Any cat psychologists out there?

[DWalt]

I have an unusual situation with our tabby tomcat Cheddar. He is around 9 years old. About a month ago he underwent a complete and fairly abrupt personality change. He always liked to cuddle with his humans and was generally catlike, loveable and friendly, except for occasional run-ins with our other (female) cat of about the same age. They were never best friends. Now, he has taken to living on top of our dining room table all day and all night, leaving it only when he visits his litter box or to eat dry food and drink water on the floor. Took him to the vet two weeks ago, and there doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with him. She gave us some Fluoxitine pills, which I gather is sort of a tranquilizer, but they seem to have no noticeable effect on his personality. Anyone else ever have a similar cat experience, and if so, what happened?

 

[lihpster]

I can't tell what a woman is thinking, and we are almost the same species. I have no idea what cats are thinking.

 

[LVSteve]

When up on the table, how does he react when you approach him? Staying high suggests to me he had a run in with something at floor level that has him well spooked. I'm thinking scorpion, solfugid (AKA sun-spider or windscorpion), or maybe even a large, aggressive reptile.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I can't tell what a woman is thinking, and we are almost the same species. I have no idea what cats are thinking.

Boy, have you got that right!

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Cats are like people, they often don't act in rational ways. I had 2 pretty affectionate and cuddly male cats-unaltered-who ran away. In Winter. Go figure.

 

[Tom S.]

My mother's personality changed radically when she developed brain cancer. I don't know if cats get that type of cancer or not, or whether vets can diagnose it without x-rays. I hope that is not the cause however.

 

[oldman10mm]

As in post #3, it feels safe up there. Just let it be, it'll return to it's previous personality eventually when it feels safe to come down.

 

[mchom]

Its just a guess...but perhaps the dynamic (For reasons known only to Cheddar) have changed between the 2 cats. And possibly the table represents a safe space. Maybe its the highest defendable place Cheddar feels comfortable. Or Cheddar just needs a place to call his own? Difficult to say but A suggestion is to maybe put up a cat tree or something similar with this in mind? Another place Cheddar can call his own. Just a thought.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Dramatic announcer's voice:
"This sounds like a job for... JACKSON GALAXY!"

"...American cat behaviorist, YouTuber, and former host of the television show My Cat from Hell."

 

[Bald1]

Cats are funny. Ours likes to be up on things. He likes windowsills, coffee table, especially the back of couch in loft where he can look down on first flooor living room. But he has never got on dinning table or kitchen counters and island……. Which is good because I don’t want a cat where I eat.

 

[Alk8944]

I have had more than one cat whose demeanor changed abruptly from their normal aloof behavior to being suddenly friendly and affectionate and a good pet. Unfortunately they died naturally within days of the change. It seemed as though they were aware their end was near!

 

[SMSgt]

Nothing a fly swatter won't cure.

 

[cruiserdan]

Dramatic announcer's voice:
"This sounds like a job for... JACKSON GALAXY!"

"...American cat behaviorist, YouTuber, and former host of the television show My Cat from Hell."

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

 

[oldbrownhat]

FWIW I was just chatting with my gf - indentured servant to two cats who have appeared here, Izzie and "Charlie of Epic Whiskers/Curb Feelers" - and she said if they are drinking/peeing, eating/pooping and grooming normally, there is probably nothing serious to worry about.

 

[Rudi]

Can you still pet him? Try some catnip, maybe some Starkist tuna. A real head scratcher.

 

[cruiserdan]

My cats go bananas for this stuff.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[Buford57]

I had a dog like that. The only negative reaction I ever got was when I asked him "Do you want to go for a ride in the truck with a cat?" He considered that an indecent proposal from the look on his face.

 

[ZGrand]

When our 19 year old cat did something similar, it turned out to be kidney failure. Since your vet didn't find anything wrong, I have no idea.

 

[venomballistics]

The table is a high and prominent location
This is not a frightened cat behavior.
Fear and discomfort drive them to low places and concealment.
he's either repelled by something on the floor, or attracted by something on the table