spooked cat

Question
hi, i have an outdoor cat since i am gone alot but i have been home for the
past couple of weeks and he has been coming in with me. about 4 nights ago
i walked into the house and he followed but stopped before he got into the
kitchen and began low growling, his body slinked low and he just stared
ahead and started to turn and slink away into the bedroom and hid behind
the bed. i tried to get him to come out by picking him up and carrying him
with me to the living room. while holding him he just kept looking towards
the kitchen and was really scared with claws out and wanted to get outside
really fast.
this has happened every night for the last 4 nights and it is always in the
general area. he looks into the glass door, and at the windows and into the
room. he's got me really spooked. his eyes are big, the growl, and body
posture is definitely scared. he looks up, staring ahead like he is waiting for
something to move and then turns like he wants to bolt but then looks back
and growls. what is happening? help. thanks

Answer
Candace,

You mention a glass door and windows. Can he see his reflection and think it's another cat? Could there have been a stray cat outside that you couldn't see? Or some kind of wildlife?

Can you carry him safely into the kitchen and just walk around with him to let him see that there is nothing there?

Sometimes there is no explanation for what a cat thinks he sees or what is going through his mind. You just have to do what you can to reassure him that there is nothing 'scary' in the kitchen.

There is also another whole ball of wax that many people are sure that cats can see ghosts and spirits. You can Google: CAN CATS SEE GHOSTS OR SPIRITS or similar and get articles from people who swear that they can. My personal opinion: I don't know if I believe that or not.

Tabbi