Abelard has gone stupid!

One day last week he was sleeping on the driveway and called out to him. He
did not wake up. I called louder. He still did not wake up. I panicked. I
thought he was laying there dead. I ran over closer and yelled "ABELARD!!
WAKE UP!!!" and he still did not wake up. Then I started taking the chain
off the gate, making a loud clanking sound, and he woke up.

This started me worrying that he might not wake up when the horses run past
and he could be trampled, but then Gloria moved the horses to another field.
Abelard continued sleeping in the driveway this past week, but every time I
called him, he would wake up and run to me. So I had pretty much forgotten
about the incident - until today.

I went to town today. When I returned, coming up the drive, Abelard was
asleep in the usual spot. I figured the car would wake him, but it didn't. I
stopped right in front of him and honked the horn several times. He did not
wake up. I backed up and started driving around him, and stopped when the
driver side door was next to him, and yelled at the top of my lungs. He did
not wake up. I figured this time he's *really* dead!

I parked, slammed the car door and ran over to Abelard and yelled "WAKE
UP!!" He did not wake up, but I could see him breathing. I started to wonder
if maybe he's going deaf. He woke up when I touched him. I carried him
inside and tested his hearing every way I could think of. He could hear
everything just fine.

What on earth could be wrong with this cat????? In this condition, he's in
danger from any passing vehicle or horse. Hardly anyone comes up here, but
occasionally the UPS truck, or some neighbor visiting, and they would expect
a cat laying in the road to move ... and may not stop. And what if it's
night time?

I guess I need to get him a very wide glow-in-the-dark collar (where?), and
post signs along the drive: "Beware - Sleeping orange cat may not move". But
I want to get to the bottom of why it's sometimes so hard to wake him. This
just started about a week ago. I've alse noticed that his body now often
trembles like it does when he's really cold. But it's mid-July!

It's Friday night and I can't talk to the vet until Monday. Has anyone got
any ideas?