How do I explain this... it was early afternoon, Pitsi was preparing
to take a nap in "her" room, all the doors in the house were
open, me and my mother were chatting two rooms away... then we heard
something and we thought it was the neighbor's dog yowling - again! -,
but the yowling was strange and wouldn't stop... after a couple of
minutes I went to check on the cat (can't possibly be Pitsi, but just
to be sure...), and I found her up on the table, growling and hissing
ferociously, alone in the room... It was like she was possessed, like a cornered wild
animal. I have never seen so much fear and fury altogether...
The only logical explanation I can think of is that she accidentally
saw herself in the dressing mirror (probably for the first time), got
scared and raised her hackles, saw the "intruder" in the
mirror doing the same, and went mad. Really, really mad.
The first thing I did (ok, after taking this one photo) was to cover
the mirror with a cloth.
It took her almost one hour to stop growling and hissing. Me and my
mother tried everything we could think of to calm her down, we talked
to her (from the distance of course), tried to lure her with her
favorite treats, etc etc. At some point she left that room and
inspected ALL the house, with determination, still growling...
It was a terrifying experience for us the humans too... we were very
careful to appear calm, and to give her room - while keeping control
of the doors :-D. We also grabbed some thick bath towels, just in case
( I was VERY concerned about my bare feet :-D), but we didn't have to
use them, and she showed no signs of wanting to attack us. On the
contrary, at some point she was growling and rubbing against my leg at
the same time.
Now, a couple of hours later, she is sleeping in "her" room,
on my bed, as if nothing had happened. She even asked to be petted and
purred!
Very confusing, all in all...
EXPLORE #316, July 28, 2008
*katz, {Marzia}, Tofeset, and CaroKattie added this photo to their favorites.
View 8 more comments
{Marzia} 59 months ago | reply
mmh, such a strange thing..maybe she saw something strange..I do not know if ghosts exist, if so I'm sure they cas see them or feel them.
Or maybe she saw herself on the mirror. Very strange, anyway I also hope this will never happen again.
[andreea] 59 months ago | reply
Well, even if ghosts or wandering souls do exist, I'm not quite ready to accept that there's one in my house spooking my cat :-D
But early this morning she was spooked again... I heard noise of falling pots and pans in the kitchen, at the other end of the house, then Pitsi came running for dear life :-D. She spent a good fifteen minutes checking under the sofa and chairs in the living room, bottle-brush tail and everything, LOL. I feel sorry for her, though :-D
Angel ;-) [deleted] 59 months ago | reply
I think she sees something we can't see...scary!!!
rootcrop54 59 months ago | reply
Funny story. I can easily imagine it. Could she be playing (i.e., imaginary demons)?
I had a cat once who was normally very proud and "together", but we brought a Muppet puppet into the house; I guess it was the large mouth but she HATED it when we made the mouth move. Hissing, spitting, the works... Then we set the puppet against a wall and left it alone (to show her that it was no threat)... but when she approached to sniff it, it slumped sideways and she jumped 4 feet in the air!
fourcatsnokids 59 months ago | reply
amazing Pitsi!
momcat14c 59 months ago | reply
I think cats can see things we can't! Whatever she saw, she didn't like!
[andreea] 59 months ago | reply
The only other time I saw her like this was when she was younger... While Pitsi was outside, a friend with her baby showed up at my place, and I took out a stuffed toy to entertain the baby... then the friend left, and soon after Pitsi came home, to discover strange smells... and the strange "cat" :-D
I know these two, but what kind of cat are you??
LOL!
edgarandron 59 months ago | reply
Awww, poor Pitsi. Something definitely upset her. Maybe it was the mirror, maybe not. None of our cats have ever shown the slightest interest in the mirror. Even Hemingway, who used to get like this whenever he saw a cat in the yard, had no reaction at all to his or margo's reflection in the mirror.
Edgar
*Michelle*(meechelle) 59 months ago | reply
I've seen kitty's get upset at their reflection before! She may never have seen her reflection having been an outdoor kitty when you found her....
My Nala gets easily spooked by just about everything and will hide for weeks on end... Hopefully Pitsi will settle down over time!
roko foto [deleted] 59 months ago | reply
Funny shot and a funny story. Sometimes I would like to have a look in the thoughts of a cat!!! My Shiva always watched a corner of the livingroom. There was nothing in this corner and I always said: she saw a ghost!
This is really a Furry CAT Friend.
Furry Cat Friendss
Thank you for adding this great capture to this group!
{Marzia} 59 months ago | reply
Yes, Roko, even leo do the same thing! when he hear a noise he looks always at the same point (even if noise come from another place) very strange.
villy21 59 months ago | reply
hhmmm, weird , yes true cats sense things we cant and I think they are just like people, some of us are more sensitive than others maybe this kitty is .If you say , " all doors were opened " maybe an intruder cat came over and she was protecting her territory ??
I dont think is was the mirror .. I hope it doesnt happen again .. hhmm
Thank you for sharing your photo in.
Cat Are My Friends
[andreea] 59 months ago | reply
I meant all the doors inside the house. And we live on the second floor. Nothing could have come in... and if it had been a bird, she would have shown hunting behavior, not terror... anyway, she's back to her old self now...
CaroKattie 59 months ago | reply
wow that is awesome Andreea !!! Poor Pitsi for sure !! and also I feel for you and family throughout all of that . Frightening to observe and not know what is the problem!
doustpauline of > \whatwhenwhere/ <all behind. 59 months ago | reply
i hope it was the mirrow thing as i had this electrified looking cat sceen in a room with others all relaxed sleeping etc, he went off food acted very oddly not himself took to vet who diognosed heart attck, only 2 years old white cat deaff said not uncommon in shuch casess continued to say could have another/ or could not, an next one fatel /or possib not , to keep quiet semi restraind no jumpimg about etc , so done that and hand fed him nursed etc, was loveing him one time about 7days after and he flipped back as if been given stricknine arching his back backwards i was mortified his mouth opend as if in extreem agony no noise emmiting i storked an massarged an kissed but he turnd his head biting into the sheet on bed an died in my arms, one of the worst ever days in my life to date /dont want to alarm or worry you an sure its not that sort of thing but just an observation/experience that should be noted by all paula in uk.
Elle's Vanilla Lux [deleted] 58 months ago | reply
Or maybe it's just ghost, hehe.. poor Pitsi if she could see ghosts. Hmmm..
PCB75 58 months ago | reply
Aw!!! Poor Pitsi! But such a funny story!!!!!! My youngest cat did the same when he first saw himself at the mirror!!!!
This is really a Furry CAT Friend.
Furry Friends
Thank you for adding this great capture to this group!
kucinn- how i miss flickr:( 58 months ago | reply
Poor Pitsi. She must be so scared. Different cat acts differently when they first look into mirror. My Chiko was so excited the first time he saw "another" cat in the mirror and tried to find ways to go inside it:)
fainra 29 months ago | reply
You should have let her investigate the mirror so she understood it was nothing. Hiding it right away before she has the change to figure it out probably solidified the idea that there really was another cat there. Cats are pretty simple like that. I'm sure if you let her get close to it and sniff it she would have eventually find there was no threat. I've had 16 cats at once >.> So I think I have some credibility.
[andreea] 29 months ago | reply
Fainra, she had time to investigate that mirror, more than a year. It was the mirror in HER room. I think it was something else that scared her.