What's up with my cat?

Feltgirl

I can't sleep because my cat won't leave me alone. She's been acting strangely the past few days. Really needy, following me around the house one step ahead of me and she's been gnawing on me alot. Chewing my knuckles, elbows, the diamond on my engagement ring is a particular favourite. I'll be stroking her one minute and the next she's lashing out and scratching me. She's about 8 months old and has been neutered. She's an inside only cat apart from the odd sunny day where she chases flies in the garden.
Tonight she's jumping on my bed attacking my head or trying to chew my fingers. If I lock her out of the bedroom she hurls herself at the door and meows really loudly. I have a baby and she's woken her twice with her banging so having her in the bedroom seems the lesser of two evils.
Should I bring her to the vets on Tuesday for a check up? She's eating and drinking as normal. Has anyone idea what is making her crazy? She was fine up to two days ago.

looksee

I have a cat that has shown similar behaviour since she was a kitten. She acts really nervous, the way she goes on you would think we abuse her, then she gets on my lap or on the bed or wherever I am and 'kneads' me for ages at a time, much longer than the normal 'settling down' thing. She has also done the chewing thing, but she seems to have stopped that.

My cat is now around 2 years and is calming down a lot. I suspect it is a 'personality' thing and there is not a lot you can do about it. I wonder if one of those plug in 'animal calming' things would help, I haven't tried one and I am not sure I would want one in a house with a baby, but I don't know how they work so they may be ok.

BengaLover

You say 'she' is neutered so I am assuming you mean spayed, and she really is a she, because male cats can sometimes become really needy and affectionate more so than females.
If she is an inside only cat then maybe its boredom, and just wanting you to realise she wants to be outside maybe?

sambuka41

Is there a full moon or something because my 5 year old male has been doing the exact same thing, and only in the last 2 days. He has a tendency to be a bit aggressive but he's going hell for leather on my doors, couch, paper, plants. :mad: Following me everywhere and meowing loudly in my face.

I've checked the usual stuff, ears, paws. But no sign of anything.. I've played with him for an hour and he's still a bit mental. Honestly I wonder if a full moon can make them a little crazy.

If he doesn't calm I'll bring him to vets on Tuesday, OP i would advise the same

sambuka41

BengaLover wrote: »

If she is an inside only cat then maybe its boredom, and just wanting you to realise she wants to be outside maybe?

If she is I wouldn't give into her, I have made an area out the back garden where my guy can go out, he has a cat tree and toys. But he can't get out of the garden. Its much safer for him.

Keeping them indoors is safer but at times it can be tiring

Zapperzy

My 7 year old female is clingy too, very much a 1 person cat and follows me around the house everywhere (including the toilet and tries to follow me into the shower). If I sit down anywhere she's immediately running over and jumping up on my knees purring in my face and trying to lick me. Afraid to say she's been like this all her life and I can't see her letting up now! When we're living at home she sleeps downstairs in the utility room but when I moved out with her twice she used to have the run of the flat and slept on my pillow beside my head!
Mad little yolks they are, people think their independent and do their own thing but have to say my cat is much more clingy, needy and hard work than my dog who is more cat like and happy to lounge around all day!

Not much help I know, sorry. You could try plugging in a feliway diffuser in another part of the house and hope she prefers to sleep there. Also unless you got her spayed yourself I would question if she was done, females become very hormonal and clingy when in heat.

And just to add what are her toileting habits like? Normally you can tell a lot by watching their litter tray habits, when their in pain that's usually the first thing you notice is different, peeing outside of the tray in odd places or straining to go. Urinary infections are very common and often brought on by stress. Is the baby new? Could she be jealous of all the attention he's (or she) is getting?