Why is my cat suddenly scared of walking on hard floors and rugs?

It may be that the carpet feels uncomfortable on her paws! Putting a rug down and seeing if she will walk on that may encourage her to get used to it over time. Otherwise, making sure she has the ability to get across rooms in an alternative fashion may help keep Baby comfortable.

Dogs can become scared of walking on slippery floors if they have slipped or injured themselves on it. This is more common in older dogs or ones with orthopedic problems who are not as steady on their feet. I recommend Dr Busby's ToeGrips to provide traction on slippery floors. These are little rubber circles that go on the nails so the toenails grip the floor when walking. Most dogs are no longer afraid when they have good traction. You can purchase these online. Otherwise I'd place a track of rugs or runners so she has a safe path through the house. Chihuahuas are prone to luxating patellas and back problems so you don't want Bella Blue to get injured, or be scared to go where she wants. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bella Blue.

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!

This actually isn’t an uncommon problem. But the fact that it comes and goes depending on the day and the used to be fine is a little more concerning. I would suggest a vet check up because sudden changes could indicate a change in health (maybe sight?). And I would want to rule out any medical causes. Next to work on this issue I would put lots of area mats down or a carpet runner. Your dog should be more comfortable walking on that. I would get the dog used to coming back in the room on carpet and king carpet to carpet. Please them maybe a foot apart at first and put treats on the one your dog isn’t on. The plan is to get your pup comfortable going back and forth between the mats and getting rewarded for it so it’s a positive experience. Once they are comfortably going back and forth you can start to increase he distance between the mats and repeat the process. Hopefully with some positive reinforcement and work your pup will get comfortable again

If Mici was a feral or stray cat prior to you taking her in, it may be that she is not comfortable in the home still. If the behavior change was more recent, illness and pain can sometimes cause strange behaviors to appear. If you haven't taken her to the vet recently, an exam is a good first step to make sure there is not an illness or other issue causing her problems. If she checks out healthy, then looking for causes of stress may help. New people, places, pets, etc can all cause stress and may cause your cat to change her behavior. Pheromone diffusers can help reduce stress, while making sure Mici has her own access to food, water, litter and places to hide/rest can also help. If the strange behavior continues even after trying this, then speaking with a veterinary behaviorist or trainer in your area may help.

Hi, this is Dr. Johnson. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rudy! You didn't indicate how old Rudy is or if this is a new change. Some dogs always have a hard time on hard, shiny surfaces while others develops this as they get older. Either from fear of slipping, orthopedic pain or even poor eye sight. If this is a sudden change and Rudy is older having him checked by your Veterinarian for vision issues or arthritis may help him. Things to try at home: buy more rugs for the floor and make a trail of carpet runners. I know that you may not want to but it will make things easier. There are also booties you can buy to place on their feet. Just be careful to not keep them on all the time because they can get foot infections. Also some dogs are scared of the booties and walk worse with them on. I hope Rudy does ok!

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!