Why is my cat suddenly hissing from his perch at family members?

Sudden behavioral changes can sometimes indicate pain or an underlying illness, so if this came on suddenly a vet visit is always a good first step to rule out any health problems. If your kitty is in good health, looking for something that may have triggered it such as a new object, new people, possession over toys etc may help you understand what caused it. Stress can make cats act uncomfortable or unpredictable, so removing the stressors or making it so your cat has a place to escape and relax may help him feel better. Pheromone diffusers/collars can also be useful in dealing with stress and aggression, and placing one on your cat or plugged into the area where he is being territorial may help him calm down.

It's possible the stress of your being gone caused the behavior change. I would give Hippy a few days to rest, relax, and make sure she can get to her food, litter, places to hide, etc without being bothered and see if that helps. Sometimes, pain or underlying illness can also cause a cat to suddenly lash out and hiss or swat at other cats, so if the behavior continues or you see visible signs of illness, a vet visit to rule out health issues is best.

Hello Sudden behavior changes in cats can be due to changes in vision (cats can have issues with their retinas particularly), pain, neurological disease like seizures, tumors or infections, and other causes. A thorough exam of Schrodinger's eyes and all his systems could help locate the problem. I recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian soon as some problems must be caught early for management to be successful.

There could be a reason for Aspyn's change in behavior. Sometimes a sudden change behavior can be a sign of a medical illness. I think it would be a good idea to have her seen by a vet for a health check.

I would have Nurmal (love her name!) checked out by a vet. Sudden changes in behavior in a senior cat can point to medical problems such as hyperthyroidism and arthritis (pain may make her cranky). I recommend getting a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis. These tests will help the vet identify if she is suffering from a medical illness. Should one be found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. I would take her into the vet on Monday if possible. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear that your going through this. In my mind, the two possibilities is that your niece did something that scared/upset Ollie or was even just near him when something scary happened so he associated the event and her. Cats can remember things like that for a incredible amount of time and have what seems like a wildly disproportionate reaction. This whole process can happened without us even realize we've done something scary. The second thing I would be worried about is that Ollie is ill or uncomfortable in some way -- such as starting to have more arthritis if he's an old guy or having an intestinal bug, etc. From a practical standpoint, I would recommend separating Ollie for the next visit or two and slowly reintroducing them at the following visit. It might be worth a quick vet visit to make sure everything is medically normally. Then, let Ollie have ALL of the control over how much he and your niece interact, she shouldn't approach him at all or even reach for him. You'll have to judge if this particular child can follow that level of rules - totally depends on the kid at her age. Finally, since it sounds like her feelings are very reasonably hurt by this change in behavior, I'd recommend explaining that we think he doesn't feel very good and wants to hang out by himself for a little bit.

Cats are very temperamental creatures and can be thrown out of balance by small changes in their environment. Sometimes these changes are imperceptible to us humans, while others the cause may be something more obvious (the addition of another person or animal, moving to a new location, change of diet, etc). Based on what you are telling me he sounds very stable and overall overtly healthy. I understand it is difficult to get a hold of him, but another reason for him to be acting abnormally would be if he is in some measure of discomfort or pain. I would suggest ruling this out with your vet, and once this is done, begin trying to produce an environment that is as enriching and stress-free as possible for Jhumru. I would not push him too much in an attempt to regain his affection. Allow him to come back into his own and come to you when he is ready. Obviously, if the doctor is able to find something physically to explain this behavior, ideally resolving this issue will also resolve the behavior change. Hope this helps.