[redkris]

Before reading this, keep in mind that if the symptoms worsen or stay the same for another day or so that we'll be heading off to the vet. ATM, there does seem to be slow improvement though.

So, almost exclusively indoor cat (has outdoor enclosure that he goes into once or twice a week)
5 years old, male, desexed, adopted as a kitten from Animal Welfare at 3 months old.
Only health problem ever has been a urinary tract infection.

Yesterday (Sunday) we noticed that DC (for dear cat) had slept the night on our bed, which he used to do nightly in winter but hasn't done for months. We got up and left him dozing, put out breakfast for him and went about our day. Everytime I went back into our bedroom he was still in the same spot, but didn't think much about it...after all, he IS a cat.

At 8 pm that night we realised he hadn't been around bugging us for dinner (he usually starts at around 5pm). We put out food for him and brought hum down to the kitchen but he didn't seem that interested. He was also acting scared of everything, walking slowly, jumping at shadows, peeping under things. Was moving very cautiously as a whole. He went back and got up on our bed and went back to sleep, but woke up when I came to bed. Pupils were so dilated that his eyes were completely black, was attacking the bedding. He eventually settled after I stared him down and went to sleep.

Woke up at 1:15am to find that he'd urinated MASSIVELY where he'd been lying, and had since moved to the other side of the bed. Note that he'd never urinated in an inappropriate place before. Today (Monday) he did eat breakfast and dinner, and cleaned himself a little but spent most of the day curled up resting. Still jumping at shadows, still walking cautiously. I can't find any sore spots on him. I just went back to put the washed bedding back on the bed to find that he's urinated massively on the cotton waffle blanket before i could even get it back on the bed!

He can get to his litter box, and in fact I just checked it and there is a wet patch in there so he has used it.

His colour is fine, gums nice and pink, the urine was clear, he feels like a normal temperature and his pulse seems normal for him. DH did say that a few hours before he came to our room originally he had been chasing something small around the kitchen, but he couldn't see what.

Am feeling extremely puzzled. I've had various cats over the last 25 years, but can't figure out if he's freaking out about something, or ill. The lying in bed all day seems to indicate the latter, but the behaviour is so off.

Thoughts?

ETA we did wonder if he could have caught a spider or one of the tiny scorpions that we see around occasionally.

ETA again, just went into the kitchen and he was meowing for extra dry food for the first time in two days, which is good. Still puzzled though.

This post has been edited by redkris: 21/01/2013, 10:55 PM

[erindiv]

Wow, that is strange. I'd hazard a guess he has been bitten by or swallowed something nasty. What is he doing now?

[mummabubba]

We had a kitten who was the same. Turned out it was a tick.

[redkris]

Wow, that is strange. I'd hazard a guess he has been bitten by or swallowed something nasty. What is he doing now?

ATM he's walking around the study looking high and low for something.

RE the tick thing, did wonder anout something like that, but A) he hasn't been outside in a few days, B) can't find anything and C) not sure if we get them here in SA.

ETA when I say looking high and low, he's actually SNIFFING high and low....he just gave my feet and lower legs a good sniffing over.

This post has been edited by redkris: 21/01/2013, 11:07 PM

[erindiv]

Examine him closely in a tick-finding way just to be sure.

I'd say he's been chasing something and it's bitten him, he's now trying to find it and is on edge, wondering if it is going to reappear.

[redkris]

Am checking him over now. Googled it, and apparently we don't get paralysis ticks in this state, which makes me feel relieved, but can't hurt to check.

[vbn]

Poison? Do you (or could be your neighbours) use it on rats/ insects around the house?
He might have ingested some (eg caught a slow cockroach that was already dying from being sprayed), and might have gotten really lucky not to receive a fatal dose.

The jumpiness/behaviour changes sound like symptoms of being ill.

[FiveAus]

I would take him to the vet. Cats are really, really good at hiding illnesses and some of his behaviour points to general pain/feeling unwell.
And the urinating on the blanket could be because of stress (due to being unwell).

[*Spikey*]

Vet job. ASAP.

I'm voting for mouse that has been poisoned. Might not have originally been from your place - but that doesn't stop them moving around.

[kim27]

I vote for the vet ASAP too. Doesn't sound like a happy cat to me. Hope he improves soon.