My cat is hissing at nothing and seems sick. What should I do?

I would have Nurmal (love her name!) checked out by a vet. Sudden changes in behavior in a senior cat can point to medical problems such as hyperthyroidism and arthritis (pain may make her cranky). I recommend getting a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis. These tests will help the vet identify if she is suffering from a medical illness. Should one be found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. I would take her into the vet on Monday if possible. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Sudden behavioral changes can sometimes indicate pain or an underlying illness, so if this came on suddenly a vet visit is always a good first step to rule out any health problems. If your kitty is in good health, looking for something that may have triggered it such as a new object, new people, possession over toys etc may help you understand what caused it. Stress can make cats act uncomfortable or unpredictable, so removing the stressors or making it so your cat has a place to escape and relax may help him feel better. Pheromone diffusers/collars can also be useful in dealing with stress and aggression, and placing one on your cat or plugged into the area where he is being territorial may help him calm down.

Hello. I am so sorry for your concerns about Simba. I do not know if what I am seeing is real, but your photo looks like there are opacities in the lenses of both eyes. These could be cataracts. If you think you see something in the very black part of the pupils, please see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Otherwise, things to be considered are any possible changes that might be going on in or out of the house. Are you using a new perfume, shampoo, body wash? Any new medications, or smoking habits? Simba is now sexually mature, so neutering may help. Also, purchasing an appeasing pheromone spray or diffuser called Feliway may help. It is always best to have a hands-on exam to make sure nothing is amiss with Simba, even if it is just a weird reflection in the eyes that I am seeing. Hopefully, this is not a personality flaw in Simba, especially since this is a relatively new behavior. Bad kittens often grow up to be bad cats, so I am guessing he was not a problem child. So, have him checked out to make sure he is as healthy as possible, & try the Feliway. Thank you.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mikey. That is strange behavior! It make me wonder if he has some pain in his back, hips, or tail. It could also be that he has problem with his anal sacs. They may be impacted or infected. Without seeing him in person, I can't say for sure what is causing this behavior. I'd have him seen by a vet to have this diagnosed and treated. Since this has been doing on for 2.5 weeks, I'd see if you can get him into a vet today. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Oscar! I would make an appointment for Oscar at your Vet. Any behavioral change in an older pet warrants an exam. He could be painful (arthritis, injury), scared, have painful urination or constipation and any metabolic condition (kidney or liver problems, hyperthyroidism, diabetes). I hope this helps and I wish Oscar a speedy recovery!

Vague behavior changes like you are describing can be the first sign of illness in an older cat, so if you feel something is wrong I would encourage you to see your veterinarian again. Blood work might be recommended to rule out kidney or liver disease. The vomiting could be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease or even an intestinal mass and if the blood work is normal an abdominal ultrasound might be recommended. Finally, the vocalizing and hissing could be a sign of pain from something like arthritis and there are some supplements and now pain medications that can be used in cats.

I would be concerned that Elvis could be painful somewhere or not feeling well. Sometimes they will have a change in behavior if they are painful, have a high thyroid, or even if they have a GI tract or urinary tract infection. I would have your vet do a thorough exam on him to rule these things out. Your vet will be able to determine whether he is painful, perfect a urinalysis, fecal or blood work if needed. If your vet thinks he is normal then I would be concerned about anxiety. You can try feliway diffusers which are cat pheromones that sometimes help to calm them. It doesn't work on everyone. Cats usually become anxious of anything that has changed in their environment like new people, new pets, normal people gone too much, construction in or out of the home, new feral cats outdoors, etc. I hope this helps!