My cat is showing weird symptoms

Our question this week was:

My cat is showing symptoms that I cannot describe. Yesterday she was fine. Today she threw up on the floor. She never goes in my room, and now she is under my bed. She is sitting with on her stomach with her paws underneath her. She was doing it all day, I went to go pet her and she backed up and kind of made a low growl at me. She never does that. She loves me so much and I love her so much. She always lets me pet her and cuddle her no matter the circumstance. Please help me find out what is wrong. I’ve done research and I can’t find what it could be.

Brett Newton

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. Hummm…the symptoms you are describing sound peculiar. Does your cat go outside? Is she eating and drinking normally? Acting playful?

I’ve seen cats demonstrate that behavior for a few reasons. I’ve seen that happen if they are sick – such as they have a bite wound, aren’t feeling well or are in pain. They sometimes experience pain and feel confused and don’t know how to respond and will growl and act “peculiar”.

I’ve also seen cats act like that if they smell another cat on you or they are bothered by another cat outside they can see and they feel threatened.

Watch your cat carefully to determine if she is otherwise eating and drinking well, using the litter box normally and acting playful. Keep your eye out for any cats or something outside that might be bothering her.

If you are worried about her being in pain or she is not eating, vomiting, having diarrhea, acting lethargic, having trouble breathing or any other signs, please have her examined by your veterinarian.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra