Does anyone have any experience with cats having horrible nightmares/night
terrors? My 6-yr-old, formerly feral, cat has had 2 episodes that I think
(I hope...) were nightmares in the past few months.  Both times, he's
woken me up early in the AM screaming and yowling (it sounds like a
catfight's going on, but it's only him there), and when I get to him, he's
growling and hissing with his ears flat back on his head. I have 3 other
cats, but none of them was around him either time.  Each time, he's acted
disoriented, like he didn't recognize me or where he was - he would run
around in small circles then throw himself on his side and literally drag
himself across the carpet with his claws, hissing and growling the whole
time.  The 1st time this happened, he didn't bite me when I touched him to
try to comfort him, but this AM, he literally attacked my hand, biting it,
when I tried to pet him - he's usually the most gentle and meek cat around
and would never hurt a flea.  This activity (growling, hissing, biting,
circling, and dragging) lasted about 5-10 minutes, until I was finally
able to pick him up and hold him in my lap, just rocking him back and
forth - at this point, he would quiet down and stick his head underneath
my armpit to hide, just like when I take him to the vets - he also starts
purring and licking my hand as if to apologize for not recognizing me.
I'm wondering if it's some kind of Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (he just
got back from the vets 2 days ago after a follow-up visit from bladder
surgery a year and a half ago)), but nothing similar happened prior to his
1st (that I know of) episode a few months ago.  I'm hoping this is just
some sort of horrible nightmare and that it's not some strange sort of
seizure or neurological disorder - I'm really worried about the poor guy!
Anybody have any experience with anything like this?  Thanks -