# Can cats hallucinate? (bear with it!)



## Silaqui (Dec 26, 2012)

Hi everyone, 

I've posted on here a few times about my new(ish) -3 weeks now - rescue cats. I promise I will start to reply to some thread myself soom but you guys are all far more expert than I am! 

Anyway - Oscar the slightly older one (5) occasionally acts quite oddly. We've noticed before that he is quite chatty - he will walk around the house meowing to himself, I usually just talk back to him! But earlier on he was sitting in the hall downstairs STARING up at the ceiling - I even waved my hand in front of his face and he didn't flinch (bear in mind he's usually pretty nervy still). He even let me pick him up and was still gazing at the ceiling! There was nothing there by the way!
Then, he was upstairs on the landing, and he was looking up again - then he started moving his head as if he was watching something move around - like when they might watch a fly or something flit around. 
He then stopped and stared intently at the bannister, jumped up onto it, and then jumped off, squeaked and ran away. 

There is honestly nothing there - I was looking for one of those tiny little flies maybe but nothing. 

Does anyone know if this is something I should be worried about? I did wonder whether it might be boredom, but prior to this we had had a pretty long playtime with his favourite shoelace and jingle ball, and they do have a pretty extensive toy collection which I am slowly trying to add to (money permitting!) 
He's happily playing on his own with his jingle ball now. 
Jake the other cat is fast asleep on the bed upstairs.

Any opinions gratefully accepted!
Thanks in advance xx


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## Ang2 (Jun 15, 2012)

Cats also have very acute hearing. He maybe heard something that you didnt. Could have been the rafters creaking.


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## ljs85 (Jun 2, 2012)

2 of my 3 like to chat to the walls  And on the odd occasion they will stare intently at the ceiling (probably plotting how to reach the light!)

 I also talk back to the cats


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## Hannahmourneevans (Dec 16, 2012)

Oh I know what you mean - our cats stare at nothing all the time... I think they hear things that we dont!


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

I had a cat that did the same. I think it is probably noises coming from piping, wiring or even insects in or outside the wall/ceiling that the human ear cannot pick up. I know it is spooky. When I was a student, I used to live in an old creepy house in the countryside house with other people and sometimes I would be alone with my cat if they all went out. The staring at unheard sounds really freaked me out...the housemates used to come back to find me a gibbering wreck at the end of the evening


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## Silaqui (Dec 26, 2012)

Thanks all - at least it's not just me with a crazy cat! It;s just because he was so intent on it, it was so strange! He even let me pick him up which is unheard of! 
At least I know it's nothign to worry about haha


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## CAPA7 (Jun 23, 2012)

So it doesn't mean they can see ghosts then?


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## Leam1307 (Feb 12, 2010)

Haha our 3 do this, i think they are dust watching! did you never as a kid watch a piece of lint drifting about in a room... if not its just me who had a sad childhood then.


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## CharlieChaplin (Dec 30, 2012)

My cat does this too (one more than the other) it freaks me out a little cos I wonder what they can see what I can't but I think sometimes its a shadow/light or something that we don't notice or sometimes cobwebs! They see them move slightly and go for them or just stare at them depending on where they are........maybe I should dust more......


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## SiaAndMaxsMum (Sep 10, 2012)

All my cats have done this/do this....as previous posters have said they are probably looking/hearing things we can't. Max will be sat on my lap purring away looking at me then he'll move his head and stare just behind me and stop purring....it's quite freaky, but I think I can't see it so whatever it is isn't going to do any harm!


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## The Minkey (Feb 6, 2012)

My youngest does this too. A couple of days ago, he was sat in the corner of the bedroom facing the wall and looking upwards - nothing there as far as I could see - suddenly he leapt a good four feet straight up, lol. It was pretty funny. 

Does anyone else give their cat a lift up to help them catch flies that are high out of reach? Mine both sit and mew until I come to pick them up to go fly hunting. Kato in particular has become expert at catching them, they're in his mouth before he's even back on the ground again.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2013)

Mine too I think the attraction of movement and a cats prey drive sometimes comes into play, anything that moves gets attention.
I noticed one part of the ceiling at low light reflected cars going past outside so could be that.
Although it wouldn't suprise me off cats saw things we don't birds of prey see heat trails and vapour trails .
Also who knows they may see presences of things we can't :O


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## LolaKitty (Mar 7, 2013)

My Lola is exactly the same, she is very chatty and we often talk for ages. It really freaks me out too, usually we'll be sitting on my bed and suddenly she just starts staring behind my head and up at the ceiling, fixated with it. In my old house with the old cats they always did this but it was a very old house with a loft so i found it normal. But we are now in a brand new flat with a brand new cat, so it is creepy!


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