help Tilly's acting really weird

and it's freaking me out..
She was messing wth her rubber chicken leg the other day & when I tidied up I put it on the window ledge upstairs. Well she cried for it last night so I got up & gave it to her, she continued to cry & then went off & got it's body & took it to her bed - still crying. I took them away but she cried even more & this went on for nearly 2 hours starting at 3am and I gave them back to her - not that it changed anything. I ended up laying her on the bed & holding her collar, rubbing her belly.She eventually calmed down and went to sleep. Then I had to get up & she was completley normal again. Had her breakfast, I went to work, came back & took her out for walk & all was as normal - back home now & she is just wandering round crying again - really crying - so I have given her the chicken body, leg & head & she has again taken them to her bed & is crying at them.
I just took her up to bed with hub & she just sat there crying at him too.
She doesn't appear ill & I feel a numpty taking her to the vets saying "she's crying over her rubber chickens!" I wonder if this could still be part of the phantom pregnancy she had the other week? she never cries & just don't know what to do with her. I don't whether to throw the chicken parts away as wherever I hide them she is sniffing them out & just standing there crying.
This all sounds completley mad I know!

It doesn't sound mad. I've no direct experience of phantoms, but it certainly sounds consistent with what I've read about them (though not sure whether she would've expected to be over it by now?)

I think that the advice is usually not to let them have the things that they treat as pups, but I don't know for sure - hopefully someone else will be able to confirm.

Thanks for your reply Hali - yes I thought she was over that and these chicken pieces have just been brought in from the garden over the last few days so could be the closest she has to a pup as all her other toys are just ropes & balls.
She's still crying now, she's in & out of her bed with it, even took it outside and when she saw me head back indoors, she legged it to her bed whee the other bits are. She's not being agressive with it, she just brought it to me & gave it to me when asked.
I suppose it may make sense to remove them from the house completley & hope she stops pining for them. It's not as if she cries less when she has them anyway. It's so upsetting seeing her whine & not knowing what to do.

I would contact the vet to ask their advice, it sounds to me like she's still in the throws of phantom pregnancy. Her hormones must be all over the place bless her.

Yes thanks I will ring them when they re-open this afternoon. The more I watch her this morning & searching for info on the net, the more I am convinced that she is convinced she has given birth to these bloomin chicken pieces.She has just settled down on the toilet floor with her paw firmly on the body. The other bits are still in her bed. It's about 14 weeks since she had her season & she is due to be spayed in 2 weeks.

Hi Suzie I am assuming Tilly is well in every other way, eating and peeing and pooing ok, no sign of pain /panting ?

If Tilly recently had a false pregnancy the behaviour is typical. I would distract her then remove all the pieces of chicken and dispose of them (they are not safe anyway and may be eaten).
Also if she cries ignore it no word/touch , don't try to sympathise with her or you will be rewarding and may prolong the behaviour. Instead if possible distract her with play or walks and she should be ok again soon.

Thanks Mini that's re-assurring - and yes everything else is fine & I am almost certain it's all directed at the chicken.
so will ditch it at the next opportunity.
This is more complicated than having kids!!!

Poor wee darlin. Keep us posted on how she's getting on please. x

poor tilly! they are a worry aren't they. i think you've had some great advice on here and i hope she gets over her chicks soon!

Will do thanks - I left her on the toilet floor & took the head & leg from her bed while she wasn't looking, then I nipped out to the bank.
I've come home & she is back in her bed with the body (you can see it under her chin) She didn't even get out to greet me (she normally greets me like I've been gone for a week!) So I've left her there for now to sleep, she must be tired too. Will get the body when I can & play lots of games or take her for another walk if she starts crying again.
my poor girl & her chicken -