Cat with strange phobias- to the ceiling fan

[4horses]

My cat Marvel has anxiety. We had family come visit several weeks ago and that seemed to be the start. He mostly hides in my bedroom (but is perfectly normal in my bedroom and feels safe there). Sometimes I can get him to come out in the evening and play. His newest phobia is of the ceiling fan. He is absolutely terrified of it, even when it is not on. If I carry him into the other room, he stares up at it in horror and then runs back to the bedroom or the bedroom door if it’s shut. This is the same fan that has always been there!

My bedroom has a ceiling fan but that one is not scary at all. The fireplace and living room both have ceiling fans of a slightly different design and both are terrifying to him. At first I thought maybe he was startled by something and he would go back to normal after a couple days but it hasn’t happened.

Really I’m at a loss here. I not sure how to get him to start feeling safe again outside my bedroom. I’m thinking of putting him outside of my bedroom at night when everyone is asleep and see if a quiet house helps him feel safer? I tried putting him out today and he hid under the couch the entire time.

Poor guy.

[Larksmom]

Has Marvel always had anxiety? Did the family members do anything that scared him?
I have a new cat that is very nervous, and when my fan is on and he walks in front of it and the air hits him, he will turn around and go behind the fan.
Can you try feeding him in that room?

[Zu_Zu]

He thinks it is a bird of prey !

He’s simply sacred of the fans ~ will need slow introduction to each fan. Feed him in a place without a fan … unless you want him to stop eating or barf !

[Phaedra1]

I obviously don’t know the family members, but could one of them have stuck his paw or tail in a fan?

[4horses]

No… We only have ceiling fans in the house. Nothing he could catch a tail or paw in. It’s just a very strange thing to develop a phobia about.

[Rackonteur]

Can you please post pictures of the scary fireplace and living room fans and of the not-scary bedroom one that is a different design?

Who were the visiting family members? Any kids? Any whose behavior is different from the behaviors of Marvel’s family?

[Simkie]

I fully believe that cats are like horses in their propensity to get gastric ulcers with stress.

Try some pepcid. 2.5 mg once or twice a day (I’d go twice given how upset he is) for a couple weeks. See if that changes anything.

I like the generic option Walgreens sells, the pills are teeny tiny. You’re looking for the “regular strength” version that is 10 mg. Quarter for a cat sized dose.

[Jackie_amp_Starlette]

Are you sure there is nothing in the ceiling that he can hear but you can’t? Mice, squirrels, raccons? Could be a coincidence with the visiting family members.

[trubandloki]

Lots of cats are worried about strange people in their house.

Could that ceiling fan be making a noise that you are not hearing but your cat finds disturbing?

[chestnutmarebeware]

Your vet can also prescribe some short-term anxiety meds that can break his fear cycle. Generally, when you wean them off later, the phobia is gone.

[NancyM]

Yup, my guy Prickle is also wary of the ceiling fan in the living room. Dunno why, he’s normally a brave, outgoing and confident cat for the most part. But he notices it, and watches it, for sure. It doesn’t keep him out of the living room though.

[Kyrabee]

My cat always scopes out the ceiling fan when she comes in the living room. She always duck away from it when you pick her up in the living room. Interestingly, she doesn’t mind when it is on. Weird.

Check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He has lots of behavioral stuff.

Simkie’s idea is a good one try. Cats can be very secretive when they don’t feel well physically.

Good luck.
Susan

[Annie10]

Has he ever been outside where maybe he had a close call with a big bird ?

[Sandysmom]

Maybe check out the electrical connections in the fans. I think cats may be able to sense charges or issues we cant.

[Larksmom]

I rerad once, probably on cheezeburger, about a cat who stared at the electrical outlet. He did that for weeks at a time. Upon inspection, there was a short or something that would have eventually started a fire. Maybe he is psychic?

[Chall]

Edit : larksMom posted what I was going to post.

[CanadianTrotter]

@Jackie_amp_Starlette

Are you sure there is nothing in the ceiling that he can hear but you can’t?

Some lights that are soon to blow emit a high pitched sound. Change all of the lights and see if he relaxes in a few days time.

[4horses]

Thank you. I’ve been keeping the fan and lights off. I’ll try replacing the bulbs.

[Larksmom]

this is the story I was talking about. It just reappeared on my FB page. It is kind of long but interesting.

Cat Becomes Obsessed With 1 Wall In House And Ends Up Saving Humans' Life

[Chall]

Argh, it has no ending. What did they do about it?