What was wrong with my cat?

Question

Every morning when I get home from work my cat has been up through the night, waiting for me, and he always greets me with a cuddle. That's been our routine for about two years! My parents love him almost as much as I do and his "sister" will come out of hiding a couple times a week. Last yesterday morning, however, when I got home he was sitting in the corner of my room, sitting very low to the ground. I go over to him and offer him a treat and he bolts to the other side of the room. I go over, thinking he's just trying to play, and he lets out a deep growl, bites me, then hisses at me.

What would cause him to act so out of charactor for the first time in two years!? I eventually just lifted him up, which didn't make him too happy, set him down on the couch, and he was relaxed and happy, but he still seemed very alert, like he was expecting something bad.

Answer 1

A change in behavior can be a signal that your cat is ill.  If this continues, it would be a good idea for him to have a check up.

If this is a one time thing, then you have no need to worry.  Just chalk it up to one of the many things in the cat world they don't share with us.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

It could mean that he's sick.  Like the other's said, keep an eye on him.  If he shows other signs, then schedule a vet appointment.  

Or, you could have picked up a smell that he didn't recognize.  Cats seem to use their nose to identify things more often than their eyes or ears.  If you picked up a strange smell over the course of your working hours, he might not recognize you.  Furthermore, if that particular smell is offensive to him, he may act aggressively.  

Or he could have been overstimulated by something that occurred shortly before you arrived home.  When a cat is angry or scared witless, he stops making distinctions between friend or foe.  In the wild, if the cat paused at such a moment to shift gears, that hesitation could lead to his death.  So, they simply react and sort the rest out later.  A friend of mine was completely mauled by a gentle cat that she'd had for nine years, because she lead him outside on a leash to take him to a routine vet appointment just hours after a grizzly bear had been in her yard.  (She lives in Alaska.)  The cat smelled the bear and freaked.  When she tried to console him, he nearly ripped her arm off. The damage was so severe, she required stitches and antibiotics on an IV drip.  By the time she got home from the ER, he was over it and slept soundly by her side like usual.  It was the only time he'd ever acted like that.

There are many possibilities, but the only one you really need to worry about is the possibility he might be sick.  Cats are masters of misdirected aggression.  Many will often respond aggressively when they are very sick or injured.  In the wild, this was probably a defense that prevented predators from taking advantage of their weakened state.  

Answer 3

Something/someone may have hurt him.

He maybe sick

or something startled him.

keep an eye on him and how much he eats/drinks and the litterbox. If this continues I'd schedule a vet appointment as it may be something internal. Hope he gets better soon though.

Answer 4

maybe he/she is thinking that your not his/her owner.that's what happened to me.i searched the web.