Odd situation...

[daffodil]

Not sure where to put this but I guess maybe it fits here in a way.
I've never felt afraid in my house before but the past week or so I've felt a sense of fear here on and off. I don't know why. I feel like I need to pull the curtains and lock the door. I don't even have curtains on my front door (it's all window). I keep hearing the porch creek like someone is walking on it. I keep looking out the window thinking someone is there. My cat keeps screaming and is driving me crazy and nothing seems to make him stop. Any thoughts on what might be causing that? Am I having anxiety attacks or something? And why now after all these years? And why won't the cat quit screaming? There's nothing wrong with him and he has a full bowl of food. Last night a thumping sound woke me up. I laid there frozen in the bed listening. Finally decided it was a piece of fence hitting the house by my bedroom window. I've never been afraid to be alone in my house, it's very odd.

[Grizzy]

Not sure where to put this but I guess maybe it fits here in a way.
I've never felt afraid in my house before but the past week or so I've felt a sense of fear here on and off. I don't know why. I feel like I need to pull the curtains and lock the door. I don't even have curtains on my front door (it's all window). I keep hearing the porch creek like someone is walking on it. I keep looking out the window thinking someone is there. My cat keeps screaming and is driving me crazy and nothing seems to make him stop. Any thoughts on what might be causing that? Am I having anxiety attacks or something? And why now after all these years? And why won't the cat quit screaming? There's nothing wrong with him and he has a full bowl of food. Last night a thumping sound woke me up. I laid there frozen in the bed listening. Finally decided it was a piece of fence hitting the house by my bedroom window. I've never been afraid to be alone in my house, it's very odd.

Hey daffodil :)

Lighting your porch at night makes sense, at least for now. If I was truly feeling skittered, I'd tack a lil nail at each corner above the door and hang a quilt or blanket so no one can see inside at night (take it down in day time). Your cat is making noise, how about your other animals? Do they perk up when the cat hollars and seem upset (vs jus watching him)? A long time ago when we had a cat, she would sit up from her deep sleep and looook around and I would know someone was about.. but she din't make a peep. Have you gone on the porch an walked around to see if you can mimick the sound of the "creak" to see if it's the same as what you think you heard from your bed?

There are lil cams you can buy that will record what it views and you can play it back, later, using a vcr to see if you missed any one (or crittur) moving around. I think someone told me Walmart or Radio Shack.. surely you can get them online, too.

I don't know why you'd be having a panic attack. A woman alone is going to feel somewhat nervous, unless she can protect herself. Do you have a means to do that? One thought crossed my mind, if you live way out in the country.. could this be a big animal coming around as they do at night?

If this was on another forum, I'd tell you to bathe this in prayer and think about some of the other things above.
First.. I'd pray.. well.. thas whut I'd tell you on another forum :).

Cover the ground you stand on, daffodil. I'll be praying from here.

Be Strong
~Grizzy~

[momma_to_seven_chi]

Everyone gets that funny feeling when they have someone watching them. Do you have a dog that will alert if a stranger is near?

[daffodil]

Everyone gets that funny feeling when they have someone watching them. Do you have a dog that will alert if a stranger is near?

Well, kind of. She will go wild if she "sees" someone but she is deaf so she won't hear them.

[daffodil]

Hey daffodil :)

Lighting your porch at night makes sense, at least for now.

Have a light by the door but the electric doesn't work in that part of the house so no light to turn on.

If I was truly feeling skittered, I'd tack a lil nail at each corner above the door and hang a quilt or blanket so no one can see inside at night (take it down in day time).
That's a good idea. My curtains don't stretch all the way across my windows either. They are about 6 inches short to cover the sides from top to bottom and one just has a lace valance on it. Sort of makes the house very visible inside at night when the lights are on.

Your cat is making noise, how about your other animals? Do they perk up when the cat hollars and seem upset (vs jus watching him)?
No. The other cat just continues sleeping (all day and night) and my dog doesn't really know he's yelling I guess because she's deaf. Not sure if she senses he's doing that though but doesn't seem bothered by it.

A long time ago when we had a cat, she would sit up from her deep sleep and looook around and I would know someone was about.. but she din't make a peep.
Are you talking about maybe a spirit being around? I do believe in that sort of thing. Another odd thing speaking of cats, exactly a week after Snoopy (my little dog) passed a cat came to the door and wanted in. He spent the whole day on my porch. Then yesterday another cat came and sat at the door and wanted in. In all the years I've lived here that's never happened. I still have 2 cats here (neutered years ago) and my one (female, spayed) dog.

Have you gone on the porch an walked around to see if you can mimick the sound of the "creak" to see if it's the same as what you think you heard from your bed?
Actually, I hear it all thru the day. My computer sits right near the front window and the door which is all window(french door, I guess you call them). The creek is the same as when I come thru the gate and walk to my front door. The porch is very old and rotted and the boards actually drop a bit when walked on. They make a very loud creeking noise. And even more so in the winter with the icy snow. Every time I hear it I peek out the window. It's daytime and no ones there, no people, cats, nothing, not even a squirrel. Not even footprints in the snow. What I heard from the bed which actually woke me from my sleep was a banging on the house, the rear of the house by my bedroom, right by the head of my bed. I figured maybe the piece of fence there was blowing against the house but that is actually on the side of the house. I thought maybe the sound was just displaced for some reason. Didn't want to get up and walk thru the house cause the front door is just a bit from the bottom of my bed and I thought I might come face to face with someone, so I stayed put and hoped whatever it was would leave.

There are lil cams you can buy that will record what it views and you can play it back, later, using a vcr to see if you missed any one (or crittur) moving around. I think someone told me Walmart or Radio Shack.. surely you can get them online, too.
That would be interesting to have (if I could afford one!)

I don't know why you'd be having a panic attack. A woman alone is going to feel somewhat nervous, unless she can protect herself. Do you have a means to do that?
Never actually have been nervous here, always felt safe. Protection...about the only thing I have are a butter knife or pair of scissors LOL! I have a butcher knife but it's tucked way back in the cupboard.
(see continuing post, too many characters to fit)

[Pokeberry Mary]

I would reccomend keeping a gun if you live alone. Although you do have to do all that is needed to know how to use it and be careful with it. When my husband worked on rigs 3rd shift back in our young days I had a gun near the bed. Unfortunately one night the rig closed down unexpectedly and Hubby came home early. Between me with my gun and the dog barking-- well-- we would have handled an intruder. Hubby who knew the situation inside came in with his arms up yelling very loud and clear--'honey, Its just me, I'm home early--don't shoot'

now we have a German shepherd and still own guns but I'm almost never alone.

Anyhow our dog acted weird for about a week in november I think it was.. turned out there was a little lost dog in our woods and sleeping beneath our shed. We finally got a view of him and he ended up getting adopted by my daughter when we couldn't locate an owner.

Just take care. We have those feelings sometimes for a reason. :)

[daffodil]

Had to split it up into 2 posts, too many characters...

One thought crossed my mind, if you live way out in the country.. could this be a big animal coming around as they do at night?
I'm more in what I call the "country city". Our community is like a little city tucked in the country. Neighbors are close by (the one to the North only 3 1/2 feet from my house) but we live more "country" style (gardens, friendliness, less rules I guess you'd say). The biggest animal we get is maybe a deer or a big dog. My yard is fenced with mesh. A deer could get in but I've only actually seen one the whole time I've lived here. Plus with winter I should see prints of some sort.

If this was on another forum, I'd tell you to bathe this in prayer and think about some of the other things above.
First.. I'd pray.. well.. thas whut I'd tell you on another forum :).
I have an angel in my window. I'll try posting a pic. She wasn't there when I lived here before that I remember. It doesn't show in the pic but she has a human face. She's smiling. She looks familiar but I haven't figured out who she looks like yet.
http://imagecloset.com/28/e58846c0abea52036a4a367c903a84d9/Angel%20in%20the%20window_thumb.gif (http://imagecloset.com/view28/e58846c0abea52036a4a367c903a84d9/Angel%20in%20the%20window.jpg)
Doesn't show too good there, too small a pic lets see if this works...(yep, that's a bit larger)
http://imagecloset.com/tiny/920906
Cover the ground you stand on, daffodil. I'll be praying from here.
Thanks Grizzy.

Be Strong
~Grizzy~[/QUOTE]

[daffodil]

I would reccomend keeping a gun if you live alone. Although you do have to do all that is needed to know how to use it and be careful with it. When my husband worked on rigs 3rd shift back in our young days I had a gun near the bed. Unfortunately one night the rig closed down unexpectedly and Hubby came home early. Between me with my gun and the dog barking-- well-- we would have handled an intruder. Hubby who knew the situation inside came in with his arms up yelling very loud and clear--'honey, Its just me, I'm home early--don't shoot'

now we have a German shepherd and still own guns but I'm almost never alone.

Anyhow our dog acted weird for about a week in november I think it was.. turned out there was a little lost dog in our woods and sleeping beneath our shed. We finally got a view of him and he ended up getting adopted by my daughter when we couldn't locate an owner.

Just take care. We have those feelings sometimes for a reason. :)

Never been much for guns. I probably wouldn't use it even if I was in a situation to do so. I'd just do alot of praying!:)

[Prairie]

A few years back, I bought a webcam that was motion activated. If there is nothing there, it doesn't record, when there is motion, it will record onto your hard disc. I think it only costed me $20 or so. I don't use it, but only because I am paranoid that some school board from Pennsylvania might try to hack it! :D

[Grizzy]

Hey daffodil :)

I was thinking about this that you've told us. You don't see any sign of someone moving about (no footprintz inna snow, etc). I'd keep that quilt over the door for privacy until you feel more comfortable with things. But you know, when Woofy wasn't here anymore, I was amazed how much I depended on her to feel safe. Oh my, daffodil she was old and no toofs and yet it was her presence and knowing she would have layed it all down to protect me that gave me this kind of warm an fuzzy confidence.. bless her lil heart. Do you see? You lost your lil man, your lil protector.. he was your ears and now you feel kinda losty. I really think thas all thas going on at your home.

ALways, it's up to you to protect yourself and to secure your home.. figuring out how to make a curtain for your door might be a good idea. Also do ya have good deadbolts on your doors? Anytime I have had a door with window glass above it, I used a deadbolt that requires a key from both sides to unlock it. That way no one can break the glass and reach in to unlock the door. Alot of accidents and victims can be prevented, IMHO, if people would just take the time to be more alert and prepared. If you had some sort of protection by your bedside.. You'd feel safer too.

Yes, prayers cover us, but we are to do all we know to do and then stand in wait for God to do the rest. Prayers for your well being continue, buddyOmine :yes4: .. well I'd say that if I was on another forum :).

Be Strong
Bearhugs
~Grizzy~

[daffodil]

A few years back, I bought a webcam that was motion activated. If there is nothing there, it doesn't record, when there is motion, it will record onto your hard disc. I think it only costed me $20 or so. I don't use it, but only because I am paranoid that some school board from Pennsylvania might try to hack it! :D

Wow, didn't realize they were that cheap. I may look into that.

[daffodil]

Hey daffodil :)

I was thinking about this that you've told us. You don't see any sign of someone moving about (no footprintz inna snow, etc). I'd keep that quilt over the door for privacy until you feel more comfortable with things. But you know, when Woofy wasn't here anymore, I was amazed how much I depended on her to feel safe. Oh my, daffodil she was old and no toofs and yet it was her presence and knowing she would have layed it all down to protect me that gave me this kind of warm an fuzzy confidence.. bless her lil heart. Do you see? You lost your lil man, your lil protector.. he was your ears and now you feel kinda losty. I really think thas all thas going on at your home.

ALways, it's up to you to protect yourself and to secure your home.. figuring out how to make a curtain for your door might be a good idea. Also do ya have good deadbolts on your doors? Anytime I have had a door with window glass above it, I used a deadbolt that requires a key from both sides to unlock it. That way no one can break the glass and reach in to unlock the door. Alot of accidents and victims can be prevented, IMHO, if people would just take the time to be more alert and prepared. If you had some sort of protection by your bedside.. You'd feel safer too.

Yes, prayers cover us, but we are to do all we know to do and then stand in wait for God to do the rest. Prayers for your well being continue, buddyOmine :yes4: .. well I'd say that if I was on another forum :).

Be Strong
Bearhugs
~Grizzy~

I was thinking it might be because he passed but then I thought, he really wouldn't have went after anyone anyway at the end. You're right, maybe it was just his presence that made me feel safe. He slept right thru everything just like my little deaf Peanut. Maybe the cat is the watchdog now:). Two more cats showed up today. One wanted in again and the other stood on the bench and stretched his neck to peek in my bedroom window. Still not sure what that's all about.

[backlash]

If you hadn't said your cat has been fixed I would think maybe that's why the stray cats are showing up.
Since you have neighbors as close as you do I would make sure the windows are covered at night.
Peeping toms are not uncommon unfortunately.

[daffodil]

If you hadn't said your cat has been fixed I would think maybe that's why the stray cats are showing up.
Since you have neighbors as close as you do I would make sure the windows are covered at night.
Peeping toms are not uncommon unfortunately.

That's funny. I actually had one neighbor admit he was looking in. He was working on the neighbor's roof and saw me in my kitchen thru a really small window at the top of the door. They're looking from places you don't even think of. He ended up asking me out LOL. I think he moved away since, he was only here a short while. It was my neighbor's cousin.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

I know your dog is older and has been ill. I would suggest you consider getting a huge dog, a giant breed or a guard breed. They don't have to be mean, but size itself is a great deterrent. Weren't you the one with the peeper problem a while back? or was that a different member here? A rottie, St Bernard, pyr, anatolian, or something similar would most assuredly alert you to a stranger, and might deter a stranger simply from their size. Some breeds have a lot more determined drive than others, so you will have to assess the danger of them actually biting someone who is trespassing. But even a dog with a lower guard drive towards humans like a Great Pyrenees is a deterrent simply due to their massive size and ferocious sounding bark.
Just from our own experience I can tell you that anatolians have a very determined protection drive, and are more likely to bite than Pyrenees. Our St Bernard is everyones best friend, but she is the only one I have ever had, so I don't know if that is common. Pyrs are almost always human friendly, but can be animal aggressive to strange animals. I have seen rotties be both friendly or guarding and the same with GSD just depending on the dog, but we have never kept those breeds ourselves. None of the mastiffs I have met were mean, but I don't know that much about them. A big dog with a big bark and growl is a great deterrent to trespassers whether it has a guarding instinct or not.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

If you live in the country both guineas and geese are also great deterrents to trespassers. Geese are very territorial and can be mean to strangers. Guineas just alert LOUDLY. LOL

[daffodil]

I know your dog is older and has been ill. I would suggest you consider getting a huge dog, a giant breed or a guard breed. They don't have to be mean, but size itself is a great deterrent. Weren't you the one with the peeper problem a while back? or was that a different member here? A rottie, St Bernard, pyr, anatolian, or something similar would most assuredly alert you to a stranger, and might deter a stranger simply from their size. Some breeds have a lot more determined drive than others, so you will have to assess the danger of them actually biting someone who is trespassing. But even a dog with a lower guard drive towards humans like a Great Pyrenees is a deterrent simply due to their massive size and ferocious sounding bark.
Just from our own experience I can tell you that anatolians have a very determined protection drive, and are more likely to bite than Pyrenees. Our St Bernard is everyones best friend, but she is the only one I have ever had, so I don't know if that is common. Pyrs are almost always human friendly, but can be animal aggressive to strange animals. I have seen rotties be both friendly or guarding and the same with GSD just depending on the dog, but we have never kept those breeds ourselves. None of the mastiffs I have met were mean, but I don't know that much about them. A big dog with a big bark and growl is a great deterrent to trespassers whether it has a guarding instinct or not.

Yea, he was little too. 19 lbs. at his heaviest but boy were people afraid of him LOL! Even after he got sick and didn't really go after people anymore. He was something else. I sure do miss him. Peanut still barks and charges at them, then she wags her tail, jumps up and wants to be petted. She's gotten more social in her later years. She used to bite too. For the first 10 years nobody could even get near them to pet them. I always kept them in the fenced yard when outside, I think they were really just territorial. Nobody could get near the fence even, they'd go after them. A Jehovah Witness came by one day, got to close and little Snoopy jumped about 4 feet straight up in the air and grabbed her jacket. She told me I had a vicious dog and left. But if they knew ya, they loved ya:). I had a german shepherd before I had them. No one was afraid of him. He was real friendly.

Oh, and I think this was my first peeper problem. Must have been another member unless maybe I mentioned it in another post or something. Don't remember.

[CapeCMom]

I don't mean to sound strange but didn't Ohio have a slight earthquake about a week ago? Animals can sense these things. In Cali they know when one is coming because animals will start acting strange or take off on their owners. It might also explain your porch creaking?
You might also be able to sense a change in the earth! It might make you feel uneasy without directly feeling the tremor.

[bookwormom]

sounds like you live in a fish bowl. can you cover your windows with sheets or something? I don't know if an earthquake will account for recurrent creaking noices. Is the cat's screaming and the porch creaking related?

[daffodil]

I don't mean to sound strange but didn't Ohio have a slight earthquake about a week ago? Animals can sense these things. In Cali they know when one is coming because animals will start acting strange or take off on their owners. It might also explain your porch creaking?
You might also be able to sense a change in the earth! It might make you feel uneasy without directly feeling the tremor.

I'm not sure if we did or not. I know we have had them here before. The cat seems to have settled down a bit and the stray cats aren't coming to the door anymore. The porch is still creaking though. Some of the uneasiness has subsided also. Maybe it was the earthquake.

[daffodil]

sounds like you live in a fish bowl. can you cover your windows with sheets or something? I don't know if an earthquake will account for recurrent creaking noices. Is the cat's screaming and the porch creaking related?
LOL! Kind of like a square fish bowl. You can see right in the living room window and thru the bedroom and out the window over the bed. Clear view of the inside of the house, you can see the pictures on the wall and knicknacks on the shelf. I made the curtains out of muslin???, that's why they don't go all the way across. I needed two panels on each but never made the rest. I thought the cat screaming and creaking were related but the cat has settled down but the porch is still creaking. I noticed the other day that alot of the caulking I put at the top of the wall/ceiling is cracked and separating. Suppose the house is shifting? Maybe something to do with the roof caving in???

[backlash]

Your roof is caving in and your porch is creaking?
Are you sure your house is structurally stable?
You wouldn't want it to collapse on you.
May be a good idea to have someone that knows about those things to check it out for you.
Maybe kitty is trying to tell you something like the animals do right before an earthquake.
Like GET OUT NOW. :D

[daffodil]

Your roof is caving in and your porch is creaking?
Are you sure your house is structurally stable?
You wouldn't want it to collapse on you.
May be a good idea to have someone that knows about those things to check it out for you.
Maybe kitty is trying to tell you something like the animals do right before an earthquake.
Like GET OUT NOW. :D

Actually, I'm not sure if it's structurally stable. Probably not. With all the water damage, mold and termites. I figure I'll either fall thru the bathroom floor sitting on the toilet from the leaky toilet, fall thru the living room floor while on the computer from the floor joists rotting out from the old porch, or the roof will cave in on me, I don't usually sit at that end of the house though. Don't really have anyone to check it out. The cousins don't bother with anything and everyone else that would is dead. Can't afford anyone to do it right now either. If it does collapse hopefully I'll be under it. I'd rather that than being homeless. I have heard that cats have warned people of gas leaks, only this house is all electric. I did smell gas in here one day where the gas stove used to be when I lived here before. Not sure what that was all about, none of the old pipes run into the house anymore. They are still hanging off the outside though.

[sherry]

A big can of bear pepper spray by the bed and a cheap baby monitor with the monitor on the deck....can hear everything up to 3 miles away and if someone was on your doorstep it would sound like the walls were falling in and there would be no wondering what the sound is. Sometimes energy shifts make one feel "watched". After my dog died, the cat cried for a year after. My cat goes wild when a strange cat wanders into the yard. That unsettled feeling always passes, but I wonder if it may be a healthy intuition at work sometimes.

[LJH]

Very strange indeed. Sounds like your poor little house has seen better days, and that's probably causing the creaking. I'd also encourage you to upgrade the window coverings, even if you get some old comforters at the thrift store and cut them to fit. They could actually look pretty decorative and you'd have the bonus of extra insulation too.

As for feeling spooked, don't brush aside what your gut tells you. I live way out in the boonies, far from my neighbors, and I'm alone much of the time. I often walk out in the woods at night because I love the stars, the night sounds and the solitude. I can think of only two times when I felt uneasy, for no apparent reason, and decided to head back to the house. Both times I went back in the daylight to find lion tracks very close to where I'd been. Always trust my gut feelings, they've never failed me.

Oh yeah, I trust my little .38 Smith & Wesson too :D!

[daffodil]

A big can of bear pepper spray by the bed and a cheap baby monitor with the monitor on the deck....can hear everything up to 3 miles away and if someone was on your doorstep it would sound like the walls were falling in and there would be no wondering what the sound is. Sometimes energy shifts make one feel "watched". After my dog died, the cat cried for a year after. My cat goes wild when a strange cat wanders into the yard. That unsettled feeling always passes, but I wonder if it may be a healthy intuition at work sometimes.

My cat seems to want to stay in the bedroom now. My dog used to like to lay in the bed. The cat really never went in there. He's been laying by my dog's little urn on the dresser and on the bed, most of the day really. Lots of times I should have followed my intuition and could kick myself now that I didn't.

[daffodil]

Very strange indeed. Sounds like your poor little house has seen better days, and that's probably causing the creaking. I'd also encourage you to upgrade the window coverings, even if you get some old comforters at the thrift store and cut them to fit. They could actually look pretty decorative and you'd have the bonus of extra insulation too.

As for feeling spooked, don't brush aside what your gut tells you. I live way out in the boonies, far from my neighbors, and I'm alone much of the time. I often walk out in the woods at night because I love the stars, the night sounds and the solitude. I can think of only two times when I felt uneasy, for no apparent reason, and decided to head back to the house. Both times I went back in the daylight to find lion tracks very close to where I'd been. Always trust my gut feelings, they've never failed me.

Oh yeah, I trust my little .38 Smith & Wesson too :D!

Unfortunately the poor little cottage fell apart because we tried to do things cheaply. It's costing in the long run. Learned alot from this little place and if I had the money to ever rebuild I'd do alot of things differently. But I still love this little place, it's home to me. It has a lot of good memories with it. Unfortunately I didn't realize that until it was too late too. I learned a hard lesson about appreciating things.