This problem with Boots is so frustrating. I go downstairs and sit and stitch with him in the sewing room. It’s just like it was in the sewing room in Texas in that sometimes, he sits next to me, sometimes he wants to sit on my lap, sometimes he’s who knows where and even if I sit down there for hours, I hear him but don’t see him, sometimes he sits in the window the entire time I’m down there and never acknowledges my presence. None of that is new behavior for him. When he sits with me in the sewing room, he has never bit me . . though he did often in Texas and I assumed that was his sign that it was time for me to leave.
When I open the sewing room door, he runs upstairs. He must want to come up here or he wouldn’t do it, right? He gets to the top of the stairs before I do and the first thing I notice is that his pupils are huge and he’s flicking his tail, which is not what was happening downstairs. I take that to mean he isn’t comfortable upstairs. That makes me feel like it isn’t a medical issue.
As I mentioned earlier, he’s recently started purring again while upstairs because for over a week, he wouldn’t purr up here at all.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that he jumps on my lap and if I so much as wiggle my knee or foot, he jumps down, runs to the other side of the sofa and looks at me like “Why did you try to kill me?”
Yesterday after seeing the cat tracks by his window, I thought maybe that is really bothering him so I tried to let him stay upstairs last night. I don’t like a cat in the bed but he’s a cat . . if he’s in the bedroom, he’s going to do what he wants to do. Sometimes he sleeps in the bed but he used to would curl up on the very edge of the bed and sleep close to my back but not touching me.
Last night, he got in the bed and he was so needy. He never stopped purring! I was on my side with my arm kinda folded over me. He only wanted to sleep on top of me and he kept trying to get his head under my elbow like he wanted me to hug him. He never bit me but his tail never stopped flicking and since he was laying me, his tail was slapping on the comforter and hitting me. Not a good way for me to sleep.
Also, about every 10 minutes, he would jump down, not growl but make a weird sound, walk around the room for a minute or so and resume his position on top of me. In the interest of me getting a few hours sleep, about 2 a.m. I took him back downstairs.
Help! Someone tell me what to do with him!!
My only hope is that he’s missing Vince. I don’t have a clue what else it could be and honestly, he’s a cat . . would that be normal for him to act that way because he’s missing Vince? Do I need to go back to the vet and spend another $120? I am so frustrated with not knowing what to do to help him.
With him being so needy last night, I do feel like he’s scared. He’s upstairs somewhere now but he hasn’t come over to see me at all. Cats are so weird!! I love him but am beginning to believe I’m not a good cat parent. With my dogs, I could usually look at them and know when something was wrong and was fairly good at diagnosing when they wanted to go out, or when they needed to see a vet or when they needed love and attention. I don’t have a clue with Boots . . not a clue!
Kathy C says
Maybe you have spirit in the house.
Try sage smudge sticks? Its an inexpensive thing to try whether you believe it or not. Way cheaper than an exorcist
Cilla says
OMG that is exactly what I have been thinking since Judy first posted this but was concerned people would think….well….anyway. Has anyone died in the house? I agree with sage smudge. My house was built in 1750. There is one spirit that shows herself then in one bedroom there are lots of blue orbs dashing about. Perhaps you could research the past owners.
Jeri says
I think Judy bought her house from the original owners.
Judy Laquidara says
We bought the house from the people who built it and no one has died in the house. Boots was here for almost three full months acting normal and then started this crazy stuff.
Elle says
I suggest: keep him upstairs for a few days and spend tons of time with him. Snuggle, pet, scratch. Walk around with him so he’s exploring all the spaces with you.
It feels like a cry for attention to me. He has realized this is not temporary and it’s a huge space compared to the sewing room both here downstairs and in TX.
All the purring tells us he was content and happy being right there with you.
Marilyn Smith says
Do you have any of the rodent things to keep mice/rats out that you plug into an outlet. They emit a sound that we can’t hear but keeps the bad guys away? Just another possibility of something that might bother him.
Sandra J Rea says
I checked with my daughter who’s always had cats and her take was that he might be hearing something inn the walls or soffit that’s setting him off. That growling noise is what made her think he’s reacting to something that he’s occasionally hearing.
Judy Laquidara says
Maybe but the entire time he’s upstairs and he wasn’t doing it before? I’m not ruling anything out at this point.
Lisa says
Judy, I think he’s guarding you against dangers that he senses upstairs. He doesn’t feel safe up there yet, he’s got his adrenaline going and he’s jumpy. Cats really do guard their owners–maybe especially since Vince isn’t around, and Boots feels responsible for protecting you, especially when you’re sleeping. Part of that responsibility is not letting you sleep when he senses danger. When we take my cat to our condo, he prowls and yowls all night when he usually sleeps all night here at home where he’s comfortable. My cat will only sleep when we wake up there. Boots sees you sleeping, he knows he has guard duty and he’s taking his responsibility very seriously! My protector cat has attacked dogs and wild pigs when we came across them on our property and he was nearby. I think you need to let Boots upstairs more often and sit with him more often until he feels safe there–I think only time and familiarity will help. Keeping him in the sewing room is just going to keep him less familiar and less comfortable when you let him upstairs. I’ve had four cats in my life, and two were these “protector” cats–the other two were sweet, but didn’t do this protecting thing at all. I think Boots is a protector and he probably feels a bit overwhelmed with his duty in your new home.
Judy Laquidara says
The weird thing is that he was fine upstairs for almost three months and all of a sudden, isn’t fine upstairs.
Barbara says
If it is a behavioral issues, save your money on the vet. I have a friend that was a professional dog trainer. She had a great deal of respect for vets. She said not many vets are experts or have credentials in behavioral issues and to look for a vet with a specialty in behavior or go to a trainer. I would assume that is also true for cats.
Good luck with Boots, I hope you can figure out his issues. He’s such a good cat.
DarW says
Ok my 2 cents, cat owner 42 plus years. I’d guess it’s whatever is outside coming closer to the house for warmth or whatever reason that he can see and/or smell that has him agitated. I’d recommend Feliway plug-ins in at least the sewing room, bedroom and somewhere central to where he spends much of his time. Basically a calming pheromone. I have used them successfully with several cats for different issues and have been well pleased. Just a suggestion.
Kat Williams says
Has Boots been nuetered? Maybe there is a female cat in heat lurking about.
Judy Laquidara says
Yes. He has been neutered.
Marie S Gilkey says
have you asked the vet about Boots still going through a cycle even if he is fixed? One never knows.
Judy Laquidara says
Wouldn’t he have done it before now too? He’s about 8 years old. I will mention it to the vet though. Thanks!
Sandra B says
I agree with DarW….our cat is anxious about everything, and the vet recommended using the Feliway diffusers. We have one in our living room and one in our bedroom. They work great! Cosmo still has times when the anxiety gets to him, but he a totally different cat, from before we started using the diffusers. We were so glad they work…it was an easy fix, and he is a much more relaxed kitty.
Judy Laquidara says
That’s what I’m using in the sewing room. The vet recommended that room because of the square feet. I would have to get at least two if I were going to use them for the family room. Is there any place you’ve found that’s less expensive than buying them at the vet’s office?
Sandra B says
My husband found them on eBay. It isn’t always the same vendor that has the best price, so he just searches until he finds the best deal at that time.
Jenny M says
Maybe there is a female cat in heat somewhere outside and he’s getting excited about that.
Judy Laquidara says
He’s been neutered so do you think that would matter? I have no idea how all that works. I mean . . I know how some of it works but best stop there! 🙂
Nelle Coursey says
When Quincy gets upset we give him CBD oil. You can get it for pets. Also the doctor said a children’s Benadryl will work, but if you give him one, make sure the first one is during the day to make sure he is not going to have a reaction. I think the name of the company we get it from is Cananine, but we also get it at the Honey Bee. So if you have a health food store near, you might try that.
Shelley says
I had a cat do something similar when our son left to go to college. Then my husband had to leave for 2 weeks and the poor cat went crazy. Started spraying everywhere. The vet said it was hopeless. We ended up putting him down. The poor thing just couldn’t understand the changes. I suspect that is the issue with your cat also. He wants things back to his normal. He is either going to adjust or it will get worse. So sorry for you
Claudia Duke says
Maybe try covering the window downstairs that Boots like to look out of. I know that sounds mean, but if it is another cat he is seeing, it maybe what is setting him off. He will find another window to look out of and maybe not see the other cat. That window looks low enough that the outside cat can get up very close to it and torment him. Maybe try it for a while and see if he calms down. Just a suggestion. My daughters cat used to go crazy when he saw another cat outside the windows in her condo.
Judy Laquidara says
There were lots of cats around the house in TX but the windows in the sewing room were tall so Boots was way up and looking down at them. He was probably 5′ off the ground. Here, he’s right at ground level on two of the windows.
Kathy Alden says
Recently you wrote about tracks outside. Maybe something got into your attic and is living there. Since most animals like raccoons are nocturnal, it could be one is in the attic and Boots hears it. You may want to have some one inspect it just to make sure.
Judy Laquidara says
I talked to the people who lived here before and they don’t think there’s any way an animal could get in the attic. I’m not ruling anything out but in the past, when I’ve lived where something got in the attic, they were never very quiet. I’m pretty nocturnal too and I never hear anything. Chad and Nicole rented a place and a squirrel got in the attic one night and it sounded like a herd of elephants.
Teri says
This sounds so sad. No help from me. How is Rita? She stays upstairs right? Does Boots get along with her? I just wish you the best in figuring this out.
Linda R says
Poor Boots and poor Judy! It’s so puzzling and others have such good suggestions. Since this started recently maybe you can pinpoint the changes that happened–like you’re now using more heat and something you can’t hear like the switching of cycles is putting Boots on alert. Any automatic adjustments in fans or vents? There may be new smells from a heating system that hasn’t been used for a while. Or noises from outside that are present now that weren’t before. I sure hope you can get some peace of mind soon.