One of my mogs stayed out all night last night (usually comes in at bed time) and didn't come home until lunchtime today.

Was relieved to see him, but when I pick him up to give him a cuddle he's growling and hissing and carrying on, quite out of character for him generally.

I can't see any signs of wounds, he seems to be walking ok, but is sulking on the bed, whereas usually he'd want to be back playing outside again, especially on a lovely sunny day like this.

I'm thinking perhaps he's been bitten somewhere I can't see for fur, and that maybe I just need to keep an eye on him, make sure no infections set in if that is the case?

What does anyone else here think?

Ta.

I am thinking about the way cats have a social rating, I am talking of the outside areas where the neighborhood cats get together and create their own status. There is a chance that your cat has been deposed from the level he had to a new cat and is finding his new place. If he continues to display the same signs for another day take him to the vet as he may have internal injuries from a car hitting him with a glancing blow. This could cause muscle rather than bone damage.

Ta SpiderPig, and yes - I was wondering if it was more a case of wounded pride.

He's just refused food now - he never does that, and he's really trying to keep out of my way to stop me picking him up.

If you haven't already, can you check his claws on all his feet? Are any of them scuffed or split? I am wondering if he has been bumped by a car. If a minor bump he may just be badly bruised but very scared, this happened to one of my cats - he had cracked a couple of ribs.

If he was in a bad cat fight I would expect to see some clue that there had been major furpulling around the neck and shoulders - a 'tufty' kind of look.

Definitely worth a trip to the vet if he is not completely better tomorrow.

Edit - the fact he is refusing food and not wanting to be picked up suggests he IS physically injured in some way. Vet trip.

Just had a look at his paws and claws - all fine.

Lots of growling from him though.

Least he's just on the bed, not hiding.

Good news re the claws.
But still, with a cat that is showing the symptoms you mention I would take him to the vet. Hope he is okay.

Ta - and yes, I'm thinking vet.

my cat injured herself and was displaying the same behaviour for a while. pain and aftershock x

Get her to the vets

What did the injuries turn out to be funkycub? (great name!)

Cat bites and scratches can be like hyperdermic injections of bacteria, little to see on the surface, if you can even see anything through the fur, but the infection is sealed in and festers quickly over the next few days, possibly resulting in an abcess, (or at worse systemic septicimia), or a more serious infection if the bitten cat isn't vaccinated.
Bites can also cause bruising, which you wouldn't see, short of shaving the cat, especially if it was a dog rather than a cat it got into a disagreement with.
I would agree the growling when touched, as you describe, in an otherwise normally friendly cat, could indicate pain, or fear of pain, on handling.

How is he today bigfeet?

Hello Lippincote, I took him to see the vet earlier, turns out he has an abscess at the base of his tail, which burst while vet was trying to take his temperature and started oozing everywhere. Eww.

Anyways, am relieved that after a check up it seems that that's "all" it is - he's had a jab to lower his temp plus an antibiotic jab, taking him back on Sunday for a second antibiotic jab.

Phew though, was worried it may be worse, having only just nursed my other mog back to health after he suffered a broken leg while playing out.


Thanks everyone in the thread for your help

Good news great outcome, glad you're one of those owners who pays attention to their cats behaviour. With furry pets issues like this are hard to spot so very well done

Good to hear he is now on the mend, he should be feeling a lot better soon!

aww glad to hear everything is ok now. I've been looking on this thread for a while but never posted because I didn't know what to say.

Also the poor guy probably got bit in the butt to get an abscess their

Glad to got it sorted.

Fanks, with Effie she had just bruised and sprained herself

Aww - yes, maybe - and then I go taking him to the vet and he gets a thermometer shoved up there - I feel quite guilty now, no wonder he was looking at me pleadingly while I held him still on the vet's table, poor lad .

I'm off to give him a cuddle .

Aww - least it wasn't too bad .

Thanks everyone who's been posting here today, lovely and thoughtful of you all. x