Pet Tips
Tip 83 – Can my cat get depressed – depressed cat – cat depression
Just like humans, cats can suffer from depression. The usual reasons they become depressed involve major changes (in the mind of the cat, or the human for that matter) to their routine. Changing cat food or kitty litter (both the brands and/or the location) can be reasons why your kitty has become depressed. Moving, the death or introduction of a family member or another pet, divorce, fighting, are all fairly common reasons why cats get depressed. Cats are quite sensitive to the general well being of their owners and if the owners are stressed out and acting unusually, cats are likely to pick up on this. Signs that your cat has become depressed can include; eating very little, sleeping more than usual, loss of interest in playing and exploring, decline in grooming, excessive vocalizing, withdrawal from its owner and not using the litter box. Even though cats are usually lower down on the totem pole, don’t forget about your cat during times of change. Try to spend extra moments with your cat during stressful times or if the cat seems depressed. It will do you both good.
Another common reason cats become depressed is simple boredom. When their owners are away all day every day, there is little for cats to do. If at all possible try to get someone to come and interact with your cat when you are away for long periods of time. Buy a couple of new cat toys and take them out before you go out for the day. Then when you get back, make sure to play and interact with your cat. Some game suggestions can be found here.
If your cat is showing signs of depression, a vet visit is a must. Your vet will help try and figure out what’s causing, and how to treat your kitty’s depression. Sometimes medication for short or longer periods can be of help. Often reversing the stressor and reverting back to a normal routine will solve the depression from the cat’s end. Either way, a plan involving your vet’s input will be the quickest way to cure your cat’s depression.
My cat is depressed. She and I had to move recently from a large home to a small apartment. She also had to leave her cat companion of 5 years and she is very sad and lonely without Boo Boo. I don’t know what to do…other than love her and buy her new toys and play with her a lot. Nothing I do seems to help. I feel so sorry for her..but I don’t know what to do.
Patricia
Spending extra time with her is the BEST thing you can do right now in my opinion. If it continues for much longer, a vet visit might be in order.
my cat is about 1 year old and i have been with him since he was a baby. but i recently went away to school and had to leave him at home with my mom. he has always been a fairly lazy cat but my mom has even noticed more of a lack of playing, etc. lately.
my family also just got a new kitten, so he has had to deal with a new cat in the house so he isnt getting a lot of attention and i know the 2 havent really gotten along yet.
im worried that he is depressed and i would love to take him to school with me next year, but i think that if i move him to such a different environment he would be more upset. i dont know what to do!
Cats often get depressed when change is happening. Normally they return to themselves after a while. If it continues after a week or two a vet visit is in order. Changing a cat’s environment AND changing the people the cat sees daily can also cause depression. But if you are there daily to interact with your cat, you cat will likely adapt. If this is not the case and you will be very busy then your cat may be better off where it is.
Good luck.
I’ve had my kitten for 2 months, shes 5 months. She sleeps most of the day, under the bathroom sink becuase of the heat in the floor. We’re away 9-14.30 everyday except weekends, i’m scared she is bored and depressed?
The only sign i see is sleeping alot, but maybe thas because shes a kitten??? She comes and cuddles with me in the sofa and when i go to sleep, she stands at the door when i come home and we recently brought her to our summerhouse in the country, she didn’t cry in the car, just slept and purred and when we arrived she seemed to enjoy it and we even let her out and she came back everytime.
She gets to come out everyday, but she doesn’t dare to be alone outside for more than 5-10 minutes, but we’ve let her out at night once where she was out for 45 minutes and she really enjoyed it. But the big question is if shes depressed or i’m just worrying to much?
Only your vet can tell you if she’s truly depressed. Kittens DO sleep a lot so it may simply be that. The kitten could definitely use more interaction though. maybe someone can come in during the day to pet her for a few minutes? perhaps a friend/neighbor?
Good luck!
My 6 year old cat has been losing weight, started sleeping all the time, and acting “touchy”. His coat has dulled and when he attempts to play he falls over. He’s been losing balance and is unable to jump onto the couch so he pulls himself up. I took him to the vet twice and they said his blood-work and physical exam came out normal. I spoke with 2 different Vets and both said they felt that the problem was an emotional or mental one. We DID just adopt out one of our foster-cats of 2years however we have5 other cats that are related so I don’t think he has a lack of company or friends to play with. He no longer pounces on the other kitties while playing and makes sniffing noises when he tries to get active and looks as if he’s getting dizzy. He used to be a silky robust healthy black cat and now he’s just listless and “has a froofy” coat and is bony. I want to trust the vets but I’m worried something’s going on that I’m just not seeing!
My partner and I live in the basement apartment of our landlord’s house and the landlord’s cat (15 years old) has become a regular visitor in our apartment for the last month, spending most of the day in there. She LOVES to cuddle and spends most the day begging for belly rubs so she can flip back and forth on her back. Typically when we come home from work or short trips out, she greets us by plopping on the ground and showing her belly. She constantly meows for attention and will not stop until she gets petted.
For the last week, Luna (the cat’s name), has been very standoffish. By standoffish, she doesn’t like to be petted, though she still frequents our apartment and just plops on the ground and takes long naps. She no longer does the sweet things like headbutting us on the couch or as we’re standing at the kitchen.
We don’t know what’s wrong but these are the things that happened last weekend. The landlord’s son moved out of the house and there was a lot of commotion. My partner and I had an unusual amount of visitors over the weekend and we didn’t see too much of her. We also changed the couch cover since it needed some washing. Also, the landlord changed the cat’s food to another brand (we sometimes end up feeding the cat when the landlord’s gone).
Seems like she might be stressed. She frequently plops on the ground for belly rubs but instantly sits up when we do and walks away, turning her back. What happened???
That’s A LOT of changes for a cat. Cats are creatures of habit and they do get stressed when their ‘world’ changes. If I had to bet…the cat is reacting to all these changes….Often cats will return back to themselves after the initial period of readjustment… but if this continues a consult or chat with your vet is probably a good idea.
Good luck – Marko
have you considered toxic substances? symptoms of poisoning include lack of balance and difficulty breathing which could be causing the dizzy and sniffing noises. the coat problems could also be an allergy (again from a toxin) i had a cat who started losing all her fur and she had to get allergy shots once a month and we bathed her in soothing shampoos.
other symptoms of toxic substance poisoning include loss of appetite, acting lethargic, and sleeping more than normal, which all seem to be present in your cat. look up lists of toxic cleaning products and plants and see if he may be exposed to those. keep in mind, since your other cats are actin normal, he might just have a specific allergy to a non-toxic substance, ranging anywhere from an allergy to grains in food to a your brand of laundry detergent. when they are exposed to things like detergents through laying on bedding, when they groom they end up licking off the substances and digesting them, causing the reactions.
My cat is almost 2 years old and lately I’ve been working a lot and I’m not always home with her. I think she may be depressed what can I do to make her happy without having to change my schedule. I always make sure to leave her fav toys out and give her cat nip occasionally change her litter wveryother day…I treat her like a princess I just am not always there I work a lot! I just want her to feel happy!! And love her mama again. Help!
You could always have a neighbour/friend/petsitter come in for a visit each day…
Me and my fiancee recently adopted 2 kittens (sisters) and one of them just started to sleep all day. She no longer runs around with her sister. She only starts to act energized when we give her wet cat food (it seems she doesn’t like to eat the dry cat food) but after she gets done eating she lays back down on the couch or by her food dish. When we try to play with her she just lays down. We are not sure if she is depressed or not. Any suggestions?
She might be depressed, or might have a medical problem. It’s ODD for a young kitten to be sleeping all day especially when there is another kitten to play with. A vet visit is in order here. Good luck
So we took our cat to the vet and she ended up having FIP. She passed away yesterday. Atleast now we know what was wrong with her. Thanks for your help.
My have two cats, one is just a year old . She is female and i recently got her fixed, ever sense she doesnt play anymore when before she was fixed you couldnt get her to sit still . All she does now is sleep and eat ,she gain weight and i am worried that she is depressed . My older cat who is 3 now tried to play with her but she doesnt play back just lays there . What should i do ?
give her a bit of time to recover
my female cat is 1.5 years old i just took her to get her shots Wednesday before thanksgiving. when i brought her home she was fine, then my sister came home with a male cat from the shelter and ever since then my cat just hides under my bed. she wont touch her food that much, wont play, and wont come out. she used to meet me by the door when i come home now she just hides under the bed all day. my sister called an emergency vet and told them that she found a hairball and that my cat has diarrhea and the vet said my cat has parvo or something???? i honestly just think she is depressed, can anyone help me plz?
If YOUR doctor told you that your child had a disease. Would you then go on the Internet suggesting to anonymous people that your doctor was wrong and ask for anonymous advice or help without a physical exam?
This is a mistake. If you are not happy with your vet get a second opinion from another real live animal doctor.
Parvovirus is serious.
it wasn’t my vet. my sister called a vet while i was sleeping so i’m not sure what was said. this is why i came to ask other people what they thought.
also i called the my vet and they can’t see her till tomorrow morning
this morning when i asked my sister what the emergency vet said last night she said she wasn’t sure that it might be polio? my sister was under the influence when she talked tot he vet so she isn’t sure what was said sadly.
We have a calico cat that is 10 yrs old. Last October our dog age 15 died. The entire time the dog and cat were together, our cat NEVER meowed. Well, it was rare if she did and it was very soft. Now our cat MEOWS like a Siamese. I had been unemployed for several months and just this week I started a part time job. The cat is driving me nuts with her meows and running to the door wanting to go out. (She has been an inside cat most of her life) Is this “depression” or just loneliness or just a change in her “personality”? I am a dog person and my wife is the cat person. Only tonight we mentioned the possibility of getting her a companion, but I really don’t want another cat !!!
I have a cat who’s about 7 1/2 months old, and I’ve had him since he was only a couple of months old. My husband and I split up in September. We’ve been working through things, and a couple of days ago he moved back in. Now all Pumpkin does is lay on the end table and sleep. He won’t eat, even soft food, and if I pick him up, he’ll sit in my lap for a little while then go back to that spot. I tried his favorite toy, a laser pointer, and he just stared at it. He’s using the little box fine. But normally he’s a very vocal cat and “talks” to me a lot, and he hasn’t meowed once in days. I talked to my mom, and she seems to think he’s feeling replaced and depressed. I know Pumpkin probably doesn’t remember my husband living here, but can he really feel replaced by a human? Other than him being here, my routine is the same. Im even trying to give him extra attention. I don’t know what to do.
Give the cat a few days as changes in environment can indeed affect a cat. …IF the cat is not sick for other medical reasons the the cat should return to normal within a week or so.
I have a two and half year old male cat named Mylo. My partner, who has been his companion since he was born just left yesterday for work. She just started truck driving and will be gone for extended periods of time. After she left, Mylo isolated himself in the bathroom. Every time I brought him out, he goes right back there. I tried to play with him, give him both soft and hard food, and nothing will get him to stay out of the bathroom. He is normally a VERY vocal cat and I have only heard him meow once in the past two days. He also is usually playful, social, and eats a lot. I can tell that he is upset and I think he may be depressed that my partner left. Tonight he also threw up. I am VERY worried and heartbroken because I want to make him feel better, and I also don’t know if it is that he is depressed, or if he is sick. Should I take him to the vet? Is there anything else I can do to help him?
It sounds like the behaviour is related to this change, HOWEVER there’s no way for anyone to be 100% sure.
I’d say that if the cat isn’t eating for 2 days then maybe a vet visit IS in order, that’s what i would likely do just to be extra safe.
Good luck!
I have two cats, they are brother and sister and they are 6 years old. My female cat had a close relationship with my dog, a male Staffy and they often slept together. My male cat is very independent and didnt care for the dog at all. Five months ago we had to put our dog down and my female cat’s behaviour has changed. She rarley wants to go outside and if she does its for a short time and she wont venture very far from home. She has also become very whiney and at times very clingy she also sleeps alot more. Is my cat grieving the death of her dog friend???
She could well be grieving though 5 months is a long time. If possible, interact with the cat more. That may help.
Good luck!
My mom is a pastor and about 7 months ago, an elder single lady in her church passed away. She had a cat for a year and the cat really loved this lady. She also loved her home, she was able to wander outside if she wanted but she was mostly indoors. When the woman passed, no one would take her kitty. She had been alone for almost a month, and then I decided I would take Snickers. She was really sad and lonely for a couple of weeks. She was in a whole new town, in a new place, with a new person. After a month, she was fine and we were used to having each other. I do a lot of volunteer work at our local humane society, and after about 4 months of having Snickers, I adopted another cat. I figured Snickers would be fine, because she used to live with dogs. But now she’s depressed again. She used to be very chatty, always sleep next to me, and greet me at the door. Now I find her sleeping at the end of the bed, hiding in the closet, and never being near me. She never wants her treats either. The new cat is a lot bigger than her, and he has claws. He’s only a year old too, so he’s fairly naughty and playful. My boyfriend said he would take the new cat for a while, but I don’t want Snicks to get too used to being alone again. I don’t know what to do.
The key piece of info missing is how long that the new cat been around. Cats usually adapt after a while and often become friends or at least tolerate each other.
If this were my situation, so long as the new clawed cat isn’t seriously harming the resident decalwed cat, I might let it last for 1-2 months.
If the cat IS alone for many hours at a time then a buddy that he can tolerate is better than an empty space (for most cats – in my opinion)…..buut if the resident cat’s personality does not return after say 2 mos, and your boyfriend wants to keep the new cat…that seems reasonable to me.
good luck!
I have 2 female sisters, aged 1 years old. They both go out every day while i am at work. But lately 1 of them has not been coming home till about 10.30 – 11.00 at night, is not eating alot, and wont snuggle up 2 me or the other cat any more like she use too. When she comes in she just curls up on the chair and sleeps all night. I dont know if its because im feeling down myself, or she’s being bullied outside, or someone else is feeding her.
MARKO please answer me immediately
my 6 months cat jumped out the window from the 6th floor to the street , thank god she didnt break it self
i took it to the vet and i gave the cat the medicine which the doctor told me about
but she didnt eat first 3 days i gave her milk by the injection , feed her by force, now she eat by it self but too little , dosent play with any one of us (family) despite that she was a non stop naughty cat
she always lay down under the table , sleep alot , she become thin
please tell me what should i do
sorry for the bad grammar and thank you very much
hi Hitcher,
First off I am not a vet.
Normally after a trauma a cat can act overly quiet. This behaviour doesn’t seem abnormal to me.
what concerns me is the fact that the cat may not be eating enough…and if this were my cat, I’d be calling my vet to make sure her recovery is going normally.
Good luck.
My depressed male tuxedo cat (Sean) was very close to great dog which died two years ago. At same time, a very confident, aggressive, dominant male cat, likely a so-called Toyger, adopted my household. Tiger controls the household perimeter; the only cat he can’t dominate is an older, bigger female. Sean exhibits all signs of depression. Is there a solution short of finding a new home for one or the other?
My husband and I have a 1 1/2 year old long haired gray tabby. She usually walks around purring constantly, and loves to play and be pet. Recently, we got a new kitten and she seemed fine with it. She started playing with him and they slept curled up together all the time. Last week, the kitten started having seizures so we took him to the vet several times. Now Abby (the tabby) won’t play with anyone or sleep in bed with us and she wont even let us hold her for more than a few seconds. She barely purrs anymore. We’re starting to worry that she may be depressed about what happened with the kitten.
That might be the case, most cats return to normal though after a short while if the stressor has been reduced.
Good luck!
Thank you. We ended up taking her to the vet, because she was acting like this for such a long time. The vet said she had an infection and her fever was at 105 degrees. If her fever had gone up any higher, she could have gotten brain damage. She’s much better now, though. She got medication and lots of tests. Our kitten is now almost 7 months old and has kitty epilepsy, but we manage that with medication as well. They’re both great animals and love us so much. I couldn’t imagine life without either of them.
My mother passed in February. My mother had her cat for the past 12 years, and had basically raised her from a little kitten. Now Kitty Karslile(the cats name) just lays around and sleeps, eats, and then goes back to sleep. My father refuses to let her sit in her lap, which was one of the staples of my mother and Kitty. I know I hurt, what can i do to help her?
I’d try letting kitty rest in your lap and giving kitty extra attention. Unfortunately we can’t make others bond with pets but maybe eventually your dad will warm up to the cat.
We moved country (from Europe to Asia) a few months ago. Our two 6 year cats have just flown out here to join us. One of them has adapted instantly and is just as he always has been, very happy to see us etc. The other has become very withdrawn. He has always been the quieter of the two, but is normally a very friendly, very loving cat. However, for the past few days he has hardly come out from under the sofa. I think he is venturing out when we are asleep at night, but when he sees us coming downstairs in the morning he returns there for the entire day. I am really worried that he is depressed and don’t know what to do to help him. Obviously, the journey and move must have been a big change and stressful for him, but it is not the first time that they have moved and he never had any problems before. Any tips on how to cheer him up?
Thanks
This is very normal for some cats and might take a few more days. I’d try spending extra time with the cat, petting the cat and feeding the cat extra good treats (if he’s into it) until he snaps out of it. I’d definitely be calling a vet though in my new area and seeking his/her advice on this matter just to be safe. good luck!
Good luck!
my cat is 11 months old and we just got her about two weeks ago, she is very sweet ans used to me, she likes me but i am scare she is depressed, she has all the signs, she is still a kitten so she should be interested in playing with her toys but she barely moves for them, she sleeps most of the day and when she is awake she is laying down, help me please, can you give me any tips??
Hi there,
I’m not a vet but if this has been a couple of weeks already then this is worrisome and the cat may well be SICK.
This cat should see a vet asap. Good luck.
I have a kitty that I got when he was a mere 6 weeks old, and I loved him dearly but he became very depressed with a mental illness because he so badly wanted to go outside. Where I live is lots of traffic, so he started to spray everwhere and it was so sad to see. So I ended up taking him over to my parents back yard every morning before work and he would be outside almost all day in their yard. Then my parents ended up getting a cat of their own and Peanut (my cat) and Stumpi ended up really hitting it off, so we decided that Peanut’s best option was to live with my parents. That has been about 2 or 3 years ago. Things have been going so great with them, being able to go outside when they wanted, be in and have two loving people to care for them. Then just a few days ago the neighbors decided they didn’t like the kitties to be outside so they called the police on them and my parents got a warning saying they must stay with in the yard and if not they will get fined. But since the kitties are so used to jumping the fence and just wandering around where ever…..its not easy to do. My parents are going to working to figure out something but they are on vacation this week and so I have been house sitting, but my parents said not to let them out until they come back, which is tomorrow. They have both changed this week and it scares me to no end. Stumpi just lays around, eats and sleeps…and Peanut runs around, knocks things down and makes very loud noises….they are meant to go outside…I’m so scared that Peanut (my old cat) will get his depression/mental illness back and that Stumpi will just become fat and lazy….I love these kitties and I just hate to see them suffer like this. Any advice?
Roaming cats/kittens are a problem for people that don’t like cats, it’s a fact. Neighbors have the right to be upset when other people’s cats come into their yards and poop/pee and cause other trouble. You would not want strange animals in your backyard if you were not an animal lover…it’s only normal.
That’s just the price cats have to pay in modern cities. Just like dogs, they are not allowed to roam freely in the streets.
Although outdoor cats LOVE the outdoors, they get killed pretty easily by modern cars all the time and that too is a fact. Domestic cats that are allowed to roam also get diseases and get into bad fights with feral or stray cats. The combination of getting killed/injured by cars, disease and fighting will shorten the average outdoor cat’s life by YEARS. I certainly hope nothing ever bad happens to your cats, ever. But accidents happen all the time and the chance of it happening to an indoor cat is near zero.
What I personally do depending on where I’m living – is give cats access to the outdoors only in a cage outdoors – or in an enclosed backyard under my direct supervision. That’s it – no exceptions, ever. If I were able to build a secure outdoor enclosure, that would be a good idea as well.
The only way to get an outdoor cat used to the indoors imho, is to set a strict pattern and rarely/never mutate from that pattern. So If you only let the cats out under direct supervision (that also means that there is zero chance of it escaping, so it might also have to be on a leash, again under your direct supervision so the cat doesn’t strangle itself with the leash) that means same time each day if possible for same duration if possible – with no just randomly let them out for occasional fun sorties. If you do that, they will meow at the door (or have a mental episode) until the end of time. Follow a strict pattern and they will accept it eventually and enjoy their cage time or direct supervision time.
Just my opinion… Good luck!
thanks for your advice, its just so hard for me to comprehend why people woldn’t like cats….the people that complained have the ugliest most unkept back yard in the whole neighbood and are just mean people….. :/
My dad is going to work on either a cage or moving to the to a house more in the country….but I thnk he said that out of angerness. they are such a good kitties and have never done anything wrong…..it is beyound my comprehension. I appriciate you writing back so quickly. Thanks for all your input on this matter……I’m hoping and prayng the kitties will adapt to being outside but w/an enclosed cage……it’s bound to be better then nothing….my mom said she is going to try really hard to watch them so they won’t jump the fence….but it’s not an easy task!!! They are so quick…… :/
thanks! I i will write back once things get worked out……
I think my cat Meatball is depressed. My boyfriend and I took her in from friends were was having a baby when she was about 6 months. She was skittish at first, but as she got used to her new surroundings became very loving and playful. When we first got her my boyfriend was waiting for a new job to start so she had several months on having someone to play with all day. Now that he has started his job and I am working longer hours, we have noticed that she seems very sad. She appears to be eating less and no longer sleeps in the same spots she used too. She now seems too only nap under our bed. In the mornings when she used to follow me around as I got ready and we would play together, but now she just stays under the bed. We were debating if we should get another cat to play with and keep he company, but they won’t like it and it just make things worse for her. We love her so much, but having nothing we can do to change our work schedules. Is getting another cat the answer or should we just allow her some more time to get used to our new schedules?
I think my cat might be depressed, but I’m not sure. Lola is about a year and a half old now and had a traumatic kittenhood. My mom found her at a gas station hobbling around in the parking lot. At the time, it had been raining a lot and poor Lola looked like a drowned rat. We took her to the vet no more than 20 minutes after we finally caught her. She had a broken toe and they think she may have got a concussion because she kept the end of her tongue stuck out. She got used to living with us and was very friendly and affectionate. Her tongue is back in her mouth now and her toe is all healed up (although when she panics, like at the vet, she tucks that arm tight against her side for some reason..) She loved to follow people into the bathroom and would almost knock people down to get in there with them. She even managed to make our 12 year old male cat friendly, and he used to push other cats off the table just because. She would roll around and coo at him when she was old enough to have such ‘feelings’, and even after she was fixed, they still roll around and play with each other and sleep tight against each other At the beginning of the month, though, she got sick and threw up a lot. We got her some medicine and it stopped after she threw up a wad of hair. It wasn’t really a hairball, just a wad of hair like we might pick off the couch.
A few months ago, back in February or March, we adopted a 6 month old cat from the vet. Lucy is kind of hyper active and runs around until she can’t go anymore. She had been living in the lobby of the vet’s office since they found her and her family living in a tire 5 months before. She was the only one left in that small cage in the corner, and we didn’t want her to live her entire life in there, so we took her home. Incidentally, we had lost two other pets the previous winter and were sad about that and hoped she might cheer up the others. They tolerate her.
Lately, Lucy has gotten into the habit of following everyone everywhere and knocking people down to get in the bathroom with them. She always wants to be fed first, but we go in age order to try and establish some sort of order so she knows. Lola used to like the canned food, but now she just nibbles on the crunchy food and spends a lot of time sleeping or laying about. She doesn’t even follow me to the bathroom very much, which really hurt me. Even when Lucy doesn’t follow me, Lola doesn’t either. When she used to follow me, if I closed the door before she got in, she would stick her arm under the door and try to scratch a hole through it, but now, if she feels like following me, she just lays down in front of the door and doesn’t make a peep. When I let her in, she curls up on old clothes and isn’t her chatty self, if she decides she even wants to come in at all. She’s always been a quiet girl, but now she’s especially quiet. It’s almost like she feels it’s her job to make sure I come back out ok; she does it, but I can’t tell if she enjoys it..
Lola took to our other cats easily, even if they didn’t return it as quickly. Lucy wants to play with her and they chase each other sometimes, but Lola doesn’t make any extraordinary effort to play with her unprovoked. She also doesn’t seem to want to be cuddled or loved on, which she used to live for. Lucy seems unaffected by this whole ordeal. I’ve been trying to pay lots of attention to Lola, but she doesn’t seem to be into it all that much, and sometimes Lucy sees Lola getting pet and loved and runs over and bumps her head on me, which seems to make Lola lose interest, even if I keep petting her and not Lucy.
I would hate to think it’s because we brought Lucy home.. We’ve only just noticed this sad sort of feeling from Lola in the past week or so and thought it would go away. She still eats and washes, she just seems… sad… Will this go away? We love all our cats very much and try our best to let them know as many times a day as we can. We even sing little made up songs about them when they come to us for affection. When we were getting Lucy used to her new home, we bought her a special toy just for her, which Lola expressed interest in and would run away with just to leave it outside the door, as long as Lucy didn’t have it. It was cute at first, but was it her way of trying to tell us something? Lucy didn’t take it that way. She thinks Lola just wanted to trade toys, so she started playing with Lola’s stick-mouse, which we had bought special for Lola when we were introducing her.
is Lola suddenly very depressed about Lucy and not being “the baby” anymore? She’s the smallest, so I always make a point to tell her that she’s till MY baby, even if she’s not the youngest anymore. We just want everyone to get along and be happy…
It might take a little bit longer than a week for some cats to adapt so don’t give up.
I also recommend posting this on our bulletin board to see what advice other cat lovers have for you.
http://www.pets.ca/forum/register.php
Good luck!
my cats like 17 and acting depressed cause shes sick and stuff so i wanted to see if cats can actualy get depressed ^.^ this helped alot. thanks .
i recently adopted a 4 month old kitten, and she was really nervous the first couple of days but then started sitting on my lap, purring and playing with my husband and I, we work the 9 to 5 and are often away from home for about 9 to 10 hours, and we live in a neighborhood where i can’t ask a neighbor or a friend to pass by… anyways, my cat has been sleeping a lot and walking away when we come to pet her, she also seems to be limping just a little on right hind leg.
any help?
thank you
Yup, the limp means the cat needs to see a vet.
Cats sleep a lot by nature but they sleep even more when they are bored.
I’d suggest the cat will become friendlier to you over time. I’d suggest leaving a worn t-shirt near where the cat sleeps so she is better used to your smell.
Good luck
I’m almost sure my 11 year old cat is depressed… really really despressed. It started about 2 months ago, he started to eat very little and got to the point where he didn’t want to eat anymore altough he was asking for food he would look at it, smell it and just turn his back and go . We took him to the vet… but everything seemed to be normal, he got some blood and urine tests done and eveything was ok. The vet suggested he could be depressed and under a lot of stress, and that all that could be caused by our other cat who is 2 years and very dominant. They’ve been together for 2 years now… and it is true that at the begining it wasn’t easy but after a month or so he started to accept this new member of the family. I can understand that after 9 years of being the only “child” it wasn’t easy for him but even they never have been best buddies they play and groom each other sometimes.
But anyway after this visit to the vet nothing changed and he was eating very little and getting even skinnier. At that point I was really depressed myself and I guess that afected him too since he’s always been very attached to me.
I went to the supermarket and decided to buy some of these Fancy Feast Elegant Medley, which they love… and like a miracle when I gave him some he started to eat and keep on doing it for the next month or so. He went back to his normal behavior and even ate his old food (he’s been on cd diet for years), regular fancy feast and Deli cat too. He was eating, I think I could say, normally.
But… a week or so ago, we went back again to the non eating stage and same behavior of not looking at me, turning his back, sleeping in non relaxed positions… and of course I got desperate again. Noticed his feces were sometimes grey and assumed it was his new food, but then googled it and found it could be his liver… so immediately took him again to the vet (that was 2 days ago). When the vet saw him and checked his file (last time she was on vacation so other vet from the clinic took care of him), he told us he looked fine, she again checked his teeth, stomach, weighed him etc etc… and took some blood for new tests and we will have the results by tomorrow. But she also told us, that he might be depressed, cause otherwise he lloked perfectly fine… and since he was not eating again prescribed him a pill (periactin) to stimulate his appetite. He’s been eating and eating well (meaning good portions), but his behaviour is far from normal… he’s sad, he’s not enjoying himself, he cries in the kitchen desperately like asking for food, but actually yesterday after he’d ate already, he started doing it and I served a plate of every cat food we have and he didn’t want any of them. I know is something else and maybe that is his way of calling attention, but I really don’t understand.
If it is because of our other cat I really don’t know what to do… I’ve been neglecting him (the little one) emotionally and I don’t think that is fair either.
I just want him to be happy like he’s always been… yes he’s been always a really fearful kitty, but full of love and tenderness and he used to enjoy being around us so much… would find him sleeping like a king, sooo relaxed on the bed, he would even drool when he was being petted by me. And now he just lokk down to the floor… and I can’t help it but it breakd my heart and I’m sad too.
I’ve been thinking really really hard, and there’s been no changes at home… it’s only my husband and I and the 2 cats, we live in a small apartment, haven’t changed any furtniture or even moved anything from one place to another… everything is pretty much the same, and don’t think that us going vegan can affect the cats at all, cause there’s no changes for them in that.
Any advice or suggestions? Thx!
I HIGHLY recommend posting this for free on our forum – there’s a lot going on here and you’ll benefit from a wider variety of answers if you post there.
Good luck!
I recently adopted a 4 wk old kitten and now 8 wks. I have another cat about 1 yr and it was playful fir two wks and just recently became down low and non energetic I dnt know what is wrong plz help thanks
The cat could easily be sick. Please take the cat to a vet.
BTW – 4 weeks is WAY WAY too early to adopt a cat unless it was an emergency situation.
10-12 weeks is the best time to adopt kittens because that’s when they have learned important stuff like socialization and the bite inhibition reflex from their littermates.
It was found in a parking lot and we decided to adopt it and it was in bad shape she was ok for the two wks and I think it’s because of no attention we started giving her more and she seems to be getting better day by day since. we are aware to take her to vet and we are going to ASAP we are always working and that is what seems to be the problem for the depression
My dog just passed away a couple days ago. One of the cats we own who was very fond of the dog is now meowing in a very strange meow. Could this be a sign of depression or mourning? He is sleeping in the same spot every night, which is very close to where my dog used to rest. Is there anything we can do for him?
Thanks
I’m so sorry for your loss and I offer you my deep condolences.
The cats’s strange meow could easily be related. Spending extra time with your cat and playing more with your cat would be what i would do in your case…and the cat’s behaviour should re-normalize within a couple of weeks.
Again my condolences.
Thank you so much. My family and I appreciate it a lot. I played with him tonight and gave him lots of treats. I hope he is okay soon. Thanks for the quick answer and your sincerity. He was an incredible dog and will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him, our cats included.
Thanks again
Hi my two cats were sisters they di every thing together a few weeks ago one of them was killed by a car now the other is acting not well she isnt eating all that well she wont sleep allways making strange sounds i am really worried about her
Play with her more and give her more attention for the next little while and she should come around within a couple of weeks or sooner.
Good luck and my condolences.
We just moved and my cat of just over a year is acting strange. He’s completely shut down. He is usually a curious kitty but all he does now is hide. He won’t purr or show affection. Could it just be he’s getting used to the place or is he depressed? How can I get him acting normal again?
Cat probably just needs a couple of weeks to adjust. I suggest playing with the cat more and showing the cat extra affection during this time of transition.
Good luck – Marko
I don’t know if my cat IS depressed, but this is the closest that i think describes his recent behavior.
He has been getting into fights with other cats recently, so we try to keep him inside.
However, he seems desperate to go out and stares out of the window for long periods of time. When he does get out, he sits down and stays there. Usually, he would be running around the area, having fun not sitting or fighting. He is very low on energy too.
We haven’t moved, or had a new person spending more time in the house, he did lose a cat friend as he ran away but that was very long ago. I don’t know what to do, I’m worried about him
Hi. I recently rescued a stray kitten about a month or two months old. She seemed very playful at first, but recently she got attacked and bitten by a bigger cat. Ever since then she has been acting strange. Day one she did not eat completely or drink water. After that she started to act a little better but then I don;t know why she acts with drawn and very lethargic. She does not eat or drink anything and she just sits still in a corner. I cannot get it to play with me or with anything else. I hold her for hours and she sleeps but even after that she acts all withdrawn and disinterested. I think my kitten is very depressed and I do not know what to do about it. It has been one week since the cat attacked her. Please help. I am extremely worried!
If this cat has not been seen by a vet, that’s the ONLY answer. This is not about depression anymore. This can be MEDICAL. You cat can easily be sick.
Especially if its still not eating or drinking and especially if the bite broke your cat’s skin….infections?
The longer you wait the more serious this can become.
Good luck, Marko
Hello,
I have two boy cats (both about 2 years old) recently Cole got very sick with a bladder and kidney infection and was taken to the vet for about a month. Maple stayed home alone, and tended to be a little bit of a loner. Now that Cole is on antibiotics and is feeling much better, Maple has started to turn his nose up at foods that he would normally devour. We did change his foods due to Cole’s illness, but he has never been a picky eater. I am wondering if for some reason, Maple is depressed due to the attention that Cole is receiving from us? Im also not sure if he is getting sick as well. Cole was VERY expensive, and we are hoping on just depression (as sad as that sounds) How is the best way to get these boys out of their funk!?? I dont want to have to force feed him like we did with Cole.
My 6 week old kitten (his name is Simba) shows all but the last two symptoms. A few weeks ago, he and his brothers (Binx and Houdini) lost their youngest brother, Ninja. He died by fleas literally sucking the life out of him. We found this out too late. Simba, Binks, Houdini, and Ninja were all litter mates. He’s had the symptoms for about 2 weeks now.
Simba is a very loud kitten, meowing or purring. His purrs don’t seem normal anymore, like a skip in his purr (if that makes sense). He is attached to me, but he literally follows me everywhere and constantly want me to let him in my lap.
I don’t have the money to take him to the vet, so is there any advice I could get that wont cost me so much?
Here’s some advice – start saving a few bucks because just like humans, pets occasionally need to see a veterinarian or they tend to get even sicker …and die…even when the problem is simple.
Dying from fleas is terrible and how do you know the other cats aren’t infected…flea treatments aren’t expensive and the constant scratching should have been a clear sign of a problem.
Please save a few bucks and treat your pets properly or give them to a rescue.
(Sorry to be this harsh but pets are family and we don’t let family members die from simple stuff like fleas….maybe a liver transplant…but not fleas)
Some cats’ purrs change over time. But I can’t know anything more than to suggest borrowing money and taking your cats to vet or give them up.
A couple of months ago, one of my cats ran between my boyfriend’s feet and tripped him…he fell down and there was a loud bang when he hit the floor. I am pretty sure he didn’t hurt the cat but it really scared her, and ever since then when he comes around, she goes upstairs and won’t come near us. He’s trying to make up with her. She was never afraid of him before. I keep bringing her downstairs to be with us but she always runs back upstairs. Do you think she’ll ever get over this? Should my boyfriend try holding her or would that be forcing it too much?
IMO, don’t force this. I do think eventually the cat will get over this….but do this at the cat’s speed.
Maybe have the boyfriend feed the cat, or play with the cat IF the cat allows it. Maybe let the boyriend rub catnip on his own arm and see if the cat responds.
Good luck.
We adopted a kitten about 2 weeks ago, he is 9 weeks old! I have a cat that is 2 and a half! She was a little up tight in the beginning but started to losen up around the new kitten! Today we got home, she wants to eat but can’t, she cries and seems very tired and lazy! She hides and is aggressive! What can I do? I’m so worried, I think I have to take her to the vet tomorrow!
Not eating and being tired and lazy and aggressive indicates a problem for sure, your instinct is right – Vet time.
I adopted two brothers when they were kittens, they are a little over a year now, and one is very happy being an indoor cat. The other is behaving terribly, he scratches at all the doors to go out, meows at them for hours, sometimes he manages to break out, knocks everything over, makes a raucous, and I would even say has anxiety attacks! I love him so much, but I just don’t think it is safe for him to be outdoors, yet he behaves so badly, or he behaves like he is depressed…what can we do?
There is always a period of transition for cats that are forced to be indoor cats (a GREAT decision btw).
If the cat occasionally gets out the cat will ALWAYS want to get out. It’s up to you the owners to make sure that the cat NEVER gets out. Not once, not ever, not by accident.
After a period of time (varies with each cat) of not getting out, the cat will normally accept being an indoor cat.
Indoor cats on average live MANY more years than outdoor cats because they don’t get killed by cars, catch diseases from other cats, get into fights with other cats and encounter mean humans that hate cats.
During this time of transition – play with the cats more.
Good luck!
I have two cats and one of them died rdcently so we decided to get a new cat. Squiggles who us about four years old doesn’t like ths idea of our new cat Cookie in the house. We’ve had Squiggles since he was a kitten and has been spending more time inside the house as he liked to go out more when we had our other cat that died dyring the summer. But now he’d come inside then go back out in another five minutes and then looks to come back in again then out etc. He is also starting not to eat although i think he may have started to eat a little this morning. He hisses around Cookie and kind of growls and doesn’t like to be in the same roim as her. Is this normal and if it is, is there anything to stop him from being as “teritorial”?
My cat is 11 years old and we just got 2 new cats ages 11 and a kitten who is 9 weeks. My other cat died almost a month ago. I’ve been trying to pay extra attention to my cat that we have had , but i’m worried that he won’t get used to the change.
It normally just takes a bit more time is all.
Good luck!
I took in a 3 year old cat (from a friend) named Bella about 7 months ago and she adapted to the new environment pretty quickly. In September I adopted an 8 week old kitten named cuomo and it did take a few weeks for bella to get used to cuomo being around. They play together and she grooms cuomo but ever since getting the new kitten I feel like bellas behavior has changed. She does not purr as loud or as much as she used to and she doesn’t like to cuddle like she used to either. Also while she plays with cuomo she won’t play with me when I try to play with them. I’ve even tried playing one on one with her but she is not interested. She has been eating as much as she always has and sleeping the same amount as well so I don’t think she is depressed. Any tips or opinions would be appreciated. Thank you!
I recommend posting this same question on our pet forum for free – it’s a good question…and I you’ll get a much better response from different people in the know.
Good luck!
Earlier my cat used to play a lot and eat well. Recently she was pricked by a cactus thorn and we saw it only after 3-4 days. She had been acting different. we pulled out the thorn and took her to a vet. Vet facilities aren’t good where i live. They didn’t have any dressing equipment. They gave me a powder to be applied on the wound. He gave her an injection to increase her appetite. Since then, Iris has been feeling weak and eating less and sleeping more. what should i do?
I’d call back the vet that treated her and ask these questions to them. The cat could have an infection.
Good luck.
I have two cats two sisters who are now 18 months old. One (Dauber) is very frisky, clumsy and playful and the other (Percy) is more svelt and affectionate. Recently Percy has started to act very strangely. She has stopped eating and playing, all she does is lie around. However if you pick her up she will lay with you and gladly accept the cuddling. She is drinking and using the litter box to pee but she has stopped scooping the litter to cover up the pee. I have checked. She appears to have no fever, her eyes are clear and her long black hair is shiny I am home all day. There have been no changes to their food or environment. Only the change in season. I really would appreaciate your advice. Thank you.
“…he has stopped eating and playing, all she does is lie around.”
Especially if this has been going on for more than 24 hours, in my opinion….The cat’s behaviour is clearly saying “Please take me to a doctor because I am sick.”.
Good luck.
I’ve had my first male cat for about four years. We moved into a house about 4 months ago and decided to get another kitten. It is a female cat.. They didn’t get along that well the first day or two days but after that it was fine. The older cat seems depressed now sits alone everyone and doesn’t come near us… The older cat used to scratch at the fireplace glass door and the glass back door but nothing now.. He doesn’t make any noise or anything! I’m sad I hope he get through this…
try interacting with him more- catnip – rubs. If it’s a few weeks or a month already I’d likely phone my vet for a consult. If it is indeed severe depression the vet may prescribe meds.
Good luck
My kitty reggie has been around My cat Shadow all his life, and reggie followed him everywhere, passed away about 3 weeks ago. I belonged to shadow (he made this very obvious to his lil brother) well reggie has become ten times more affectionate than he was when shadow was still here, sometimes he won’t let you NOT touch him, is this typical? I get he’s probably depressed a bit just making sure its nothing to he overly concerned about
In my experience this is very normal for some cats, Now that you don’t belong to Shadow, Reggie wants you all to himself. Enjoy the attention!
hello i just recently received a one and a half year old kitty cat from a friend of ours that can no longer keep the cat. we have had the cat for 48 hours and she has yet to eat or drink any water. i have given her extra special attention and then she will run and hide under the couch. i have to lift the couch get her out from under there. then when she is finished sitting on my lap she runs and hides again. i am afraid that she is depressed and i am worried about her health for she has not eaten or drank in nearly two days. what should i do?
No food or water for 2 days….that’s serious.
Vet time ASAP. Good luck.
Hi
I just purchased a 5 yr old siberian cat. He is gorgeous but breeder kept 3 kittens in a room where she and her husband visited. I brought the cat home . He won’t come near anyone hid in the litter box which is clean as he has not used it. He has not come out in 15 hrs to drink eat nothing. He does not respond to anything. The breeder said it is normal give him 1 to 2 weeks in a room alone before introducing him to my yorkie.I am wondering if he has mental problems as he has no interest in coming to us. He did not at her house either I chose him because he was so beautiful.
Help please
M.
It’s just 24 hours….it’s normal for the cat to be skittish. Normally they come around after a few days.
Good luck.
Hi
My Kitty usually is a really energetic cat and she isn’t old at all. Lately, she has been sleeping in random spots like in my parent’s closet, under my dresser and under the table on a chair. She hasn’t been playing with any of her toys and she has no energy to even jump up on my bed. She has barely eaten any of her food for a couple of days. I play sports and work all the time, my mom works days, my brother doesn’t live at home anymore, and my dad works out West so is barely ever home. She has been meowing loud and a lot lately which is really uncommon for her.
So please suggest some tips on what we could do to make her feel better,
Thanks
This does not sound like depression – it sounds like a medical issue and possibly an emergency.
What would make her feel better is a trip to a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
Good luck.
Cats do get depressed. Unfortunately, our 4 year old cat (Raul) suffered from depression after the introduction of our first child. Even though we had another cat for a companion, I think he started to feel a sense of loneliness. Depression in cats can lead to decreased appetite which can eventually become fatal to your pet. We just had to learn this lesson the hard way. Over the past month, his appetite had been declining and we failed to notice how much until late last week. Up until that point he had seemed normal for the most part. Still played with the same toys and socialized with us, visitors and his brother a fair amount.
When we finally started to notice him avoiding the food bowl and litter box completely we felt it was time to take him to the Vet. The diagnosis for Raul was that he had Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis). At the time the diagnosis was made we began aggressive treatment to get him eating again so his body could absorb the proper nutrients. The stabilization, tube feeding, extended hospital stay etc. proved to be too little too late to reverse the damage to his poor liver. His noticeable decline happened very quickly (within a couple days).
We really wish we would have noticed the signs much sooner. In hindsight, he did have small changes to his personality that knowing what we know now should have prompted us to take him to the Vet. After learning this hard lesson I would like to stress the importance of close observation on your cat’s behavior when it comes to depression. It is essential that they are eating the proper amount daily. We thought we were very observing and loving parents to Raul and are devastated that we let this happen. Fatty liver disease is very harmful to your cat and can have deadly consequences. Please use Raul’s struggle as an example and take your cats to the Vet as soon as you see change in their appetite. It can make a world of difference.
*Although we are not certain, we feel strongly that our cat Raul suffered from depression because his ultrasound showed no other complications which would have caused his lack of appetite. He basically just stopped eating.
Hey, I have a 5 year old cat that has always been a bit lazy. When he was 1 we got him a friend to play with. He loved it it seemed. They always played together and were the best of friends. About a year later they had kittens and we kept one from the litter cause he was to cute to give away. Shortly after the mother started bringing mice in the house (we have a cat door so they can free roam) for the young on to catch. Our original male cat never showed interest in mousing or anything or that sort. We had to get rid of the mother and child after that. Now 2 years later we found ourselves working more and found him getting VERY needy to the point we could not get 5 minutes without him at night. He is a Bengal and as he is large, he even broke through our door one night to the bedroom to sleep with us (we let him sleep with us now to avoid this again). We decided our best bet is to get him another friend. He took to the new kitten right away like a father. The new kitten was thought to be a girl but it is a boy. Its been 5 months now and our original car seems like he just eats and sleeps, he doesnt seem to care about much else. Our vet said he is fine and I trust that but since we got the kitten he just has not been the same. What do you think
Hi, my friend’s grandma gave me a 2 year old cat. I supposed he used to be playful, and eat more. but, ever since I got him he sleeps all day, I haven’t seen him eat once. He only went to the bathroom 2 or 3 times. Is he depressed? He’s been here about 4 days, I’m starting to worry. Should I wait some time for him to get used to the new house? Or visit a vet?
my cat Ally is 9 months and i have had her 3 months and she eats little,plays little and she always is on my bed and purring and she only leaves my bed to eat or go to the bathroom,is she depressed or does she miss her brother who got eaten by our neighbor’s dalmation?
I have a 5 month kitten and she has been laying down a majority of the day. To be honest thats all I ever seen her do scince the other day. She just lays down anywhere she wants to and you could even pick her up from where ever she islaying and put her on your lap or where ever you want to put her. Im really concerned about this because I dont know if its normal because shes never done this. I know that cats are supposed to get about 16 hours of sleep but this is unusual for her.
unusual behaviour often indicates illness. If your cat is regularly sleeping more than usual – just like if your child is sleeping more than usual…it can mean illness.
If this were my cat I’d be making a vet appointment.
Good luck!
My cat is so much into “daddy”. She would only sleep on his side of the bed, stick to him like crazy, and eats way better when he sits next to her. The only issue is that my husband works in a different city, and therefore he gets to see us (the cat and I) only on the weekends. So every Monday (when my husband leaves)I feel that she goes into a phase of minor depression. She becomes so vocal, looks around for him, eat less, and hide a lot under the bed. Although I give as much attention as I can it doesn’t help much. Throughout the week things get better slowly. I must say that we have her for about 3 months now, she is 9 months old. We adopted her from a shelter home, and she was previously left by her owners in a box inside the apartment while they moved out. My question is how can I reduce this weekly stress that she goes through? Is it some sort of a separation anxiety? Will she get over it with time?
Thanks!
we recently got a new cat from our upstairs neighbor they had him for 5years and they were going to take him to a shelter because they didn’t want him anymore so I took him in. He seemed fine at first just didn’t get along with my other cat but they get along now for the most part. he seems a bit sad at times and ive been showing him extra attention but doesn’t seem to help. when he was upstairs they had a dog that he loved to play with so i guess my question would be if i got something that smelled like the dog if it would help?
Interesting question – not sure about that. I would suggest that time, games and the extra affection will help – you just have to give it a few weeks.
My husband and I have a 7 month old kitten. we’ve had him for four months and he is the most affectionate cat. He’s always with us on our laps or in our faces purring. But 2 days ago we brought home a 3 month old kitten and our older kitten is acting aloof with us. The two kittens chase each other and seem to be getting along, but our older kitten is completely different with us now. He will show some affection towards us when he doesn’t see the other kitten. I know it’s only been 2 days, but i’m worried that he won’t go back to being his affectionate self. Does anyone have any experience on this matter? any advice???
(Both kittens are neutered. My older kitten is male and the younger is female)
Give it a few weeks, 2 days is way too soon.
Good luck
Hi ,I have to cats one is abnout 8 the other one is about 5, they have been brought up on a farm and use to open spaces, we have now move in a suburb and i have built the cars a enclosure as I dont want the cats wondering as they have never seen a road before , So im scared if i let them wonder they will get run over or the dog behind us will kill them , They dont seem happy in teh eclosure, the enclosure itsnt small its about 5mx5mx5mx5m , they have heaps of scratching post, grass etc in there but they always want to get out, I let them inside at night but they dont seem happy, I know they want to get out and explore but i dont feel its safe for them , im looking at getting harness for them so they can explore the back yard with out getting away , do u think there is anything else i can do to try make my cat happy, I havent seen them play since we have been here . please help
BRAVO! You are so doing the right thing…..though indoors is best imo.
Your fears of death by cars, disease and dog fights is 100% real; on average cats live YEARS longer when they are indoors.
An enclosure that’s 100% secure is a decent alternative imo – they will get used to it. Maybe plant some cat grass or buy some for them.
Personally I’m not fond of harnesses/leashes UNLESS they are being supervised as they get tangled up and many cats die in this way each year.
You may also want to post this on our forum for additional advice from members with more experience than I.
Good luck!
I have a five year-old cat, Lancelot (that’s the age the vet said). Lancelot came to us about 2 years ago & he was wild. It only took about a week to get him to come to me. He stayed close to our house & we cared for him. He was neutered about 4 months after coming to us. Lancelot became very close to another stray, Merlin who we also cared for. Both cats lived outside. Just before Christmas, Merlin died. He had FIV, FeLe, and a severe mouth infection. Afterwards, Lancelot rarely came to me when I went outside. He didn’t even come to eat. I took him to my mother’s vet yesterday (since they have Sunday hours). Lancelot was tested for FIV and FeLe and was negative for both. Because he seemed so lonely, I brought Lancelot inside. I already have 11 cats inside. Crazy, I know, but I live in the country and get many drop offs and strays and can’t turn any away. Anyway, I’m trying to slowly introduce him. Most of the cats are snarling at him because he is the newcomer. Lancelot doesn’t snarl back at all. He sits on my lap or right next to me. He’s not interested in exploring or anything. I did see him take a couple bites of food. He hasn’t used the liter box (or anywhere else) in over 24 hours. The vet said that he is healthy so I think this is all depression> Any suggestions? Please help.
I have a cat that isn’t even a year old yet. She will be on March 28th. I’ve had her since she was 2 months old. Recently, she has seemed down..
She went from very fun, and loving.
So lazy, and being a loner..
I think my brother may have done some things to her and she’s scarred.
He would shove her under his blankets and not let her out..
But anyways, recently, she has lost a lot of weight. She used to be a giant butterball with fur. Now, you can put her and literally count her ribs..
She eats maybe once a day, when she was eating three times a day.
She doesn’t want to move.. She wants to be carried everywhere.
My papa, he works with animals, and thought it might be F.I.V or feline aids.
But I just can’t come to accept that. I think she’s just depressed. How do I find out if she is for sure or not?
This cat sounds ILL not depressed – please take her to a veterinarian and then you can find out what’s wrong with her.
Doing nothing and diagnosing her yourself is a sure way for her NOT to get better.
Please do the responsible thing and take your pet to a vet. Good luck.
My car has been showing all of those signs and I have been trying to cheer her up but my dad Is mad t her because she has been peeing on everything and every time he sees her he yells at her and he wants to get rid of her! Please help! We also can’t find a high tech vet office ! She is too rough wih the vets so the said we can’t bring her back there and we have to bring her to a place with temporary sleeping gas an we can’t find any place with those ! Please I really need help!!
There’s too much going on here for a blog post. Please post this in our forum.
I had two cats. One was 3 1/2 which we’d had since he was a few months old and the other is a little over 1 1/2. We got the younger one a year ago to keep the older one company. The third week of December our older cat died unexpectedly and for reasons we haven’t been able to determine. My husband and I were scheduled to leave town for 10 days for Xmas and New Years and had to board the younger cat for that time. I hated to do it because he was clearly showing signs of bereavement a week after losing his companion. When we picked him from the vet on Jan 2 he had lost a lot of weight, but we figured it was typical because he was out of his element. However, almost a month later, he has continued to lose weight, is not eating unless we force feed him, and is so despondent and lethargic. He just sleeps all the time. I know he is depressed, but I’m not sure what to do. The vet is so expensive, so I’m hoping to find an at-home solution. Any suggestions??
This cat sounds more than depressed, he sounds sick.
There’s no way to know what is wrong based on this but continued illness, not eating and losing weight…(just like with humans) is a bad sign gets worse without treatment.
He needs a doctor. Please take this poor cat to a vet ASAP.
Good luck!
I got my boyfriends cat when he went to jail and its been almost 6 months since he’s been gone I can tell he kind of looks like me as his new owner well just recently (he’s 1 1/2) he has become very noisy he’s always meowing and only wants me I work 9 hrs five days a week and every other weekend 12 hrs. I try to play with him when I’m home but all he does is meow and look at my boyfriend and i’s picture and meows. When he does want to do something and all he does it lay on me. He was always a playful cat. I’ve never changed food or anything and he’s lived at my house before and everything is the same way. He’s throwing up a lot more well he iis unlike before. Is this depression or what? Lol
Please post this in our pet forum for a better back and forth. Good luck!