Cat randomly started acting strangely

by Marissa
(PA)

My fiance and I took in a stray after months of her coming up to us and always wanting us to pet her. She's very sweet but would never want to come inside. Eventually, she'd come up a few steps or all the way and be uncomfortable, until she ran to the door and we'd always let her out.

Just four months ago, she ran inside and decided she was living here. She seemed comfortable in just one room until she was owning the house. She's always lying in a chair and waking us up to pet her.

An hour after she was being her usual self today she started lying under the sink and was flicking her tail back and forth which is normal for her, but she'd been on high alert and is doing it more than usual.

Because we don't know what happened to her before we moved in, we always let her out so she doesn't feel trapped. She'd come back in less than 10 minutes or throw a fit and come straight back in, but twice now we had to call her back.

She didn't do her normal picking at the door and crying, which she has for months.

I don't know anything about pregnant cats, but we noticed the chip in her ear which people normally do when they spay/neuter a cat and release them, and she doesn't seem to be in pain.

Although she did leave for a while before she wanted to live with us. She'll still play and eat, but always on guard and then go right back under the sink instead of her usual spot on the chair in the main room.

She also isn't meowing as much. Usually. she'll do that the second we walk into the room.

I was just wondering if she just wants to be left alone out of nowhere (usually she'll just meow a certain way and we know to leave her alone on the chair) or if something is wrong.

I've had cats growing up and usually they were lethargic or screaming in pain and wouldn't eat and I'd rush them to the emergency room. I was just wondering if this is normal cat behavior because I've never seen this before. Is this something we should be taking her to the vet about?

Sorry for the long post. I felt it was necessary to give a backstory.