Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My Cat From Hell : Animal Planet great show lets you see what you could be doing wrong. Kind of like dog whisperer but for cats.
I was thinking that it could be a electronic pest problem. Meaning that being that close to the electric field that your computer generates might just bother the cat. I would think about setting her up with her own kitty nap area. Maybe a windowsill seat or a place off to the side of the computer. I would make it a little higher up then the computer itself so she can look down and play "lord and master" of her own universe.
Well, if it is only when she is at the computer, then the computer is triggering something; I doubt that it is just an issue of territory. It could be the heat or the "vibes" that the computer gives off.
However, given her age, I would take her to the vet just to be on the safe side, although I imagine that your vet will end up puzzling and scratching his/her head (that is, if bloodwork comes up negative).
My cat often goes psycho but never the hissing, etc., which is alarming b/c it is so aggressive. Mine just gets frisky after she comes inside, when it rains, etc. but it's mere friskiness, not what you are having to deal with.
I had a Rottweiler with multiple issues (she came from the shelter and I called her my "short bus dog" LOL.)
Sweet as a bug but she had a hard time tolerating TV or the computer screen...I did a desensitising thing with her which over time helped, but basically she could not be around a TV or computer without going nrigid, drooling and going into a trance-like state.
I agree with taking this cat to a vet for a work-up.
As an aside, I have worked with and around thousands of dogs (and cats) for decades. Including pit bulls, Rottweilers, Chows, feral and stray cats, etc. Worst bite I ever had was from a cat who was apparently mostly normal and loving, but freaked out randomly and attacked people. It was in someone else's house; the cat attacked and bit me badly. It was later PTS, very sad. I still have scars on my leg from that.
Last edited by chiroptera; 06-14-2011 at 07:32 PM..
The computer is always on, at least if I'm sitting here. It's an interesting hypothesis, but I don't have a sound meter and I don't want to buy one.
Its obvious to me that the cat is hearing what you are not. Why is this a surprise? And why all of these other silly hypotheses?
Turn the computer off. Everything. Printer, monitor, router etc. and just sit there with the cat for a while and see what happens. Why look beyond the obvious?
We had a psycho cat once. He wasn't like that as a kitten, he was the best, but one day something happened to him outside and his paw pads were scratched up, not to the point of a bad injury but something I noticed...we never figured out what happened. After that he hissed and growled when we took him anywhere near the front door. Later, he would walk into a room as normal as can be and suddently catch your eye and you knew he was going to come after you. It was wierd, fortunately he spent most of his time on a bed in my sons room. He rarely ventured out.
Its obvious to me that the cat is hearing what you are not. Why is this a surprise? And why all of these other silly hypotheses?
Turn the computer off. Everything. Printer, monitor, router etc. and just sit there with the cat for a while and see what happens. Why look beyond the obvious?
The problem is that she doesn't attack me constantly whenever the computer is on, only every once in a while. She's laying here right now next to my mouse, as calmly as can be.
I'm not sure how turning everything off would prove much of anything unless I studied her behavior here with everything off for several nights. However, I use my computer all the time so I'm not going to do that.
I don't think it's obvious that it's the sound at all. Sounds to me like a territorial/attention thing.
For example, my cat might get up on the table where we are doing some writing of various stuff. She might lie somewhat near something we need to reach for in a little while. Then, when we go to reach for it, she'll swat, kinda like "Hey that's mine!" LOL Or perhaps related to the fact that there she is somewhat actively seeking out attention, but attention is not given in that case. Never been a hiss that I can remember, but sometimes she'll give like a whine or other vocalization. Now I can't say for sure this is the same attitude your cat is having, but I never made a big deal of this behavior. It has happened occasionally for several years.
Now, if this is a recent development with the older cat, there may be more cause for concern. Did you change anything about the setup recently? Any other changes with the cat recently? I mean, if this is a new issue, and you haven't changed anything about the computer setup, then I'd take her to the vet to be sure there's not something wrong. Sometimes a change in behavior can be a signal to other problems. If you've been seeing this for a couple years, and she's been to the vet in the last few months and checked out okay, then it's probably fine. Any doubt and you're concerned, call the vet. It can't hurt.
And no it is highly unlikely it has anything to do with any shot. Not sure where that comes from. Assuming she was vaccinated in the past she should still be protected from those things.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
