My cat, Secret Mouse, usually loves me to death. I mean we're
seriously down. We hang out all the time. Lately, he's gotten really
mean and grumpy. He doesn't want anything to do with me, and has
started getting mad when I touch him. Tonight, while scratching his
chin, which he'll generally let me do for as long as I'm willing, he
started growling at me, before finally clawing me in the arm and
running away. I haven't done anything to him except toss him outside a
few times for growling at me within the last week.

While we were on vacation a few weeks ago, he got covered in motor oil
somehow. I gave him a bath, waited two days and gave him another one
and to me he appeared clean after bath two. After he got cleaned up,
he was acting fine, but I can't help but wonder if somehow this is
related?

Also of note is the fact that his belly is very nappy all of a sudden.
He was soft and very clean after his last bath but his underside now
has dreadlocks and knots of hair and he hates it for you to touch him
anywhere below the collar, which isn't incredibly weird for a cat but
it's uncharacteristic of him to behave that way toward me. My cat and
I are very close and I can't for the life of me figure out why he is
acting like this. It makes me really sad...

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. We're taking him to the vet
Monday but until then some information to go on would be oh so helpful.


Thanks,

ja.m