Why is my cat hiding and acting strange after being scared by a light?

When cats get spooked or frightened by something, it often takes them a few days to completely calm down again - so this is not unusual. The best thing to do is leave her alone and give her space. You can try using a Feliway pheromone diffuser and/or a daily calming supplement like Anxitane to help reduce her anxiety, if you want to.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kitty Mucher. If she spends time outdoors, then I worry that she sustained an injury. Cat bite wounds are common and could explain her abrupt change in behavior. If she is not acting normal by the time you return home today, then she will need to see her veterinarian. If she does have a wound (and they can be hard to find), she will require treatment. I hope this information helps!

If this just happened today I would give Hades time. Cats can get very stressed out and it may just take time for Hades to feel more comfortable again. If this happened weeks ago then I would recommend discussing this with your veterinarian to see if they have anxiety medication for Hades to feel much better. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This does sound like relatively abnormal for Piper, and can be caused by many things because it is so nonspecific. Loss of appetite can be caused by general pain, intestinal issues such as a foreign body or parasites, and infections. I recommend keeping a close eye on Piper, if you are concerned that his energy and appetite are low, there is valid reason for him to be seen by his vet. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The behavior you describe is definitely a little unusual. Cats are actually somewhat of a prey species, so they are very good at hiding illnesses. I recommend keeping a close eye on Hobbes, and having her seen by a vet if this continues for the next 2 days or so. She should be seen sooner if you feel that she has declined or begins to show signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend that you try a product called Feliway which can help cats deal with any stress inducing situations like the one you describe. You can buy this as a spray for example at your local pet store or online. If she does not improve, the other thing that should be considered is if there is a medical reason for all of this which is certainly possible. If her behavior does not improve, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. She is adorable! Good luck!

Poor girl! There could be something that has spooked her. Or she could be not feeling well. Or there could even be an internal conflict with another cat in the household. The first thing I would do is make sure she is healthy. I would see if your vet can look at her and make sure she isn’t painful, no infection, no fever, no urinary tract infection, etc. if she isn’t feeling well, this definitely can cause a change in behavior. If everything is normal then I would make sure she is getting along with everyone in the house. Make sure there are plenty of litter boxes as this is something they commonly will become territorial over. You can even put out some feliway diffusers which are pheromones they help calm down cats. Unfortunately these don’t work on everyone. You make also look into vetriscience composure treats as a natural calming supplement. I hope this helps!