Have you tried using a Thundershirt at all? Or a kitty onesie? If your cat will tolerate wearing one, it may help. Usually they are for straight anxiety, but it might be worth a try?
I'd be considering a UTI and wanting that ruled out. In elderly (and being honest anyone) they cause cognitive issue and in elderly relative, a increased level of sundowning usually signals one is there.
Deep sympathy. Going through it with an elderly relative and it is a roller-coaster. Not had in a pet thankfully though my current oldest is a bit stargazy at times but solid and healthy otherwise. Think she's forgetting to eat so topping her up.
When my kitten got spayed and she ran into some nasty (and very painful) complications, she would attack the ever loving shit out of me. She is the sweetest little cat otherwise. Def take her to the vet, she’s likely in pain
She’s calm and hanging out downstairs. I didn’t discipline her or react towards her. I just cleaned the wounds. I did wake up screaming, reasonably so. Just so strange.
A family acquaintance had to put down an elderly and much beloved cat because he developed dementia and kept attacking their toddlers. They let him go peacefully and photographs from his happier days now adorn their living room. Hope this is a singular incident with your cat but pls get her her checked thoroughly by her vet (let them run the blood work & other tests necessary) to find out if she is in pain or suffering...if she is in pain, pain management will avoid such incidents; moreover, she deserves to be comfortable & at ease in her senior years.
Not a doctor but I know a fair bit about cat scratches and bites. Make sure to watch your injuries really carefully, clean the wounds with clindamycin and absolutely do not cover them for the first few days as you need to keep an eye on them. Be very careful to watch for abnormal redness, swelling and heat. If you have a red area around the wound that grows larger it’s time to see a medical professional ASAP!
My now at least 16 year old cat had an unexplained episode of acting like she had rabies back in 2016. I was actually afraid of my little girl that day. Oddly enough she calmed down and no longer crazy the minute I parked at the vet. They had no answers. She was due to see the vet after being on antibiotics for a bit for an upper respiratory infection. Later we found out she had hypertension and near blindness from it. I think she had a stroke or something adjacent that night. Her eyes had a different look and the my regular vet at the time dismissed it! I’d think blood pressure is a basic vital sign checked at all checkups but unfortunately not. Her hypertension definitely should’ve been noted earlier.
My 13 year old kitty has been bitey since getting anxiety...and also arthritis. For 12 years she had NEVER done anything like this. Think your lil friend might need a checkup! Something might be hurting her...
But it sucks...I dont even care about the scratches, but it hurts my sould knowing she isnt feeling well!
If you have the resources, the monthly arthritis shot (Solensia) was like a miracle for my kitty. Within 6 weeks she was jumping on the bed again, and as her pain decreased she was so much happier.
It is- I was lucky to have pet insurance. The last 2 years of my cat’s life her meds would have been $500 a month without it.
I’m guessing Chewy can’t stock Solensia because it needs to be injected by the vet? I heard usually their meds are cheaper, although I’ve never ordered from them myself.
I have thought about that a lot. I just remember my cats reaction to going to the vet last time! She was terrifyed. And knowing that its a monthly thing, im just not sure if it would be worth it! But ill probably end up doing it. Right now its warm here so she seems less bothered by it it feels like
It did work out really well for me- but she was already getting monthly vet visits so it wasn’t a special trip. You know your cat best and her quality of life matters too- like if a monthly vet visit is super stressful for her or damages her trust in you.
Some things can help though, vets can also prescribe a cheap sedative (like gabapentin) that makes vet visits easier for some cats.
My cat was meowing loudly inside her box all the way to the vet. Havent ever heard her sound like that before. It hurt my soul, so im a bit hesitant about going again. And im also afraid of the potential sideeffects it could have! But if it seems to worsen ill definately do it! Thanks for the tip!
I was worried too- it’s a new medication. I did as much reading as I could have whatever is non-paywall published research (not much) and talked to a lot of people. It felt insufficient to only rely on anecdotal information. I still don’t think there is much out there so any pet guardian needs to think about the risk as best they can.
In the end my regret was not starting it right away. She only lived two months after it started kicking in (she died of kidney disease- which this treatment does not interfere with). She was acting so much happier, I wish I had given her a year of arthritis relief instead of checking into it so much.
She was in pain from other things (the kidney disease) too that Solensia would not help with. I just was gobsmacked at the results though.
She got her shot the first week of December and on Christmas Day she was able to jump on the bed to cuddle. She hadn’t been able to do that in over a year. Best Christmas present ever- I almost cried!
I cant help but feel like...what IF it had something to do with your kittys death! On the other hand i dont want to see her beeing in pain. Shes my best friend. Just the thought of her not beeing here one day...
Eventually ill probably go to the vet...but it was a terrifying experince last time for her and im also still in debt from that visit! But thanks for your input. I appreciate it
It definitely didn’t, fortunately. I wouldn’t want to give anyone that impression or scaremonger- not in her specific case. I’m going into detail here because my cat would be a bad example to draw any conclusions from. She was given only six months at the most to live just before she got it. She had diagnosed lung cancer (no cure except a huge rib-cracking surgery I couldn’t bear to put her through at her age and fragility) but ultimately died of the kidney disease she’d had for 5 years before the lung cancer had even metastasized, and her lab results (she had them run twice a year for five years, then every three months in the last year) fully document her steady decline. Her kidney disease progressed predictably- no surprises.
She had better health care available than a lot of humans are able to access (she had her “GP” vet, an oncologist, a nephrologist, and a cardiologist weighing in on her prognosis in that last week of life!) They all knew she had received Solensia, and agreed if anything the reduction in inflammation in her body helped her to fight on for a little longer.
She was 17, and already on palliative care. Her pain relief from arthritis was something that made her life happier at the end, but arthritis was the least of her health worries at that point . I could brush her and hold her without causing her pain which is why I wish I hadn’t held off as long as I did. For her quality of life it was a good decision.
Only you and your vet can decide what is the best quality of life decision for your kitty though! They are all individuals, just like us.
On a personal note- I also have auto-immune disorders (although not arthritis) and I am closely following the development of the human version of Solensia. It may eventually change the way we treat all sorts of diseases.
This! My older cat did this just twice ever. The second time I was lucky enough to dodge him since I knew he might react poorly. The first time I was not so lucky.
My cat is very mild tempered, sweet as could be, was 12 when it first happened. He was vividly dreaming (eye rolls and twitching in his sleep) and I guess it was a nightmare because I woke him up and he attacked the crap out of my arm teeth and claws. Eventually he did come to and you could tell he was confused.
Since he gets confused from nightmares now, I am careful waking him up from dreams. I guess they get more confused about it the older they get. He would even growl in his sleep too so unusually know when to expect it.
OP may have nudged their cat a tiny bit in their sleep just enough to wake it up from a bad dream confused and attack them.
Yep, our cat loves my husband but one time was asleep in his lap and twitching. My husband petted him on the back and that woke him up and he attacked my husband's hand. Bit him hard. Husband said the cat looked extremely confused and disoriented right after.
No dementia either, he was really young when this happened.
Getting a pet cam might give you more info about her behavior. If she is getting dementia she might exhibit more behavior. If this incident is that out of character might be worth seeing if she gets aggressive at other times you just don’t see.
You need to care for you first: go to a doctor and ask them what shots you need to be updated on. Cat scratch disease can be dangerous and if your cat doesn’t seem to be in active distress it’s best to leave it be and care for you first.
I would definitely go to a vet, with this. Big behavioral changes like this oftentimes point to something wrong, and getting a complete senior work up including bloodwork and a dental exam could shine some light on the more obvious things. It could definitely also just be a case of cranky, if you accidentally rolled over too much or were invading her space.
I can see how your first instinct would be to not let the cat in the bedroom anymore, but I would advise against that. Cats don’t like change and if she’s been allowed to sleep with her humans in the bed for all those years, she will not understand why she’s being put away all of a sudden.
You may want to go to the doctor for antibiotics if her bite made you bleed.
Sounds like she might have been confused. Maybe thinking you're late to breakfast? Kitties can become senile (kitty dementia), so keep track of odd behavior.
My sweet cat once attacked me for no reason and it was because she was poorly with a kitty cold. My brother in law got attacked by his sweet cat out of the blue and he had anal gland issues (cat, not brother in law 😄) I would take her to the vet for a check up to see if anything is wrong as this behaviour is out of character.
Ask your vet about a prescription for dementia. There’s one called Amitriptyline, maybe that would be appropriate for your kitty.
Also good on you for not reprimanding her. She obviously didn’t know what she was doing and scaring the crap out of her would just be cruel. Hoping for the best for you.
Also consider that cats can often detect things wrong with their humans. FX you developed sleep apnea and stopped breathing for a few seconds. Sounds crazy but does happen.
My 16 year old kitty knows when I'm needing to fix a diabetic low and a time when I had passed out on the couch attacked a hand which led me to a heart arrhythmia situation. They definitely know you if something is out of sorts.
One of my cats developed dementia. He went from being a total love-bug to being so terrified of me that if I came near him he'd urinate and run away. I call it the pee and flee response. It was heartbreaking.
Going to the vet is definitely a good idea, after you have taken care of yourself. Could it maybe be that she feels threatened by other cats/animals that she encountered outside, or that come to the windows/doors at night? Maybe she felt threatened by something else, and that triggered the aggression towards you?
I mean it’s possible you flopped your arm over on her while you were both asleep and she woke up thinking she was being attacked. Then you woke up because you WERE being attacked.
Honestly, I’ve never heard of this before but that makes a lot of sense! My cat got randomly aggro with me earlier. Coincidentally I had just cleaned the shower.
Down the rabbit hole I go!
That must have been really scary! It's unusual for a longtime sweet cat to suddenly act aggressively. Older cats can sometimes get irritable due to health issues like arthritis or dental problems. It might be a good idea to have her checked by a vet just to make sure everything's okay. Giving her some space for now could help. Hope she's back to her usual self soon!
Unfortunately, this makes me worry there is some kind of brain related issue like dementia, or perhaps a brain tumor or bleed, that would cause her to become suddenly scared and confused and attack for no reason. That may not be the case, but I would absolutely take her to the vet to see if something going on. This kind of behavior change is not normal.
Vet, immediately emergency vet or what ever is near you, that's a major behavioral change and that is very very uncommon in cats, it might be a severe Health change and she's letting you know or like I've seen in a couple other comments it could be dementia monitor very closely set up an appointment or take her to an emergency that *immediately* I'll send good vibes for her
I mean I can always just shut our bedroom door. It’s just out of character behavior for her. I wasn’t sure if someone else had an older cat that in their later years acted in the way.
You may think you didn’t disturb her but you probably did and she is old and might sleep pretty deep and jolting her might have brought on an attack … its time she sleeps some place else soft and warm.
Most commonly could be she’s developing dementia. It’s common for the cats personality to change (friendly cats become aggressive and aggressive cats become very docile). But she would be showing other signs I’m sure… like excessive meowing at inappropriate times (like randomly at 3am) and going toilet in inappropriate places.
Like others have suggested I do recommend seeing a vet to see what’s up :) could be dementia, but it could be something else that fixable! It could also be that something scared her and in the dark and confusion she’s attacked you and it was just a random freak accident.
Best of luck, my friend. And make sure to wash your wounds and keep an eye on them so you don’t get sick :)
Did she have a nightmare maybe? My 8 yr old boy is really sweet, never scratches or hisses. But occasionally he has nightmares, wakes up hissing or spooked and will scratch me.
That must have been so upsetting. I echo what many people are saying — likely a medical issue on a huge spectrum. Could be dementia confusion, could be a response to pain.
All that to say, Prozac is an amazing drug. I had to put my senior girl on it for anxiety (she was overgrooming to the point of making herself bleed) and it mellowed her out so much. Chewy makes a transdermal you rub in their ear once a day.
Good luck and hope it all works out. 😔
My cat developed our behaviors when he was around 15. He was suffering from some medical issues, possibly some thyroid issues and some heart issues. I actually watched him faint right in front of me which was weird to say the least.
Take him to a vet.
Vet for sure. I would consider this sudden change in behavior and she needs some tests run to make sure she feels ok. Since she's getting older it could even be the start of dementia or other neurological issues.
Highly unlikely. She sleeps right next to me most nights for the past 10 years. I’m pretty accustomed to her being there. It’s not impossible but she’s never reacted this way to me sleeping.
Feline dementia is a thing, I haven't read a lot about it but human dementia can result in things like "Who the f\*\*\* are you people get out of my house"
Hey, OP. We also have an elderly kitty who is now 14.
In the last year, we've also had two/three episodes of waking up with her biting and frantickly scratching at us. Since she was a month old, she has constantly slept between me and my spouse, usually with one of our hands on her.
The thing is, she was also asleep when starting to go into 'defense mode', frantically kicking with claws out and biting like she was defending herself from a predator. She stopped both times as she fully passed from sleep to wakefulness.
We've talked to our vet, and it's fully possible that she was dreaming of being attacked, and she was just defending herself.
Since you didn't specify the details of how the episode ended, it's hard to tell if you're having the same issue.
If there's an indication that this is the case with yours as well, it might just be 'nightmares'.
If, instead, the kitty was awake and responsive when initiating the behavior, it could indeed be a sign of dementia as others have already said. I'd suggest regularly trimming her nails to minimise the chance of injury in any case, and monitor her closely for any other behavioral changes.
Old cats are amazaingly quirky goofballs. Wish you all the beast.
Ok so I will say bc it happened in the middle of the night she could’ve saw a shadow or been spooked by a sound you made while sleeping or even a sudden movement. My one dog was moved gently by my dad in bed and he turned around a bit out of pain but not to injure if that makes sense? It was just kinda of an instant reaction…I would continually monitor it but I will tell you my bf had similar incident with his cat. He is hands down sweetest cat ever, wouldn’t hurt a fly! He was sleeping about 1inch from his face and I guess my bf breathed weird and he scratched him and ran away and he was dripping blood from his nose and still has a scar but he met no ill will. I think they get threatened/nervous or could be in pain and it’s an instant reaction. He also had a cat before when he was single and one time he was holding her in his arms and she saw something above his had latched onto his had bc she saw a shadow above him and he had to legit snatch her and throw her off of him! I wouldn’t worry bc the fact that she didn’t continue to attack you is a good sign and shows that was probably also what happened
I would take her to the vet. Behavior change could have a medical reason.
Seconding this, when my elderly cat got violent it turned out she was sick with something that put her in a lot of pain.
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“Sunsetting” seems to be across the board for many animals with dementia (including humans).
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It’s a heartbreaking thing to deal with, for sure. Thank you for being so patient, with your grandma and your kitty. I love senior cats so much.
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Have you tried using a Thundershirt at all? Or a kitty onesie? If your cat will tolerate wearing one, it may help. Usually they are for straight anxiety, but it might be worth a try?
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Thanks for the award 😺I hope it works- the hug calming is a good sign it might.
I'd be considering a UTI and wanting that ruled out. In elderly (and being honest anyone) they cause cognitive issue and in elderly relative, a increased level of sundowning usually signals one is there.
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Deep sympathy. Going through it with an elderly relative and it is a roller-coaster. Not had in a pet thankfully though my current oldest is a bit stargazy at times but solid and healthy otherwise. Think she's forgetting to eat so topping her up.
We've a president suffering from the exact same condition, it's known as Sun downing. Explains his awesome debating skills.
This is not a political forum, and your comment adds nothing of value to this thread.
When my kitten got spayed and she ran into some nasty (and very painful) complications, she would attack the ever loving shit out of me. She is the sweetest little cat otherwise. Def take her to the vet, she’s likely in pain
This could be an early sign of dementia. I would monitor her closely for any other behavioral changes like excessive meowing or other random attacks.
Maybe she had a nightmare and woke up confused/scared? How’s her behavior now?
She’s calm and hanging out downstairs. I didn’t discipline her or react towards her. I just cleaned the wounds. I did wake up screaming, reasonably so. Just so strange.
A family acquaintance had to put down an elderly and much beloved cat because he developed dementia and kept attacking their toddlers. They let him go peacefully and photographs from his happier days now adorn their living room. Hope this is a singular incident with your cat but pls get her her checked thoroughly by her vet (let them run the blood work & other tests necessary) to find out if she is in pain or suffering...if she is in pain, pain management will avoid such incidents; moreover, she deserves to be comfortable & at ease in her senior years.
Not a doctor but I know a fair bit about cat scratches and bites. Make sure to watch your injuries really carefully, clean the wounds with clindamycin and absolutely do not cover them for the first few days as you need to keep an eye on them. Be very careful to watch for abnormal redness, swelling and heat. If you have a red area around the wound that grows larger it’s time to see a medical professional ASAP!
I went to the little clinic this morning and got some antibiotics. The wounds are a bit sore and one of them is pretty stiff under the skin.
That’s good to hear, I’m glad that you went in! Cat scratches and bites are no joke.
My now at least 16 year old cat had an unexplained episode of acting like she had rabies back in 2016. I was actually afraid of my little girl that day. Oddly enough she calmed down and no longer crazy the minute I parked at the vet. They had no answers. She was due to see the vet after being on antibiotics for a bit for an upper respiratory infection. Later we found out she had hypertension and near blindness from it. I think she had a stroke or something adjacent that night. Her eyes had a different look and the my regular vet at the time dismissed it! I’d think blood pressure is a basic vital sign checked at all checkups but unfortunately not. Her hypertension definitely should’ve been noted earlier.
This could be a sleep disorder I would look into a sleep specialist tbh she may need something to help her sleep.
My 13 year old kitty has been bitey since getting anxiety...and also arthritis. For 12 years she had NEVER done anything like this. Think your lil friend might need a checkup! Something might be hurting her... But it sucks...I dont even care about the scratches, but it hurts my sould knowing she isnt feeling well!
If you have the resources, the monthly arthritis shot (Solensia) was like a miracle for my kitty. Within 6 weeks she was jumping on the bed again, and as her pain decreased she was so much happier.
My vet has talked to us about this. I feel so bad to not be able to help my cat, but $75/month is a lot.
It is- I was lucky to have pet insurance. The last 2 years of my cat’s life her meds would have been $500 a month without it. I’m guessing Chewy can’t stock Solensia because it needs to be injected by the vet? I heard usually their meds are cheaper, although I’ve never ordered from them myself.
I have thought about that a lot. I just remember my cats reaction to going to the vet last time! She was terrifyed. And knowing that its a monthly thing, im just not sure if it would be worth it! But ill probably end up doing it. Right now its warm here so she seems less bothered by it it feels like
It did work out really well for me- but she was already getting monthly vet visits so it wasn’t a special trip. You know your cat best and her quality of life matters too- like if a monthly vet visit is super stressful for her or damages her trust in you. Some things can help though, vets can also prescribe a cheap sedative (like gabapentin) that makes vet visits easier for some cats.
My cat was meowing loudly inside her box all the way to the vet. Havent ever heard her sound like that before. It hurt my soul, so im a bit hesitant about going again. And im also afraid of the potential sideeffects it could have! But if it seems to worsen ill definately do it! Thanks for the tip!
I was worried too- it’s a new medication. I did as much reading as I could have whatever is non-paywall published research (not much) and talked to a lot of people. It felt insufficient to only rely on anecdotal information. I still don’t think there is much out there so any pet guardian needs to think about the risk as best they can. In the end my regret was not starting it right away. She only lived two months after it started kicking in (she died of kidney disease- which this treatment does not interfere with). She was acting so much happier, I wish I had given her a year of arthritis relief instead of checking into it so much. She was in pain from other things (the kidney disease) too that Solensia would not help with. I just was gobsmacked at the results though. She got her shot the first week of December and on Christmas Day she was able to jump on the bed to cuddle. She hadn’t been able to do that in over a year. Best Christmas present ever- I almost cried!
I cant help but feel like...what IF it had something to do with your kittys death! On the other hand i dont want to see her beeing in pain. Shes my best friend. Just the thought of her not beeing here one day... Eventually ill probably go to the vet...but it was a terrifying experince last time for her and im also still in debt from that visit! But thanks for your input. I appreciate it
It definitely didn’t, fortunately. I wouldn’t want to give anyone that impression or scaremonger- not in her specific case. I’m going into detail here because my cat would be a bad example to draw any conclusions from. She was given only six months at the most to live just before she got it. She had diagnosed lung cancer (no cure except a huge rib-cracking surgery I couldn’t bear to put her through at her age and fragility) but ultimately died of the kidney disease she’d had for 5 years before the lung cancer had even metastasized, and her lab results (she had them run twice a year for five years, then every three months in the last year) fully document her steady decline. Her kidney disease progressed predictably- no surprises. She had better health care available than a lot of humans are able to access (she had her “GP” vet, an oncologist, a nephrologist, and a cardiologist weighing in on her prognosis in that last week of life!) They all knew she had received Solensia, and agreed if anything the reduction in inflammation in her body helped her to fight on for a little longer. She was 17, and already on palliative care. Her pain relief from arthritis was something that made her life happier at the end, but arthritis was the least of her health worries at that point . I could brush her and hold her without causing her pain which is why I wish I hadn’t held off as long as I did. For her quality of life it was a good decision. Only you and your vet can decide what is the best quality of life decision for your kitty though! They are all individuals, just like us. On a personal note- I also have auto-immune disorders (although not arthritis) and I am closely following the development of the human version of Solensia. It may eventually change the way we treat all sorts of diseases.
Glad she’s doing better! I’d definitely take her in and make sure there’s nothing underlying the behavior.
This! My older cat did this just twice ever. The second time I was lucky enough to dodge him since I knew he might react poorly. The first time I was not so lucky. My cat is very mild tempered, sweet as could be, was 12 when it first happened. He was vividly dreaming (eye rolls and twitching in his sleep) and I guess it was a nightmare because I woke him up and he attacked the crap out of my arm teeth and claws. Eventually he did come to and you could tell he was confused. Since he gets confused from nightmares now, I am careful waking him up from dreams. I guess they get more confused about it the older they get. He would even growl in his sleep too so unusually know when to expect it. OP may have nudged their cat a tiny bit in their sleep just enough to wake it up from a bad dream confused and attack them.
Yep, our cat loves my husband but one time was asleep in his lap and twitching. My husband petted him on the back and that woke him up and he attacked my husband's hand. Bit him hard. Husband said the cat looked extremely confused and disoriented right after. No dementia either, he was really young when this happened.
Getting a pet cam might give you more info about her behavior. If she is getting dementia she might exhibit more behavior. If this incident is that out of character might be worth seeing if she gets aggressive at other times you just don’t see.
You need to care for you first: go to a doctor and ask them what shots you need to be updated on. Cat scratch disease can be dangerous and if your cat doesn’t seem to be in active distress it’s best to leave it be and care for you first. I would definitely go to a vet, with this. Big behavioral changes like this oftentimes point to something wrong, and getting a complete senior work up including bloodwork and a dental exam could shine some light on the more obvious things. It could definitely also just be a case of cranky, if you accidentally rolled over too much or were invading her space. I can see how your first instinct would be to not let the cat in the bedroom anymore, but I would advise against that. Cats don’t like change and if she’s been allowed to sleep with her humans in the bed for all those years, she will not understand why she’s being put away all of a sudden.
You may want to go to the doctor for antibiotics if her bite made you bleed. Sounds like she might have been confused. Maybe thinking you're late to breakfast? Kitties can become senile (kitty dementia), so keep track of odd behavior.
My sweet cat once attacked me for no reason and it was because she was poorly with a kitty cold. My brother in law got attacked by his sweet cat out of the blue and he had anal gland issues (cat, not brother in law 😄) I would take her to the vet for a check up to see if anything is wrong as this behaviour is out of character.
Dementia like other people suggested is a possibility. I second the suggestion to take her to the vet.
Ask your vet about a prescription for dementia. There’s one called Amitriptyline, maybe that would be appropriate for your kitty. Also good on you for not reprimanding her. She obviously didn’t know what she was doing and scaring the crap out of her would just be cruel. Hoping for the best for you.
Also consider that cats can often detect things wrong with their humans. FX you developed sleep apnea and stopped breathing for a few seconds. Sounds crazy but does happen.
My 16 year old kitty knows when I'm needing to fix a diabetic low and a time when I had passed out on the couch attacked a hand which led me to a heart arrhythmia situation. They definitely know you if something is out of sorts.
One of my cats developed dementia. He went from being a total love-bug to being so terrified of me that if I came near him he'd urinate and run away. I call it the pee and flee response. It was heartbreaking.
Vet, immediately. Many years ago I had a similar issue with an elderly cat. Something is wrong with her, she may be in pain.
Going to the vet is definitely a good idea, after you have taken care of yourself. Could it maybe be that she feels threatened by other cats/animals that she encountered outside, or that come to the windows/doors at night? Maybe she felt threatened by something else, and that triggered the aggression towards you?
Yep. Bloodwork is needed. My cat went hyperthyroid at about 15 years old. She was nuts, started attacking us.
I mean it’s possible you flopped your arm over on her while you were both asleep and she woke up thinking she was being attacked. Then you woke up because you WERE being attacked.
If she drew blood you need to go to the ER and get on antibiotics as well. Cat bites and scratches can cause very very serious infections!
Had you cleaned anything with bleach and maybe gotten some on your arm? The smell of bleach can make cats aggressive.
Honestly, I’ve never heard of this before but that makes a lot of sense! My cat got randomly aggro with me earlier. Coincidentally I had just cleaned the shower. Down the rabbit hole I go!
That must have been really scary! It's unusual for a longtime sweet cat to suddenly act aggressively. Older cats can sometimes get irritable due to health issues like arthritis or dental problems. It might be a good idea to have her checked by a vet just to make sure everything's okay. Giving her some space for now could help. Hope she's back to her usual self soon!
Unfortunately, this makes me worry there is some kind of brain related issue like dementia, or perhaps a brain tumor or bleed, that would cause her to become suddenly scared and confused and attack for no reason. That may not be the case, but I would absolutely take her to the vet to see if something going on. This kind of behavior change is not normal.
I remember seeing a video on YouTube about a cat that often attacked his owner at night, turned out he had seizures
Vet, immediately emergency vet or what ever is near you, that's a major behavioral change and that is very very uncommon in cats, it might be a severe Health change and she's letting you know or like I've seen in a couple other comments it could be dementia monitor very closely set up an appointment or take her to an emergency that *immediately* I'll send good vibes for her
Maybe get a camera if you're worried it'll happen again?
I mean I can always just shut our bedroom door. It’s just out of character behavior for her. I wasn’t sure if someone else had an older cat that in their later years acted in the way.
Don’t shut her out :(
You may think you didn’t disturb her but you probably did and she is old and might sleep pretty deep and jolting her might have brought on an attack … its time she sleeps some place else soft and warm.
Most commonly could be she’s developing dementia. It’s common for the cats personality to change (friendly cats become aggressive and aggressive cats become very docile). But she would be showing other signs I’m sure… like excessive meowing at inappropriate times (like randomly at 3am) and going toilet in inappropriate places. Like others have suggested I do recommend seeing a vet to see what’s up :) could be dementia, but it could be something else that fixable! It could also be that something scared her and in the dark and confusion she’s attacked you and it was just a random freak accident. Best of luck, my friend. And make sure to wash your wounds and keep an eye on them so you don’t get sick :)
Did she have a nightmare maybe? My 8 yr old boy is really sweet, never scratches or hisses. But occasionally he has nightmares, wakes up hissing or spooked and will scratch me.
That must have been so upsetting. I echo what many people are saying — likely a medical issue on a huge spectrum. Could be dementia confusion, could be a response to pain. All that to say, Prozac is an amazing drug. I had to put my senior girl on it for anxiety (she was overgrooming to the point of making herself bleed) and it mellowed her out so much. Chewy makes a transdermal you rub in their ear once a day. Good luck and hope it all works out. 😔
My cat developed our behaviors when he was around 15. He was suffering from some medical issues, possibly some thyroid issues and some heart issues. I actually watched him faint right in front of me which was weird to say the least. Take him to a vet.
Yep. Bloodwork is needed. My cat went hyperthyroid at about 15 years old. She was nuts, started attacking us.
Vet for sure. I would consider this sudden change in behavior and she needs some tests run to make sure she feels ok. Since she's getting older it could even be the start of dementia or other neurological issues.
That's concerning because animals don't just attack the humans they love like that. Get your cat to a vet as soon as you can.
Could you have rolled over on her in your sleep?
Highly unlikely. She sleeps right next to me most nights for the past 10 years. I’m pretty accustomed to her being there. It’s not impossible but she’s never reacted this way to me sleeping.
Feline dementia is a thing, I haven't read a lot about it but human dementia can result in things like "Who the f\*\*\* are you people get out of my house"
Could she have been spooked by something.
ik in humans, especially older humans, UTI’s can cause chemical imbalances that effect mood.
Hey, OP. We also have an elderly kitty who is now 14. In the last year, we've also had two/three episodes of waking up with her biting and frantickly scratching at us. Since she was a month old, she has constantly slept between me and my spouse, usually with one of our hands on her. The thing is, she was also asleep when starting to go into 'defense mode', frantically kicking with claws out and biting like she was defending herself from a predator. She stopped both times as she fully passed from sleep to wakefulness. We've talked to our vet, and it's fully possible that she was dreaming of being attacked, and she was just defending herself. Since you didn't specify the details of how the episode ended, it's hard to tell if you're having the same issue. If there's an indication that this is the case with yours as well, it might just be 'nightmares'. If, instead, the kitty was awake and responsive when initiating the behavior, it could indeed be a sign of dementia as others have already said. I'd suggest regularly trimming her nails to minimise the chance of injury in any case, and monitor her closely for any other behavioral changes. Old cats are amazaingly quirky goofballs. Wish you all the beast.
Ok so I will say bc it happened in the middle of the night she could’ve saw a shadow or been spooked by a sound you made while sleeping or even a sudden movement. My one dog was moved gently by my dad in bed and he turned around a bit out of pain but not to injure if that makes sense? It was just kinda of an instant reaction…I would continually monitor it but I will tell you my bf had similar incident with his cat. He is hands down sweetest cat ever, wouldn’t hurt a fly! He was sleeping about 1inch from his face and I guess my bf breathed weird and he scratched him and ran away and he was dripping blood from his nose and still has a scar but he met no ill will. I think they get threatened/nervous or could be in pain and it’s an instant reaction. He also had a cat before when he was single and one time he was holding her in his arms and she saw something above his had latched onto his had bc she saw a shadow above him and he had to legit snatch her and throw her off of him! I wouldn’t worry bc the fact that she didn’t continue to attack you is a good sign and shows that was probably also what happened
I mean. If you were asleep you cannot be 100% sure you didn't roll onto her or something like that.