Why does my healthy cat have unusual habits and act so differently?

Cats may hide if scared or not feeling well. Try to determine is anything has changed around the house that may have spooked her. Any new people or pets, a move, or sudden change in schedule. If you can't think of anything then monitor health closely. Eating, drinking and litter box habits. Notice any vomiting or diarrhea. And if she is acting ill take her in for a vet visit.

It may be her personality. Some cats are more solitary than others. If she had rpeviously been more social, have her examined by your veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury. Either can cause sudden behavioral changes. Monitor for signs of bulllying or aggression by the other cats as well.

It sounds like she is in good health for her age, but that being said, any abrupt change in behavior is a good reason to go to the vet for an exam and senior labwork, if you haven't had that done lately. Cats are excellent at hiding symptoms of illness, so this could be an early warning that she might be developing a medical condition that needs attention. If you're concerned enough to ask about it, then it is a significant enough change to warrant investigation.

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!

Cats are very temperamental creatures and can be thrown out of balance by small changes in their environment. Sometimes these changes are imperceptible to us humans, while others the cause may be something more obvious (the addition of another person or animal, moving to a new location, change of diet, etc). Based on what you are telling me he sounds very stable and overall overtly healthy. I understand it is difficult to get a hold of him, but another reason for him to be acting abnormally would be if he is in some measure of discomfort or pain. I would suggest ruling this out with your vet, and once this is done, begin trying to produce an environment that is as enriching and stress-free as possible for Jhumru. I would not push him too much in an attempt to regain his affection. Allow him to come back into his own and come to you when he is ready. Obviously, if the doctor is able to find something physically to explain this behavior, ideally resolving this issue will also resolve the behavior change. Hope this helps.

Stress can cause cats to hide or act abnormally. For example if you had house guests or got a new pet this could stress your cat out. However medical issues can also cause cats to hide. Cats may hide if they are feeling bad. I would keep a very close eye on your cats appetite, water intake, BMs, and urine if your cat is hiding. If you notice anything that is not normal I would take your cat in for a thorough exam and some basic bloodwork. Older cats can be prone to things like diabetes, renal disease, and hyperthyriodism. These can be fairly well managed with meds once daignosed. If your cat is a male, keep a very close eye on the litter box and be sure he is urinating ok. Male cats can get thier urethra blocked and become unable to urinate. This is an emergency and can be fatal very quickly if left untreated. If it turns out to be just stress I reccomend trying a product called Feliway. Feliway mimcks the phermone produced by mother cats and has a calming effect on cats. Feliway should be available over the counter at your local vet. hope this helps

Many cats like to hide in the closet, usually to sleep there, as long as she is otherwise eating normally and behaving normally it is not considered to be a problem. if this is new and she is hiding in the closet all day then she is probably hiding a health condition and you should take her to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked.