So there I was yesterday, working on the computer, Buttons on a pillow next to me. As he often does, he was just laying there purring up a storm, happy to be alive and part of the team. Then suddenly, with no visible or audible prompting, he began growling and howling, raising a stink like he was *pissed.* His tail fluffed out. His eyes were wide open and dilated. This went on for seemingly forever, but probably around 15-30 seconds. Then… it stopped. Within a few seconds he was purring again… and drooling. Drooling *a* *lot,* for another quarter hour or so. Then everything went back to utterly normal.
Given how he was purring loudly at the time, I’m pretty sure he was awake when he went nuts, though he has been known to sleep-purr. But whether awake or asleep, it was *weird* to hear him pissed off. This is the first time I can recall *ever* hearing him actually angry; it’s just not his way. He is by nature a happy cat. I first thought that maybe he was in pain, something that came onto him suddenly; but poking and prodding afterwards elicited no pain response, and he has eaten and used the litter box just fine since then.
Another thought occurred: he’s around 12 years old, which is getting up there in years for a cat. Perhaps he had a senior moment… some form of dementia. A daydream of a threat, perhaps.
In any event: AAAAAAAARGH.
