# Older cat with change in behaviour



## mizzcatz (Jul 14, 2012)

Hello,

Im new to this forum and wanted to see if anyone here may be able to help me with my cat who has had a significant change in her sleeping behaviour in the last few months. I have googled this subject so many times and nothing has come up that makes any sense to me so I thought I would try and see if there is anyone on this site who may have had a similar experience with one of their cats.

My female spayed cat is now almost 17 but apart from her having hyper thydroidism which she takes tablets for she is a very active cat, chasing birds, (Has never caught any thou) climbing tree's and generally doing everything she did when she was 1 or 2 years old.

We have moved house last year and although our cat did go out before in our other house, because she did not have a cat flap we would have to let her in and out when she meowed or scratched the glass. My question is this? Why would a cat who usually loved sleeping with us on the sofa, being curled up in her bed, and slept with us at night, now even when the weather is so bad which it is today in the South East of England, either sit curled up on wet grass in the middle of the lawn, or sleep curled up under a bush or under the BBQ???? I have to say I am quite confused and whilst I could understand why she would sleep out there on a really warm, dry today, today it is cold and miserable and so I cannot understand why this is, and wonder if anyone has had this happen. She is eating, drinking just as she always does and still comes in for her food every morning and night. The only real explanation I can come up with is that she is either going a little senile or is very hot maybe due to the increased thyroid. Anyway please let me know your thoughts as it does worry me that as she is older she may well get a cold.. flu.... or something else really.


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## The Minkey (Feb 6, 2012)

She sounds great for her age but the change of behaviour does sound unusual. It could be the beginnings of senility, is she doing anything else out of character like calling at night? Have you tried bringing her in when you see her curled up in the wet grass, if so what happens? I'd take her in for a check up if I were you and ask to get her thyroid levels checked again. If her levels have been adequately corrected with the medication, she shouldn't be having symptoms like feeling too hot.


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## mizzcatz (Jul 14, 2012)

Hello,

Many thanks for your reply to my post. I have recently taken her to the vet and I did ask them about this change in behaviour and they didn't really know what to say to me really When I took her to the vets last month she did have an increased thyroid and so we have upped her tablet dose and she is due to go back to the vets at the end of the month for another check up. I regularly pick her up and scoop her up and carry her into the house and she will settle down for 5 minutes with us and then shes out again and back to the same spot  It really wouldn't worry me if she was a younger cat but being older and not as big as she used to be it worries me that she will get some infection etc etc.


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## catgeoffrey (Jun 28, 2012)

She sounds amazing for 17! I don't know what this could be but I hope you get to the bottom of it!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi and welcome to the forum

I have known of older cats behave a similar way to yours. Sometimes due to a major change in their lives such as being rehomed, or moving house with their guardians, like yours. Sometimes for no obvious reason. 

I have an old cat myself who sleeps out in the garden in all weathers, and his behaviour is a cause of worry to me when the weather is cold and rainy, although somehow he always manages to find some way of keeping dry.
However, come late Autumn/early Winter when it starts getting really cold, my cat will be indoors curled up asleep on his fleece, and will barely set 
foot outdoors for the whole winter. Perhaps when the cold weather comes your cat will do the same. 

Maybe this kind of behaviour is due to senility, or perhaps due to an increased desire of some older cats who are not in good health, to spend more time on their own. I wonder whether they are withdrawing into themselves as a way of coping with chronic illness, and perhaps they find the best way to do that is to avoid the company of their humans much more. 

I have found with my cat he is much more likely to stay indoors if the (summer) weather is cold and wet, if he is given sole occupancy of one of the bedrooms all day. His litter tray, water and food are put in there for him and no-one disturbs him, and then he seems happy to stay in and sleep. But the moment the rain stops he is off outdoors again, to sleep under a bush!


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## mizzcatz (Jul 14, 2012)

Hello again,

Ive never had a cat before and so this is my experience of having a puss and from what people tell me usually cats that are getting older do get a lot less active and tend to slow down a lot more so I do think I've been very lucky with my puss as apart from the thyroid which she's had for about 18 months now she has been in very good health, so for a first time cat owner I have felt quite blessed. I have always had a very close relationship with her to the point that when she had kittens she laid on my lap all night the night before and I woke up with a wet and tiny kitten on my lap and my puss crying not seeming to know what was happening to her. She's always been around me and my husband quite a lot wherever we are so I think there is a bit of a selfish sadness to that as age does now seem to spend a lot of time on her own. I have read that cats that are poorly and dying tend to spend time alone which I had thought about too so maybe this is a factor in this that I need to really consider. I am pleased my little mind is not the only cat that has this behaviour and let's hope that thy remain in good health for many more years to come.


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## mizzcatz (Jul 14, 2012)

Sorry there's a few typos in here as the iPad has a bit of a weird way with using predictive text!


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