# Feline Schizophrenia??



## jack09 (Dec 13, 2006)

My cat exhibits some rather odd behaviors that truly make me wonder whether or not he is plagued by some sort of psychological disorder...

Before I describe his symptoms, let me say that he is a physically healthy animal. He is about a year and a half old, has been neutured, is well-fed, and his vaccinations are current. I got him as a kitten, when he was about 8 weeks old, and these problems began earlier this year, when he was a little under a year old. He lives with me, my brother, and my roommate, none of whom mistreat him. We also have another cat, same age and health, who exhibits none of these problems.

This is probably the most curious of his behaviors... He will be relaxing on the floor or chair when he suddenly jumps as if something startled him when nothing unusual is present. He will prowl around nervously, seeming to look for something or on alert for whatever startled him to return, quickly turning his ears and jerking his head around to hear and see things that aren't present. 

He will come in the house from outside (he's indoor/outdoor), and go to his food bowl and eat. Then after he eats, he will lay down and about 2-5 minutes later, will return to eat. Then he lays back down. He repeats this for about a half hour.

He will be affectionate one moment, rubbing against my ankles and purring for attention, and when I pet him, he will allow it for a while, then suddenly scratch or bite, then darts away and stares angrily at me as if he has been hurt. 

Against his training, he will continue to lay on the counter or kitchen table after repeated reprimands and punishment (being sprayed with water from a water gun). He will repeat the behavior almost immediately after experiencing the negative consequences, almost as if he doesn't remember it was wrong in the first place, and tries to scratch at me for punishing him.

Really, the most disconcerting behavior is that he acts like he sees or hears things that aren't there, and it seems to put him on edge. I wonder if perhaps he scratches and bites because he feels he is constantly under threat by whatever he thinks is around him...I don't know, I am really at a loss as to why he acts this way.

If anyone has any insight or theories, send them my way! Thanks for reading, everyone!!


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Yup...he's a cat :lol: I don't see anything out of the ordinary here, all seems very normal.....



jack09 said:


> This is probably the most curious of his behaviors... He will be relaxing on the floor or chair when he suddenly jumps as if something startled him when nothing unusual is present. He will prowl around nervously, seeming to look for something or on alert for whatever startled him to return, quickly turning his ears and jerking his head around to hear and see things that aren't present.


Many cats run and jump at nothing, it's a form of play. I have a cat that will be walking across the floor and all of a sudden jump 3-4 feet straight in the air, hit the floor and take off like she got shot in the butt. 



jack09 said:


> He will come in the house from outside (he's indoor/outdoor), and go to his food bowl and eat. Then after he eats, he will lay down and about 2-5 minutes later, will return to eat. Then he lays back down. He repeats this for about a half hour.


He obviously likes to take his time. This is actually good for him. Many cats suck down their food so fast, they bring it right back up. 



jack09 said:


> He will be affectionate one moment, rubbing against my ankles and purring for attention, and when I pet him, he will allow it for a while, then suddenly scratch or bite, then darts away and stares angrily at me as if he has been hurt.


Many cats get overstimulated by petting. If you watch him carefully, you begin to see the signs that he's had enough and you can stop before he actually lashes out. 



jack09 said:


> Against his training, he will continue to lay on the counter or kitchen table after repeated reprimands and punishment (being sprayed with water from a water gun). He will repeat the behavior almost immediately after experiencing the negative consequences, almost as if he doesn't remember it was wrong in the first place, and tries to scratch at me for punishing him.


He's testing you...exerting his will to see if you'll back down and let it go. If you have backed down in the past, he knows that if he pushes hard enough he'll get his way (just like a kid). Sounds like he a pretty dominant male. 



jack09 said:


> Really, the most disconcerting behavior is that he acts like he sees or hears things that aren't there, and it seems to put him on edge. I wonder if perhaps he scratches and bites because he feels he is constantly under threat by whatever he thinks is around him...I don't know, I am really at a loss as to why he acts this way.


The thing to know is that they hear, see and smell things that you have no clue are there. So he may be responding to some type of stimulus outside the apartment that you have no idea exists. I have often seen my cats make a beeline to the window and start yapping and getting excited. When I go look there is often another cat or bird in the yard. This has happened with the windows closed. 

So again, I think you have a very normal, young curious cat. Your other cat may be more laid back and doesn't exhibit these behaviors...but they're more typical than not.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I agree with Doodlebug, your kitty is probably reacting to sounds that you can't hear. 
My Sam once "told" me about a mouse in the pantry and opened the pantry door to show me. He had to have heard the mouse's tiny noises, but i couldn't hear a thing.
Sam would also jump on the window sill for no apparent reason, and be looking out as a bird landed nearby.

Kitties' can sense things that our feeble senses could never detect.

other than that, sounds like he's a typical male cat, testing your resolve. Cats can be very, very stubborn. That is part of what makes them good hunters.
:kittyball


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## Kattw0man (Dec 28, 2006)

*Psychoanalysis???*

Maybe you should take your cat to the vet and have him checked out. It seems as if he may have some sort of hearing problem and feels vibrations. The food thing is normal bcaus cats can't make up their mind about how much they want to eat and he is probably letting some digest from feeling full and goes back when he can stomach more. It seriously sounds as if he is testing your patience. The rebeliousness after punishment with a water bottle is rare for any cat. I would absolutely get a full check up for anything out of the ordinary and share with your vet his issues.


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