Cat woke up terrified with fluffed tail. Is she having bad dreams?

If you can wake her up when this occurs and she seems normal then this is probably a nightmare or dream. If you attempt to wake her and it doesn't stop I'd be concerned that this might be seizure activity. If it seems a seizure is more likely I'd recommend making an appointment to see your vet.

Poor Poppy! I would make sure she doesn't have any fleas. Fleas can sometimes cause cats to have bizarre behavior. I would also be concerned about miniature seizures or back/neck pain. Since this is happening frequently I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to do a thorough exam to help determine the cause. They may want to start her on a little anti-anxiety medicine to see if this helps decrease the episodes. You could try Benadryl twice a day to see if this makes a difference. I hope this helps. See link below. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/benadryl/#!

There are a couple of things that could be happening with Leo. He could be exhibiting symptoms of feline hyperesthesia. This is a neurological problem that can surface suddenly. It could be that Leo was startled by a loud noise or a bad dream, and that caused him to wake up suddenly. It could also be due to seizure activity. I would take Leo into the vet for an exam after Thanksgiving. With a detailed history, a physical exam, routine blood tests, and a urinalysis, the vet may be able to diagnose what is causing this behavior in Leo.

Poor Tiki! It's possible that he could be injured. It's also possible that he is still agitated and scared from his encounter with the dog - it often takes cats 48 hours or more to calm down after a scary event like this. The safest option would be to take him to the vet for an exam in case he may be injured. If his exam is normal, then I would recommend leaving him alone for the next few days to give him a chance to calm down and feel comfortable again.

That is odd! It’s unknown if pets have nightmares and I’m not sure that we will ever be able to know. Watch Cow for any health issues such as weight loss, imbalance, vomiting or diarrhea and have him seen if these are noted. If you can record the episode, that would be helpful as well. You can always have him seen by his veterinarian and if he gets a clean bill of health, then you can be assured it’s all just behavioral. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It’s impossible to know without an exam if that episode was a bad dream or related to pain. Watch Orlando very closely for any repeated episodes, limping or reluctance to move. Once he wakes up, check his nails and make sure none are broken and that there aren’t any wounds on the feet. If you see anything questionable, have him seen by his veterinarian. It’s possible he got a toe nail stuck in the bed and it twisted and if the nails are long, get them trimmed. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jackie. The meow change could indicate some laryngitis or inflammation of the larynx where the vocal folds are. Many things could cause this and the most common would be a viral upper respiratory infection, some type of inhaled allergen/irritant, exposure to something in her environment, among many other things. Usually with infection, there may be nasal and ocular involvement, including redness of the eyes, squinting, eye discharge, and discharge from the nose. Sneezing and sometimes cough is associated. The head shaking is most likely indicative of an ear infection. This could be ear mites or could even be due to bacteria/yeast which sometimes infect cats ears. I would advise taking Jackie to your vet. Let them gather a detailed history and perform a thorough exam. They can then advise on any diagnostics that are needed or a treatment plan to address the issues. Ear mites and ear infections are commonly detected with an ear smear, where debris from the ears is examined under the microscope. Remember ear mites are contagious to other pets in the house but not to people, although the human ear canal can sustain an ear mite infection. Once a diagnosis is made or suspected treatment can begin. Good luck with Jackie.