Change in cat's behaviour

dark crystal

Hi all, hoping someone has been through similar and can shed some light on what might be going on with my cat...

We've had Mia (Mimi) for around 4 years now, since she was three months old. She's mainly been a house cat, albeit she enjoyed going out and exploring her environs for a couple of hours or so each day and slept indoors the rest of the time. She has been a fairly lazy creature of habit all this time - and spoiled rotten by all of us!

However, for the past month or so, she's been like a different cat. She's staying out all day and night, only coming in very briefly to eat and wants to go straight out again. She used to love sleeping on my son's bed each night, but hasn't slept in the house since last month. She's not mating, as she's neutered and we haven't got any new pets or anything whom she might feel threatened by. I'm at a loss as to why she's suddenly changed into a different cat almost overnight!

My partner thinks she may be being fed by one of the neighbours and she's adopted them, but she's skittish enough around most people, so I don't think she'd just suddenly 'abscond' that easily. Also, no way are they giving her food as good as she gets here - she eats better than we do!

Anyway, I'm at a loss here folks and I miss my kitty a lot...has anyone any ideas?

Mollyb60

Usually the first thing if a pet's behaviour suddenly changes is to take it to the vet for a checkup. There's no harm checking in with the neighbours too to see if she's been hanging out in their houses.

human 19

Hi, In winter my cats sleep most of the day indoors. if I open the door in winter and its cold or raining the take a look outside and say "sod this, I'm off back to bed" I always wait for the first mouse or bird catch of the year as then I know they will spend most of their time outdoors, only coming in for short periods.

During summer , they could be out for 24hrs and are not always particularly hungry when they come in
have you spotted any half-eaten birds or mice (or rabbits) around the place?
Maybe she has just discovered hunting

Xander10

mine stay out a lot in warm weather conditions, but come winter I have to push them out the door, to go outside for 5 minutes.

I know it's a new pattern, but I would be pretty sure he/she will revert to usual behaviour.

dark crystal

human 19 wrote: »

Hi, In winter my cats sleep most of the day indoors. if I open the door in winter and its cold or raining the take a look outside and say "sod this, I'm off back to bed" I always wait for the first mouse or bird catch of the year as then I know they will spend most of their time outdoors, only coming in for short periods.

During summer , they could be out for 24hrs and are not always particularly hungry when they come in
have you spotted any half-eaten birds or mice (or rabbits) around the place?
Maybe she has just discovered hunting

Oh, now you mention it, she has actually brought in two birds over the last couple of months, since the weather has gotten warmer, something she never did before!

So it might be her hunting instinct has finally kicked in do you think?

human 19

I would guess so. Especially earlier in the season, as the chicks are easier to catch . The older ones are more savvy.

dark crystal

human 19 wrote: »

I would guess so. Especially earlier in the season, as the chicks are easier to catch . The older ones are more savvy.

Yes! She brought in a small starling last month and a little blue tit a couple of weeks ago. Not very pleasant to see (it upset my son a bit), but it would make sense why she's out so much now.

Thanks so much, I was really worried she suddenly started to hate us or something

patnor1011

Could be. And a nice thing of wanting to share her catch with you
Our boy did the same, brought tons of mice, birds even got a pigeon. I have no clue how he managed that as he was still tiny but well I found feathers all over the garden and half eaten pigeon in front of the door.
Heard somewhere that cats can get rabbit too, I hope mine will not go that far.

dark crystal

patnor1011 wrote: »

Could be. And a nice thing of wanting to share her catch with you

I know it was her gift to us (or maybe she was just reminding us what she's really capable of ), but it's still not nice seeing dead birds around the place!

Another thing that I'm not sure about - cats sleep A LOT - where and when is she sleeping if she's not doing it here?

DBB

Jeepers. No harm to ye folks, but could ye not keep your cats in at dawn and dusk, and stick a bell on their collars, to help minimise their ability to kill wild birds?

dark crystal

DBB wrote: »

Jeepers. No harm to ye folks, but could ye not keep your cats in at dawn and dusk, and stick a bell on their collars, to help minimise their ability to kill wild birds?

I wish she would come in at dawn, dusk and any time in between, but she's suddenly gone largely AWOL, that's the issue!

I hate the fact she's killing anything, this is the first time in four years she's ever done it. I also have this thing about cats wearing bells on their collars - it must be supremely irritating for them hearing that noise all the time. However, I might just have to consider it now...

DBB

Got you re the trying to find her to keep her in... but as for the bell being irritating... well... it has to be a small price to pay if it helps warn birds of her whereabouts? I'd prefer a mildly irritated cat to knowing there are birds being killed by her

dark crystal wrote: »

I wish she would come in at dawn, dusk and any time in between, but she's suddenly gone largely AWOL, that's the issue!

I hate the fact she's killing anything, this is the first time in four years she's ever done it. I also have this thing about cats wearing bells on their collars - it must be supremely irritating for them hearing that noise all the time. However, I might just have to consider it now...

dark crystal

DBB wrote: »

Got you re the trying to find her to keep her in... but as for the bell being irritating... well... it has to be a small price to pay if it helps warn birds of her whereabouts? I'd prefer a mildly irritated cat to knowing there are birds being killed by her

I hear ya, I genuinely wish she hadn't discovered this newly found killer instinct, I really do. We even had a small funeral for the poor starling

It would be cruel to keep her trapped inside if she wants to be out, though, so looks like I'll have to get the damned bell collar at the weekend...

DBB

I have this vague memory of reading about talk of a design of a motion sensor alarmy thing that you could fit to the collar, that detected movement that suggested an imminent pounce, that only emits a noise at the critical moment... kind of a win-win really.
Mind you, I know collars can be scary things to have on cats that are inclined to be... adventurous

Baybay

dark crystal wrote: »

... so looks like I'll have to get the damned bell collar at the weekend...

Please consider a snap collar. If she gets snagged on a branch or something else, she’ll be able to pull it open & get away. It can be a nuisance when the collars are lost but at least she’ll be safe from accidental hanging. I buy a few cheapies at a time that last as long or as short as their dearer counterparts.

human 19

I tried collars in my rural setting but with bushes and all, they get pulled off within a day. The adult birds will learn and adapt to the fact that there are cats around . I had wrens in the garden 2 years ago but after the cats nabbed 4 of their chicks they moved house. its normally mice they catch now. Considering that I had rats in the house and attic until I got the cats 2 years ago, I am happy with their killer instinct.

The last rat episode I had was when there was scratching behind the skirting a few weeks after I got the cats. The cats zoomed over, and made and made a lot of noise. I havent seen as much as a mouse dropping in the house since then.

dark crystal

Baybay wrote: »

Please consider a snap collar. If she gets snagged on a branch or something else, she’ll be able to pull it open & get away. It can be a nuisance when the collars are lost but at least she’ll be safe from accidental hanging. I buy a few cheapies at a time that last as long or as short as their dearer counterparts.

I'll most certainly look into that. We just put various flea collars on her over the year, nothing fancy. I'll take a look in the pet shop over the weekend - thanks for the tip

patnor1011

I don't know how my cat managed to get that pigeon but I suspect bird was sick or unwell. My cat is white and every time he sees birds and try to sneak on them he is not successful due to his excitement - he swings his tail wildly while he try to get close. No way Jose, it is rather futile exercise and fun to watch.
I would not put collar on him, he is so scared of every noise it would drive him mad. He also has a problem with feral cats which roam around and I would not put bell on him to advertise his presence to them. Couple of times he came home with scratches and cuts when some bigger cat got him cornered.

the beer revolu

I read somewhere that when you put a bell on a cat, over time it teaches them to be more stealthy - and more lethal. It kinda makes sense but I just don't know.

Anyone have an thoughts on this ?

human 19

I wouldnt subject my cats to constant noise in their ears. In any case they are very patient. Unlike dogs who go barrelling in, they are quite happy to lie still and hidden until the right opportunity arises. So I think that's another reason not to put a bell on them.

Realtine

I think you might be correct in assuming a neighbour is feeding your cat, she's sleeping somewhere else, a collar might be a way of letting someone else know that she is owned.