Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: jezebel on July 27, 2011, 10:52:22 AM

Title: Jumpy cat
Post by: jezebel on July 27, 2011, 10:52:22 AM
Last night at bedtime Bass was sitting on the end of the bed as usual and I was brushing her.

She normally LOVES being brushed - she'll purr, dribble, rub her chin on the brush and totally lose herself in it but last night she suddenly looked distracted and stared past me at the bedroom door. I thought she'd just heard a noise from the other room so I carried on brushing her but then out of the blue she leapt sideways about three feet, landing in the middle of the bed!  :Crazy: She stood there looking very confused, sniffing and turning round and when I went to stroke her, she fled.

When OH and I went to bed, she came back in but still looked very jumpy, and sniffed all round the bedroom door and just inside the room, jumping at every sound (normal sounds, like the fridge switching on in the kitchen). Eventually she came and sat on the bed but when OH moved very slightly, she jumped so badly she practically did a little dance!

I've no idea what spooked her. She seems fine this morning. She can be a bit nervy sometimes but I've never seen her like that. 
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on July 27, 2011, 11:57:14 AM
A ghost maybe?  :scared: Hope she settles down without any further episodes  :hug:

Lu sometimes does things like that, I have no idea what he is seeing but he jumps like he's been electric shocked!
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Sam (Fussy_Furball) on July 27, 2011, 12:39:58 PM
Could be a ghost. 
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Sarah_Jane on July 27, 2011, 12:47:19 PM

Probably a ghost when jess was younger (collie dog) she would be lying on the bed and staring off into distance then one night she was scanning the room hackles going up and slightly growling then ran from the room hid under the spare bedroom bed whimpering,  and hasnt done it since, but when we got twix he wudnt go into the bedroom for the first couple of days then he went in all strutty and cautious and every so often he'll do that mad jump thing and throw himself at the door to get out. Only ever in the bedroom though.

So i definitly think you have one. Spooky!!!
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: maddercow on July 27, 2011, 13:04:05 PM
I had the same thing on Saturday, was SO peculiar. Izzy was sat on my lap having her usual post-hoover cuddle (she hates Mr Hoover), she was relaxed and purring and then all of a sudden she leapt up in the air, landed back on me, dug her claws in HARD and then ran off with a HUGE tail, Cashie did the same although whether it was as a reaction to Izzy's behaviour or if he got spooked by same thing I do not know.  I heard no sounds, everything was calm and quiet, I wondered if there was a tremor or an electric charge or something. 

Very strange. Maybe when you were brushing Bass she got a little static shock?

Cats are beyond weird though aren't they?

Jo
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: jezebel on July 27, 2011, 13:38:10 PM
Ohhh... kayyyy, except that I don't believe in ghosts!

@jo.austin: I did wonder if it could have been static but I was using the side of the brush with metal "bristles" (her favourite!) at the time. Also, static wouldn't explain her sniffing round the door and entrance to the room later, or why she suddenly stared at the door seconds before she did her weird sideways leap thing!

I hope she's calmed down too, to be honest she was starting to freak me a little!
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Sarah_Jane on July 27, 2011, 13:43:20 PM
Lol you should, ghosts can be blamed for alsorts!!!
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on July 27, 2011, 13:47:51 PM
This remind me of a funny incident that happened to us when we were living in Cornwall. We got up one morning and Greycat was acting really strangely we couldn't understand what was wrong. We both agreed she looked like she'd seen something really shocking but we couldn't work out what it was. The mystery was solved when we went outside and saw our garden had been churned up by a herd of cows. No wonder she was looking so surprised especially as we lived in the middle of a housing estate!   

I think they can definitely pick up noises and movements that we can't.   
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Sarah_Jane on July 27, 2011, 14:14:55 PM
This remind me of a funny incident that happened to us when we were living in Cornwall. We got up one morning and Greycat was acting really strangely we couldn't understand what was wrong. We both agreed she looked like she'd seen something really shocking but we couldn't work out what it was. The mystery was solved when we went outside and saw our garden had been churned up by a herd of cows. No wonder she was looking so surprised especially as we lived in the middle of a housing estate!   

 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: maddercow on July 27, 2011, 16:28:54 PM
I would pay good money to have seen Greycat's face after the cow incident!  Cats can have this amazing look of horror when they see something unusual. My Cashie saw a murder (sparrowhawk killed a pigeon) and his face was an absolute picture!

I also love the "indignant, how very dare you?" expression, I get that every time the hoover comes out or the ironing borad

Jo
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on July 28, 2011, 00:04:04 AM
I also love the "indignant, how very dare you?" expression, I get that every time the hoover comes out or the ironing borad

Funny you should mention the ironing board, I was only wondering this morning why mine are scared of the ironing board when it comes out :Crazy: They're OK with it when it's up it's just when I get it out of the cupboard they leg it - the hoover I can understand but I just don't get the ironing board phobia  :Crazy:

Even saying that about the hoover I presume it's the noise they don't like but I can blowdry my hair with a very loud/noisy hairdryer with them asleep next to me on the bed and they don't even stir  :Crazy:
Title: Re: Jumpy cat
Post by: maddercow on July 28, 2011, 12:40:30 PM

Mine are scared of the ironing borad purely because it comes out of the same cupboard as the hoover and makes a similar bumping scrapey noise when we get it out. 

Cashie tolerates it, although he glares at it in total disgust, but Ixxy will hide for hours after a hoovering, she will then creep out and demand very intense cuddles to reassure herself that everything is ok.  She's lucky that I am in no way house proud (I can't imagine anyone who has cats is!!) and don't hoover more than a couple of times a week.

Izzy also hates fans, doorbells and Radiohead.

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