I have a 12 year old moggy who has always been a confident independent cat, she usually stays outdoors (her choice) only coming in for food and has never been very affectionate but for the passed month she wants to be with me constantly. If I'm sat down shes on my knee. If I go in the kitchen she sits at my feet, she follows me upstairs and sleeps outside my bedroom door and I've had to start locking her in the house when I walk the dogs as she wants to come too and follows us.

She's eating well and seems fine in herself but wonder if any of you would know why she has changed.

Someone suggested that she might be trying to protect me from something :-O

It could be that she is not very well, it may be worth getting her checked over by the vet.

Having said that our old cat changed like this when she got older, it could be just age catching up with her, I did see something a while ago about cats developing arthritis when they get older which would slow her down and may make the warm indoors seem more appealing.

I've got a similar situation & I think it's because she's not well (we've had all the possible tests done at the vet & they've found nothing so far).

My cat has started to get clingy but also has a death wish.  The labs do not chase the cats & the cats know this but the TT & Spanish given half a chance would chase.  The latter live in the kitchen & the cats don't come in the kitchen.  The old girl (14) has now started walking around the kitchen.  The dogs keep looking at me as if to say "well can we?" 

My cat has also lost a huge amount of weight & it was that reason rather than her death wish & clinginess that made me take her to the vets, but as I say, they found nothing. (I'd rather know what I'm dealing with as there is obviously something wrong :-().

Older cats very, very often get confused and change their behaviour, it could be as simple as that.

Thanks for your replies.

I took her to the vets last Monday to get weighed as she's over weight but the vet just said she seems healthy enough and some cats just get more affectionate as they get older but to bring her back if she stopped eating.

I'm not complaining , I enjoy being able to have a cuddle at long last but she's just started to act like the dogs, its like me and my shadows!

So glad that she's ok, enjoy your cuddles :-)