Why Do Cats Go Away?

I’ve heard this often enough and I thought it’s because they feel weak and vulnerable so they go away to hide and be alone.

Hope this article may shed some light and help us understand better if our cats do “go away”:

http://www.cat-world.com.au/why-do-cats-go-away-to-die.html

An excerpt (but please do read the whole article):

According to Desmond Morris in his book Cat World – A Feline Encyclopedia, cats have an advantage over humans in regards to death, they don’t actually know what death is. They go away and hide because they are sick and feeling vulnerable. This makes perfect sense from an evolutionary point of view. It’s a cruel world out there and cats have larger predators who seek out the weak and the vulnerable as they are easier targets. This also explains why cats can be quite seriously ill before obvious signs appear. They are hardwired to hide signs of sickness and weakness so that they are less vulnerable to predators.

After a few days of reflecting on the ordeal and observing Daffodil, I think it was because of the noise of the function next door that frazzled her completely and after being out, as the psychic said, she just wanted to explore her surroundings. I suppose the nooks and corners on the roof are interesting to a cat. And the roof is safe, by cat standards. Also, maybe because we kept pursuing, she didn’t want to be “caught” by us. Knowing Daffodil, the Dowager is just too proud to subject herself to such unspeakable treatment.

Always on her own terms. That’s her personality.

In any case, which cat likes to be caught, right?

Since yesterday, she has been playing “hard to get”. She refuses to eat “food for the masses”, which, by the way, is home-cooked and barf. Nope, she wants canned food only. Luckily, it’s not kibble. Canned food isn’t as bad, especially since I get to add some supplements into it to make it, hopefully, more balanced. And canned food has water, too. So, she goes on “mogok lapar” (hunger strike) unless I give her canned food. And she has to be served where she is. If she is upstairs, I have to bring the food upstairs. If she is on the sofa, then it’s on the sofa that she must be served.

Ok, the Dowager gets what the Dowager wants. As long as she eats.

While the above may seem comical, it really isn’t so, if one reflects upon it. Something isn’t normal. Maybe Daffodil really does feel a bit weak now. It’s her age as well as the tumour. We don’t know how much it has progressed internally.

One day at a time is all we have.

But as defiant as she is, she still comes up to the bed and sleep with us early in the morning. She doesn’t wake me up at 3am anymore, ever since coming back home.

So far, there are no signs of her digging at the fortified gopher hole (thanks, Cathy!).

One day at a time.

Eat. Sleep. Be safe and happy.

One day at a time.

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2017/06/17/why-do-cats-go-away/

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AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

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