My cat NEVER has bitten me in the nearly 10 years I have had him but today he got very angry and starting batting at me, biting and meowing (which he also rarely does). He is an outside/inside cat, maybe that has something to do with it? Should I call the vet ASAP?
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Two thoughts... 1. If this is a single event, something may have startled your cat and it has responded with its behaviour towards you, because as far as he is concerned, you are the only source of the scare. 2. If this is a multiple event perhaps certain functions are not as good as they once were and he might be in pain or suffer loss of sense (for example loss of hearing), so yes, call the vet to discuss.– andrewbuilderCommented Jan 18, 2017 at 19:59
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Several possibilities here, starting from non-fixable.
- If the cat lives alone (meaning no appropriate feline companion)
It is possible that this is a sign of the longterm mental health issues that cats in solitary can develop. This would mean you basically can't do anything about it at this point except reap what was sown as he might be too old for proper socialisation.
- He might just be bored
Its cold outside this time of year, does he still run around for hours out there? If he is understimulated, he might be attempting to play with you - which, unfortunately for us humans, hurts us because of the lack of any protective fur. Don't punish him in case you do, play more with him (but appropriately for both of you this time :D). Let him run after a toy on a stick or whatnot, clicker training also helps if he is mentally understimulated.
- Not an easy fix, but fixable. He might be sick.
Especially if he reacts like this when you touch him, but even if thats not the case, he is starting to go over that middle-age hump and thats when some diseases can show up. And if he is in pain, of course he will be grumpy. Definitely get a blood panel and x-ray done (checking for infections, his organs, athritis, spondylosis and the like), but I also would get his teeth checked. Not just the outside, but tell the vet that you want him checked for Feline Tooth Resorption (or just TR, or feline odontoclastic resorption lesion (FORL)) as it's really painful and can in many cases only be diagnosed by x-raying individual teeth. That should give the vet a good diagnostic overview to see whether or not he is phsysically in pain
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All good possible answers from psyc. Anecdotally, I rescued my now nine year old cat when he was abandoned by his feral mother at 3 weeks. Every once in a while when he's been indoors for an extended period of time, he attacks me without provocation. Lunges at me and grabs on, teeth and all. I attribute his actions to being bored, wanting to go outside and inadequate time for proper socialization with his litter mates. Dint have mom around long enough to "discipline" his behavior. Just my take.– M.MatCommented Feb 18, 2017 at 18:52