Do some animals suffer from mental conditions such as autism?

Question

My cat is very unaffectionate. She only shows affection when she wants something. If ever I pick her up she struggles to be released. We've had her since a kitten and she has always been like it. Could she have a form of autism?

Answer 1

No, that's not autism; which is a far more complex collection of syndromes.
There are several possibilities. One might be that she wasn't handled properly as a kitten, or wasn't handled often enough. Early socialising by people who know what they're doing makes better pets.
Another reason may be that its her nature. She may see herself as the boss and doesn't like being picked up. Or she may just not like the physical contact.
Finally it could be that as an inexperienced owner you haven't yet learned how to pick up an animal and make it feel ok with it - its like being a first time parent with a newborn baby. Some people pick it up really fast and others take longer.

Try to stop making eye contact with your pet, cats don't like it. Instead try blinking and looking down. And copy her friendly greeting noises and rituals, try rubbing her chin glands to get her scent on you.

If she were autistic she'd never be affectionate. But you say she can be when she wants something, so she's not autistic.

Answer 2

No I dont think your cat could have autism. Animals and autistic people have similarities in the sense of how they react to their enivronment their hypersensitvity and how finely tuned they are to their surroundings. I believe that this is to do with the frontal lobe part of the brain. This is also why autistic people have an affinity for animals and do not interact as much with people on a social level. Anyway, your cat is probably just naturally like the way she is. Kittens generally don't like being held much, or for long and will not often come and sit on you. How old is she? Cats are matured around 2 years, then they usually start to enjoy sitting on laps etc. By interacting with your cat, playing with toys you will socialise her more and she will take more notice of you. Otherwise you just have to be patient and she may start to enjoy being held.

Answer 3

OMG, that is so funny. I've started calling my cat autistic!

She's not unaffectionate, but she doesn't like to look you in the eye, has a horror of being face to face, and is such a scaredy cat.

My boss actually gave me this idea. She had a similar cat which she decided was autistic. Having a psych background, she decided to treat it as if it WAS autistic. Apparently it was starting to come around when it ran off and got lost.

So anyway, I don't technically know the answer, but I thought this was funny.

Answer 4

Yes, animals suffer from mental conditions. Especially if they were "products of incest". My vet of 30+ years took one look at my kitty Rudy (he has a curled tail like a pig) and said he was an incest cat and that he may have some "emotional issues". Not sure on the autism.

Answer 5

I doubt she has autism. She just knows how to play you. Most cats are like that, they want things on their terms. Affection, food,play, etc. When they don't feel like it - well they just don't and there's nothing any one can do about it.

I house sit for a guy who has cats like that. They hiss and growl when I walk into the room. I can't pet them or anything. Come feeding time I can cuddle, pet and hold them. As soon as I've fed them and they are finished they are off being mean again!

Good Luck

Answer 6

Hello.

Firstly how your kittens first days with you were may have something to do with how she is now.

Remember:-

Cats DO NOT like to be squeezed, picked up by the neck or have their tails pulled. Cats are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements, and will feel threatened if they're chased or lunged at.

Cats DO NOT like to disturbed while they are eating.

Most cats DO like to scratched gently under their chins or behind their ears and enjoy having their coats brushed.

Kittens orphaned or separated from their mother and/or littermates too early often fail to develop appropriate "social skills," such as learning how to send and receive signals, what an "inhibited bite" (acceptable mouthing pressure) means, how far to go in play-wrestling, and so forth. Play is important for kittens because it increases their physical coordination, social skills, and learning limits. By interacting with their mother and littermates, kittens explore the ranking process ("who's in charge") and also learn "how to be a cat."

CHANGES IN INTERACTION

Cats are social animals and enjoy interactions with their human family and often with other pets. Changes in those interactions may signal problems such as disease, fear and anxiety. It may also signal pain, which can cause aggression. For example, a cat may attack an individual who causes pain (a person combing over a cat's arthritic hips or brushing a diseased tooth).

A decrease or increase in activity can be a sign of a number of conditions. As cats age, there is increased risk of arthritis. Discomfort from joint disease or systemic illnesses can also lead to a decrease in activity. It's important to understand cats usually don't slow down just because they are old. Increased activity is often seen with hyperthyroidism. Changes in activity warrant a visit to your veterinarian.

The key to differentiating abnormal lethargy from normal napping is knowing your cat's sleeping patterns. The average adult cat may spend 16 to 18 hours per day sleeping. This is normal, but much of that sleeping is "catnapping." The cat should respond quickly to usual stimuli, such as the owner walking into the room or cat food being prepared. If your cat is sleeping more than usual or has discomfort laying down and getting up, this may be a sign of underlying disease.

Yes, your cat can be stressed despite having an "easy" life. Boredom and sudden changes are common causes of stress in cats. Stressed cats may demonstrate decreased grooming and social interaction, spend more time awake and scanning their environment, hide more, withdraw and exhibit signs of depression, and have an increased or decreased appetite. These same signs may indicate a medical condition. It is important to rule out medical problems first, and then address the stress. Because the social organization of cats is different from people and dogs, changes in the family, such as adding a new pet, should be done gradually. Please contact your veterinary hospital for information on how to successfully make changes in the household.

Talk to your vet if you have said "yes thats whats shes like" to any of the above as your vet will be able to test her for any problems and get you both some help

Answer 7

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Answer 8

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Answer 9

She could be. I've known autistic people to have some affection, even inappropriate affection at times. It mainly means that they have a lack of social skills (among other things) maybe ask your vet.

Answer 10

I have two cats like this.
I bought them from a breeder and believe they are in-breeds.
I have thought they were paranoid schizophrenic since I had them, but they are lovely ust the same.
One will actually come on my lap occassionally and purr! What an achievement!
Good luck......lots of TLC