid, sensitivity to light or blurred vision.

- Oral cavity: discoloration of gums, tartar, exposed tooth necks, ulcers, enlarged tonsils, broken or loose teeth, dental cavities, bad smell from the mouth, drooling, loss of appetite or difficulty eating.

- Respiratory system: difficulty breathing, noise, wheezing, shortness of breath, increased breathing rate, persistent coughing or sneezing, breathing with an open mouth.

- Skeleton and muscular system: any changes in gait: lameness, as well as swelling of the limbs, reluctance to move, aversion to touch, meows or shows aggression when touched.

- Nervous system: The slightest spasms should worry us.

They did not mention two more main symptoms of the disease, the occurrence of fever, changes in pulse and temperature. Pulse and respiration measurements should be performed by a veterinarian.

Before visiting the veterinarian

Your veterinarian may ask you for information on symptoms that will help diagnose the disease more quickly, so before contacting the clinic, make sure we know:

Does your cat have a change in appetite?

– we noticed that the animal was drooling,

– have there been any changes in breathing, especially heavy breathing, and if so, at what moments,

– has the frequency of going to the toilet changed,

– we noticed that touching a certain part of the body causes pain in the cat.

If we ask another person to take their cat to the veterinarian, then prepare answers to these questions, or ask them to call us from the hospital, so that we can independently provide the necessary information to the doctor.

Unlike dogs, cats do not have an innate instinct to live in a family. For a dog, the concept of family is natural because its ancestors lived and hunted in packs that had a highly developed social structure. With the exception of lions, felines large and small are solitary hunters and are accustomed to fending for themselves. You can't force a cat to do anything it doesn't want to do. Therefore, to change any of her unwanted behavior, you must offer an alternative that suits both of you.

The cat loves you and enjoys your company. But if you want to convince her to do things “your way,” you must answer the most important question for her: why do I need this?

The positive thing is that habit plays a very important role for a cat. Once she learns where to sharpen her claws, what to chew, and where to go to the bathroom, she will get used to the new routine.

Whether this kitten's story will have a happy ending depends on how successfully his new owner is able to cope with his behavior problems

YES, kitty!

Reward your cat for good behavior with praise, treats, affection and play. If your cat sharpens his claws on a special post, be sure to let him know that you approve of this: play with him with a toy on a string, a tennis ball, or something else. Praise your cat for using the litter box, eating her plants rather than yours, and attacking her toys rather than your slippers. Your cat wasn't born knowing the rules of living with people, and if you make following those rules enjoyable, you'll be much more likely to have your cat follow them.

No, kitty!

Never hit a cat and never give it a reason to think that any punishment is coming from you. Physical punishment for a cat is not just pointless, but much worse. What's worse is that it stresses out your cat and makes him afraid of you.

Another technique works for cats: she must be convinced that any wrong action on her part automatically entails an unpleasant reaction for her - and that you have nothing to do with it. For example, the sofa that she likes to sharpen her claws on is now covered with something that she doesn't like to touch. Every time she jumps up on the table, she feels the tingling of electrical discharges on her paws, or a stream of water hits her from behind.

Below is a list of traps that are very effective at repelling cats. and will help you live with your cat in complete harmony and harmony.

A spray bottle is one of the tools for solving behavioral problems. But this helps best when the cat feels like the water is coming “out of nowhere.”

Use water and loud sounds . Try gently spraying your cat with a stream of water from a spray bottle or releasing compressed air from a can. You can also shake a tin of coins (cats are scared off by loud noises) or squeeze a squeaking dog toy (cats don't like this sound, but dogs do, so don't use this trick if you have a dog!). All of these techniques will cause the cat to stop at the moment of "committing the crime", and, most likely, she will decide that it is not in her best interest to continue or repeat.

Use a cover. Cover surfaces you don't want your cat touching with double-sided tape, foil or plastic, or plastic mats with pointed tips pointing up. An electrostatic mat called Scat Mat (found in pet stores or ordered from a catalogue), which produces a mild shock, is excellent as a covering for tables and furniture.

Wooden mousetraps. Another device that will help explain to the cat where it should not be. Buy several unbaited mousetraps and place them upside down on a table or in a trash can with newspaper on top. This device is not intended to catch or injure the cat, but simply to scare it. When the cat touches the trap, it will jump and slam shut with an expressive click, which will help convince the cat that it is better not to go where such traps are located.

Covering with something unpleasant. Cover the area where the cat should not tread with a substance that tastes disgusting to the cat, such as Tabasco sauce or Bitter Apple. This is essentially another type of trap that helps in some cases. There's no need to use a lot of nasty stuff: your cat has a very keen sense of smell and taste!

How old is your pet? Ten? More? Then this is definitely the place for you! Because after 8-10 years, various age-related changes begin to occur in the cat’s body, which you need to be aware of and take into account. May your four-legged pet live happily ever after!

By the way, previously the age limit for our pets was much lower - 12-year-old cats were considered long-livers. It was man who raised the quality of life, and with it its duration, by one and a half to two times.

And now it is easy to meet cats that have reached 16-19 years of age, or even more. For example, in our clinic we see two cats, each 21 years old, and the most significant thing that worries them is their teeth, or rather, tartar, which is removed from them from time to time.

Well, the age of cats from the Guinness Book of Records generally exceeds the 30-year mark.

So, among pets, the number of “elderly” pets (approximately 30%) who need optimal care is increasing.

It is a fact that with the increase in the number of years lived, everything changes (and not only for cats :-)). Age-related changes concern all functions of the body. For now, we will consider only behavioral ones.

Reasons for behavior changes can become a number of diseases (including systemic ones) acquired by the animal over the years of life, brain pathologies, as well as CDS - cognitive dysfunction syndrome. First, let's look at medical ailments, and then move on to the most interesting part.

Osteoarthritis (joint disease) can be observed in 65% of cats over 12 years of age (the elbow and hip joints are most often affected, less often the knee and shoulder). Joint pain leads to decreased mobility and the appearance of aggressiveness when communicating with people and other animals.

Systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) often causes the pet to scream at night, become disoriented in space, lose consciousness, senseless circular movements and even seizures.

Chronic kidney disease most strongly influences behavior change: polyuria (increased volume of urine) entails urination in the wrong places, and with a lack of water, dehydration of brain tissue. Polydipsia (increased thirst) causes cats to drink from containers that are not intended for this purpose. The development of acidosis (increased body acidity) causes weight loss and drowsiness. And severe uremia (self-poisoning of the body with nitrogenous waste from urine) leads to uremic encephalopathy, a non-inflammatory disease of the brain. In addition, kidney disease is often accompanied by hypertension (see above).

Hyperthyroidism (increased thyroid hormones) leads to the same consequences as chronic renal failure. In addition, it affects the concentration of thyroxine in the brain (manifests as anxiety and aggressiveness), causes polyphagia - the cat’s taste and appetite change.

Diabetes has the same consequences as chronic renal failure and hyperthyroidism. In addition, it can cause sensory or motor neuropathies (irritability, increased sensitivity to external influences (touch), muscle pain).

Urinary tract infections cause pain and discomfort in the animal bladder or kidneys. The result is “incorrect” urination, anxiety, aggression, and depression.

Changes in appetite, weight loss, gastrointestinal diseases , appearing due to physiological changes and pathological processes, are associated with a deterioration in the sense of smell and taste, pain in the oral cavity, for example, due to periodontal disease.

Hearing and vision loss Cats quickly adapt to blindness. With deafness the situation is worse. Cats with poor hearing begin to make loud noises (possibly at night) because they have difficulty hearing their voices.

Brain tumors more common in older cats (11 years and above). Meningioma, lymphoma, glioma, pituitary tumors are expressed by concern, in a circular motion and cramps.

Pain, especially constant, greatly exhausts the animal. Chronic pain most often occurs with artiritis, as well as with inflammatory processes in other organs, for example, with periodontal disease and diseases of the digestive tract (obstruction). Cats, due to their evolutionary development, are able to cope even with severe pain.

Infectious diseases (viral immunodeficiency, viral leukemia, infectious peritonitis, toxoplasmosis) are the cause of neurological disorders and, consequently, behavioral changes.

So, there are many medical reasons for behavioral problems in older cats. And identifying them often requires a number of diagnostic studies. But if diseases are excluded, that is, when there is no obvious cause, then it is believed that the animal’s behavior changes under the influence cognitive dysfunction syndrome(SKD)

Alzheimer's? In cats?!

Yeah, something like that. Everything is like the big ones.

In cats with cognitive dysfunction syndrome, changes occur in the brain that lead to decreased mental abilities. This affects the processes of thinking, memory, learning new things, and using acquired skills.

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome is a progressive disease with increasing signs of senile behavior

A third of 11-14 year old cats have at least one of the behavioral disorders caused by CDS, and in 15 year old cats the number of such problems is no less than 50%.

The most striking symptom of cognitive dysfunction is disorientation. The cat seems to get lost in the apartment, hides in a corner or under furniture, bumps into door frames in an attempt to find the door, does not recognize the owners or other animals, and does not respond to calls.

The sleep-wake pattern is often disrupted (as a rule, the cat sleeps more during the day and much less at night).

The proportion of purposeful actions decreases and the frequency of aimless wandering increases. There may be movements in a circle or involuntary oscillatory movements - tremor, or, conversely, immobility, weakness.

An older cat may go potty less often and go to inappropriate places more often.

The quality of communication with the owners deteriorates, the animal asks for less and less affection and attention.

Where does SKD come from?

Possible reasons:

1. disturbance of cerebral blood supply - a change in the circulatory system of the brain due to hypoxia caused by heart disease, hypertension, anemia, impaired blood clotting, the formation of small hemorrhages near blood vessels, arteriosclerosis
2. tissue damage from free radicals As cells age, they process nutrients less and less well, the amount of energy decreases, and the number of free radicals in the cells increases, which the body’s antioxidant defense does not have time to neutralize. An excess of these radicals leads to tissue damage, with brain tissue being especially sensitive.

ACS diagnostics

For precise definition reasons for behavioral changes in cats is necessary full examination. Unfortunately, both diagnosis and treatment of behavioral problems are often complicated by the presence of various diseases in the animal. And sometimes a combination of pathologies makes behavioral disorders especially severe.

On the other hand, sometimes behavioral symptoms that are actually caused by a serious illness are attributed to cognitive dysfunction syndrome.

The owner’s task is to identify “abnormalities” in the pet’s behavior and promptly report them to the doctor. In addition to changing behavior, it is important to monitor the amount of food and water consumed, weight loss, frequency of bowel movements and urination, etc.

And, of course, older animals need to regularly (1-2 times a year, more often with significant deviations) visit the veterinary clinic for a comprehensive examination (measurement of body weight, blood pressure, determination of the condition of the retina, concentration of thyroid hormones, motor activity, conducting orthopedic and neurological examinations, ultrasound diagnostics, tests and blood tests (general and biochemical), urine, etc.).

Dear owners! Timely detection of the disease and its correct treatment mean extended years of life for your pet.

Treatment of SCD

Treatment depends on the disease, this is understandable. What to do with “feline Alzheimer”?

Alas, while dogs diagnosed with SCD have been treated with medication (L-deprenyl is a drug used for people with Parkinson's disease), and then only in the USA and Canada, there are no approved medications for cats (some human remedies sometimes give positive results, but everything is still at the experimental stage).

Changing your diet may help. Ideally, food for older cats should contain antioxidants (a set of vitamins C, E and beta-carotene), essential fatty acids, as well as chondroprotectors (methionine, glucosamine, chondroitin) and the amino acids L-carnitine and lysine.

Someday!... In the meantime, we can offer our wards all possible treatment, comfort, peace, good food, and, most importantly, our love and care. Let our pets age gracefully!