Strange behaviour

Sounds like a fight or perhaps untoward advances were made!

A few years ago my small elderly cat became very frightened and avoided going near the French doors to the garden (where the cat flap was), wouldn't go outside and was just generally agitated. A few nights after this started I was sitting in the kitchen after dark and spotted a fox, standing right up at my French doors, looking in. It came around ffequently for a few weeks then stopped. The cat gradually calmed down with a bit of extra TLC and I closed the curtain on the French doors after dark.

I'd go with the fox theory, especially if the cat is also avoiding your garden. Foxes can be so bold these days they face you (or your dog) out when they take a liking to your territory and then come across you in it!

Foxes badger hedgehog coming into garden . My dog was like this in our old garden so years he would into garden for a wee other yeaes nothing happening.

I had been worried about our two cats spending all day either inside or in our garden, instead of roaming through the neighbourhood. But then our neighbour's German Shepherd chased a fox away, and since then the cats are out and about again. So I suspect that your dog and the neighbour's cat have come face to face with a fox, or have simply smelt it.

In this heat it was wise to have the vet examine the dog.

Could the dog and neighbour's cat have had a fight with each other?

How old is the dog?

If he settles down again, I would not worry, especially as the vet says he is fit and well.

My cat turned into a 'scaredy cat' last year. For a time he had to be escorted outside (I am NOT having piss trays indoors). Probably foxes. He's also scared of strange human visitors. Odd creatures, cats. No point in psychoanalysis, what are you going to do about it?

If you are in or near an open environment he may have been spooked by a snake. Snakes love hot weather and are more likely to be spotted basking or moving through grassland. I'm not a dog owner but have seen the behaviour you describe in other dogs being walked in areas where snakes are known to be.

We had a little rescue cat who actually went hunting nightly with a pair of foxes in the hedgerows of our country lane. They'd space themselves a few yards apart & wait for unsuspecting rabbits, Squeak the cat didn't mind foxes at all.

Our foxes are terrified of our cat.

Had similar with my jack russell.
We accidently got in the middle of a carneval procession on holiday a few years ago, balloons, shouting, loud music etc. and after that she was terrified of everything. She wouldn’t even go in the car which she used to love. Spent most of the time in the house, under a table looking worried and panting sometimes. I was so worried, didn’t know what to do. She gradually got better but it took about a year for her to be confident to go for a walk again.

I think it's most probably a chance meeting with a fox, or even just the scent of one. There are always foxes in our area but in this hot weather there's the added attraction of food scraps dropped at barbecues etc., we even see them patrolling the beaches and sand dunes.

You could try a dog calming treatment. I can recommend the Beaphar Calming Spot On drops. It's a natural herbal remedy that is applied to the skin (like a flea treatment) and it just calms the dog's responses to stressful situations. You apply it once and the effect lasts about a week. It doesn't make them dopey. We have found it a godsend with our dog!
fetch.co.uk/beaphar-calming-spot-on-dog-3-x-7ml-266179011

Thanks everyone. The dog in question is 12 years old and normally the most laid back animal you could wish to meet, a real couch potato.
The vet prescribed some mild sedative tablets and he is settling down but not back to normal. He has been friends with the cat for over six years with no problems, but now the cat won't come near the house. My daughter thinks they have seen a ghost !!

There are 2 products you can buy which might help, you can even use the 2 together. There is a particularly good herbal treatment called Zylkene which is used for dogs who struggle with thunderstorms, fireworks, anxiety separation, etc. The other product is Adaptil which can be bought as a collar, spray or plug in. This is a hormone which is produced by a lactating bitch to calm the puppies and works very well for older dogs.

Thanks for the information re calming products. Our dog has become much more nervous as he's got older and firework night (or should I say week(s)) is a terrible ordeal for him.

It's really weird about the cat and dog suddenly behaving so strangely. I wasn't aware that the sight of a fox is liable to scare dogs and cats but perhaps that's what it is.

I have two cats, neither are frightened of Foxes, which is just as well, as the local vixen had her 4 cubs at the the end of our garden this year, beautiful little things, I love them.

I’d go with the vet, something has scared him and the cat. Logically the most likely culprit is a fox, but it could have been a badger (can be very aggressive) or really anything. You’ll probably never know.

Does your old dog still go into the garden willingly?

Whatever the cause, lots of TLC and a few extra treats and the company of your other two dogs should gradually get him back to normal ??

Thanks OldMeg yes my dog is more than happy to go outside, in fact when this first started that's all he wanted to do which is unusual for him.
As you say we will never know now what caused it, the cat still won't come near the house.

About a month ago, we spotted a huge, black bear in the woods behind our house. He lingered for several minutes and then slowly made his way back into the woods. Since then there have been several bear sightings in our neighborhood.

Black bears are common in Northeastern US, but they're very shy and normally won't come near people's houses. Reputedly, they're not aggressive either, but they have been known to attack when threatened. Females with cubs are very protective and can attack without provocation.

Either way, we're being prudently cautious when we go outside behind our house. It's been too hot to go walking anyway, except early morning and dusk, precisely the times when bear encounters are more likely.

For now, any 'woodsy' excursions will be avoided altogether until it's cold enough for the bear to go into hibernation for the winter.

We have a dog and it loves to go for walks, but in one field near us the dog has to be nearly dragged through,or even picked up as refuses to move.Then I heard a fox snuffling around in the wheat crop and saw it moving.
I'd go with the fox theory.

Yes total agreement,some dog breeds have quite high gear factors,worst I some breeds than others,we have have two gorgeous staffs,brother and sister,Tilly the little girl is scared of so much and acts just like your dog does,Tilly is frightened of ,plastic packaging,people wearing animal hats,especially panda hats,wheels on a wheely bin, guitars,stuffed toys of dogs,any power tool, red balls ,pigeons,shoes and much more! Max the older brother hates
noises, he will pant and walk about,and not settle,but Tilly will do all these and wet herself!
Our dogs respond to calm voices,letting them go to where they feel safe,if you over fuss them ,it's giving them the message it goodmto be scared.let them sit near you and talking soothingly.

Often chewing something is the answer as it produces a feel good hormone,in time your dog will calm down somewhat,and some fears can get better,a lot of dog are very scared the first time they see something new,and once it's been seen ,the next time it's better,and gets better each time they experience the fear.

Tilly was also very frightened of swimmers at the beach ,road signs and chinese people!! And she is fine about all these now,
And the signs your dog is showing are typical fear symptoms.

https://uriupina.com/funny-cute/warning-bear-bells-pepper-spray

Have a laugh at this! It's years old but worth a look!

OoRoo

Those who believe in ghosts do say that cats and dogs can see them when people can't.

it might be that the scared themselves - I came home from shopping one day and must have walked differently, or sounded different - I had a sore knee at the time. Point is, our one cat flew out of his hidey-hole and ran hell for leather up the garden, and was so scared that even when I called him he didn't stop to listen. Kittens and puppies, like small children can scare themselves over a shadow or something similar, sometimes I think adult cats and dogs do so too.

Love the thought of a cat and fox team!

While we were sailing the same cat, when out on the lead with me, turned abruptly and ran back to the boat. Turned out later that we were near a badger's sett.

As a student I once worked in a big hotel in Southport. One part, just outside the lift on the first floor was supposed to be haunted. Oddly enough many guests’ dogs would refuse to exit the lift on that floor and had to be carried (if small) or manhandled out if large. It was uncanny ?

I agree with the 'haunting' theory. They say animals can see what the human eye can't. And I truly believe there are ghosts all around us. They are not malevolent. They are sometimes our loved ones who pop in now and then to check on us. That's my theory anyway....it has given me comfort in very difficult times