Dear Pammy, Can cats get depressed?
A reader writes:
Can cats get depressed? What does it look like?
Dear Readers,
I know… how can we tell? Doesn’t the cat lie around all the time anyway? Aren’t they resigned and long-suffering as a default?
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!
We can encounter cat depression when trying to choose at the shelter; we shouldn’t pass over such cats, since we can fix their problem. It can occur when we adopt a cat from a foster situation; and they miss their other family. This is actually a sign they have a deep capacity for attachment. It certainly comes up when we lose someone in the family, whether it is temporary, or permanent.
Cat depression is not complicated. But the implications, are.
Triggered by: Cats might get agitated while a toy gets lost under the couch, or anxious when we move to a new place, or even panicky if they are caught in the bathroom during our shower. But the only thing that gets them actually depressed is an emotional loss.
Cats in shelters, or even overnight at the vet’s, can be depressed because they lost their home, and the people in it. When any companion of theirs moves away, or passes away, they can miss them terribly. It is a sign of a broken closeness-connection.
It is a mourning process.
Diagnosed by: When Puffy developed a fatal illness and left our home for the last time, RJ became the saddest cat in the world. His appetite left him, his face became blank, and he lost any bounce in his step. His eyes were huge sagging ovals and always seemed unfocused.
Once we see the droopy posture, slightly hanging head, dull eyes, and lack of response of the depressed cat, we can distinguish it from the “brave face” of the sick cat, and the truly aloof looks of the unsocialized feral cat. These adults will look right through us.
Depressed cats, on the other hand, don’t even seem to see us. They are lost in a lonely world of their own.
Treated by: As with humans, time rubs off the sharp edges of grief and our cats will come out of it. We can make a fuss over them to show they are still loved. We can explain it to them even if we don’t entirely understand. They do understand that we are trying to explain, and they find that comforting.
Two weeks passed, and RJ was still visibly suffering, despite our best efforts. So, we got him a kitten, Olwyn. His fascination with this new creature absorbed his attention, revived his spark, and soothed his sorrow. Getting a cat a new home, human, or cat companion works very well, if we can manage it.
Once before RJ had demonstrated the importance of such ties in the lives of cats. When I found him, he’d been under vet care for three weeks, with regular meals, and a bit of human attention. But he wasn’t thriving. He was still almost as thin as he was when he’d been rescued in the first place. It wasn’t until he got his own home, with plenty of affection and attention, that he began making progress.
What will work is our attempts to replace what has been lost. Cats, despite their intelligence, do not have the capacity to grasp abstract concepts like mortality or mourning.
If something is actually missing, something else needs to, actually, appear.
Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to get our cat to be affectionate in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my CAT AFFECTION posts.
-
As a huge online store. You can take advantage of the ScoopFree Litter Tray Refills with Premium... Read Full Story » -
Catit Style Patterned Cat Scratcher w/Catnip, White Tiger Lounge 12pk by Catit (Visit the Hot... Read Full Story » -
Catit Style Patterned Cat Scratcher w/Catnip, White Tiger Lounge 12pk by Catit (Visit the Hot... Read Full Story » -
Catit Style Patterned Cat Scratcher w/Catnip, White Tiger Lounge 12pk by Catit (Visit the Hot... Read Full Story » -
Catit Style Patterned Cat Scratcher w/Catnip, White Tiger Lounge 12pk by Catit (Visit the Hot... Read Full Story »
