I think my cat has Alzheimers....

10 years ago

We have 3 cats, and Smudge is the oldest at 14. He and Bud have been like blood brothers ever sine we got Bud, about 6 years.

All of a sudden last week, Smudge starts hissing and growling at Bud every time he sees him. Smudge actually spends a lot of time under the bed and if Bud walks by, he'll start growling from under the bed.

He does the high-pitched moan/growl/scream mainly at night when he sees him, his ears go back and he hisses. It doesn't happen every day, but I'm always fearful at night, it seems to get worse as it darkens. Maybe his eyesight and memory are failing, and he doesn't recognize him in the dim light?

Poor Bud is walking on eggshells, wondering what's happened to his best friend.

A couple of years ago a stray cat was in the window in the middle of the night, and it set Smudge and Bud off. They were fighting at the cat then turned on each other. It was horrible. I don't want that again.

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Comments (10)

Holly_ON
10 years ago
It does sound like the geezerly yowlies to me. You could try some Bach's Rescue Remedy a few drops in their drinking water (or a drop orally) to see if that helps. Feliway pheromone diffuser plug in might also cool him out a bit. But a trip to the vet to make sure health is not the cause would be worthwhile. My older cats were taken twice a year for geezerly checks so that kidney issues etc could be detected early. There are alzheimer drugs made for dogs that can be tried. Maybe used more frequently for cats now. We have used them for my now passed twenty four year old cat who wanted to sit on my lap and then chow down on my hand. Blindness/deafness were an issue as well.

I find that when my cats get worked up to fighting level, they forget who they actually had the territorial dispute with as yours did at the window.
Georgysmom
10 years ago
It's quite possible Smudge has dementia but I agree with Holly....... A trip to the Vet is in order.
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dees_1
10 years ago
I can't recommend Feliway enough but only after a trip to the vet.

Something's not right.
blfenton
10 years ago
I don't know what the problem with Smudge is but the issue of the two of them seeing a cat in the window and turning on each other is not out of the ordinary.

My cats do it if they see a strange cat (or a raccoon) in the yard. Their first instinct is to go out and attack the interloper and chase them away, when they can't do that and with the fight /protect their territory instinct already in play they will turn on each other. It's a very short lived spat but it is definitely strange behaviour.
sylviatexas1
10 years ago
Sometimes when a cat is ill, he'll become aggressive as a defense measure.

& sometimes he'll become aggressive toward another pet in the household if he senses or smells that the other animal is ill.

Even if Bud seems 'normal', he may have a low-grade urinary tract infection or some such, so if Smudge's tests are normal, get Bud checked out.
Tally
10 years ago
Vet trip for sure.
Google "redirected aggression in cats".
Lily316
10 years ago
Sounds like transferred aggression to me. My daughter's cats will do that. When one sees a cat in their yard, he'll turn and attack his brother. ...My own will sometimes act out if something disturbs them. Henry's the biggest ,but if a dog gets too friendly with him , he'll take it out on the first available cat. Feliway might help.
jemdandy
10 years ago
Maybe your cat has "sundowner dementia", a malady found in elderly humans. They function ok during the day, but become agitated as the sun goes down. Its a strange, not understood, behavior, but is documented.
eccentric
10 years ago
jasdip - I agree that a vet visit is in order. I would probably start with an eye check just to rule out failing eyesight. Actually on a pet board last week a woman was beside herself because her 8 year old Shih Tzu had started to bite her (and her husband, but she was the favoured one and her dog had never exhibited any antagonistic behaviour towards her) whenever they stroked her dog with just one hand - with 2 hands - not a problem. It would appear that the pup did not see the one hand coming - but could see two. Then I would move on to perhaps dementia or other physical ailment. I definitely know what it is like to have 2 pets going after each other and it was not pretty. You mentioned that you have a third cat - hopefully Bud will not team up with the other cat and both go after Smudge if in fact Smudge is losing his eyesight, hearing or suffering from dementia. Your regular vet is unlikely to have the super magnifying eye checking equipment that Guelph or the Toronto McMurrich Clinic has. (I know this because like many others our dog was first diagnosed with conjunctivitis that was really an ulcer in the making that turned into an abscessed cornea - we caught it day one and this story has been going on since May 24, 2011.) We have been seeing the board certified eye specialist who travels to Toronto twice a week since July of 2011. So just in case I thought I would mention this to you. I would watch the cats closely and perhaps if you go out in the evening you might separate them until this issue is resolved. Obviously the vet visit will cost but hopefully an answer can be found quickly.
socks
10 years ago
Did anything in your household change last week? Guests came, litterbox change, food, toys, furniture moved around?