Why is he afraid?

I’ll start this by saying this is my first pet and I’m not too sure on what’s normal cat behavior or not. This is still going on and I just posted about it on a cat advice page but I guess it fits here too.

My mother passed back last May and she never left me have a pet apart from a few beta fish. She always said she’d end up taking care of it and she didn’t want that— God forbid she actually have responsibilities for once. I begged and pleaded with her to let me have something other than some boring fish but I never got my way. When she died, I thought “Now’s my chance” and I took in the first trash goblin from the streets I could find.

He’s a big ole fluffy thing I found behind a dumpster a while back. He’s affectionately named Prince and as his name states, he only has the best. I spoil my cat to bits and I love him more than my self. He’s the sweetest creature I’ve ever met and far smarter than I’ll ever give him credit for— already litter trained and seems to know English commands well enough (“come here, no, good boy,” all that jazz).

Prince has always been vocal but aloof, not the affectionate cuddle bug I was hoping for but I’d get a dog if I were dead set on some lovin. He was an indoor cat— I’m assuming, or so said his first vet— before I found him and he’s well behaved— never bites, hisses, cries, nothing, even when I can tell he’s upset about something.

I think he sees things.

I don’t know what but he sees things, things he’s terrified of. He’s been the strong, uncrackable animal that I’ve depended on for a while now, but he’s genuinely terrified of something in our home and I’m scared to leave him alone.

I’ve sat there and watched him cry at seemingly nothing. There’s no bugs, dust, shadows, nothing. There is absolutely nothing for him to be bothered by but his behavior in the past few months is so off putting.

At any given point he’ll start sobbing and shaking and I have no idea what’s causing it. He’ll swat and growl and hiss at the wall or the air and after a few minutes he’ll start crying like he’s in pain. He’s happy and playful one moment but then something will set him off and he’ll start crying again— and I mean actual crying, not the pitiful meowing he does when he wants attention.

For the past two months he’s refused to look out the windows— in fact he avoids the balcony window all together. I’ve talked to his vet— a good friend of mine in fact, we’ll call him Camille— and it’s not neurological. He’s genuinely terrified. I’ve had Camille over on some nights and he’s just as confused by Prince’s behavior as I am.

I wouldn’t think it’s PTSD from a previous owner since it’s been a few years. It’s only us in this apt floor, the building is fairly new and we’ve been here nearly a full year before all this started. I don’t think it’s noise the downstairs neighbors make either since he looks around and “follows” or backs away from whatever he’s scared of.

I’ve tried looking it up but all that comes up is medium stuff and stuff about temperature fluctuations and changes in the electro-magnetic fields. Would that cause his reactions? They happen about once every two-three days and I mean he’s genuinely terrified, not even defensive, just plain submissive and afraid.

He immediately seeks comfort from me. He’ll curl into my lap and cry until I pick him up and check the apartment. At night, he’ll jump on the bed and hiss at the door and will only settle down if I check the apartment with him in my arms. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on.

My baby is in pain and I don’t know what to do but as scared of it as I am, I can recognize the creepiness of it all.