Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/abnormal male cat behavior

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/15/2009


Question
I have 2 indoor cats,one male,10 months old, one female,1 yr-5 months old. . The other night , the male got loose for about 4 hours.He came home on his own and seemed fine. About 2 hrs later he started crying like a female cat in heat and would not let the female or me get near him . He growled when we approached him and up to this point had never done anything like that before.He has never been to the vet for shots or otherwise.Any ideas why the sudden change in behavior.

Answer
Keith,

It sounds as if he may have been in a cat fight and got bit, or attacked by a wild animal. The growling and crying is a good indication of pain. He may also be traumatized by whatever experience he had.

To be on the safe side you may want to take him to a vet to be checked over for any injuries or bites.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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