For several years now a ginger Tom cat has been using our flower beds as a toilet. It never bothered unless you approached it direct. A couple weeks ago in late afternoon it was on the lawn preening itself, usual position, on its haunches licking itself but it’s position appeared unusual, so much so I pointed it out to my wife, she watched it through the patio doors and I went into the kitchen. All of a sudden the cat looked up, I have never seen such terror on on anything’s face. It like lightning turned to it’s right , jumped over the fence, I have never seen it since. What could have caused such terror, a dog can be discounted. Any suggestions?
There is a very interesting/amusing video around somewhere demonstrating how cats are terrified of, it is suggested, anything remotely resembling a snake. Various things are surreptitiously planted near cats and when they turn, only to see this, they bolt away in what can only be described as sheer terror. The objects had only one thing in common, they were more or less round and quite long. One of these was a cucumber, if I remember correctly. I don't think this is what I saw originally but I have just googled it:
The cat may have noticed it was being watched, they have a sense like that. From this i can only imagine it was startled to turn around and confirm this sense. So it bolted.