can a cat be depressed?

Answer 1

Yes. My cat Buffy went into a deep depression after my cat Penny died. She just ate & slept all day. She wouldn't play, she didn't want to be petted, and she freaked out on the other cats if they came near her. It took 2 years for her to completely come out of her depression.

Answer 2

Absolutely. So can a dog. Cats that suffer losses, or have another pet or a baby brought into the home, frequently have some depression. Illness can bring depression, as it does in human people. Our dog went blind, and went through a period of depression until he adjusted. Cats that are depressed will lose their appetitie, stop playing, reject affection-or, conversely, become very needy. You should always give a cat a checkup before you assume it's depression, to rule out a physical cause. Which, by the way, is exactly what a human person should do if they start experiencing symptoms of depression. They're shorter, furrier, with claws, a tail, and a radically different sensory apparatus in some ways-but they're people, never doubt it.

Answer 3

I think a cat (or any animal for that matter) can have issues that affect its mood. I definitley think an animal could get depressed. I see it in the clinic where I work sometimes....people will bring their animals in and report that they aren't acting like they usually do, have stopped playing, being friendly, sometimes even eating. How long has it lasted for? Has anything significant changed recently that the cat would need some time to adjust to ie: a new house. I would also suggest a visit to the vet is things don't improve over a couple of days - especially if the cat has stopped eating and/or drinking.

Answer 4

Yes they can. There are flower essences you can use with a depressed cat. The choice of which to use would depend on the reason (that you can perceive) for the depression.

Any change in a cat's behavior you are aware of should be a signal to you that something might be medically wrong with the cat and you should consider investigating that possibility.

Answer 5

I do believe that a cat can be depressed. I moved to a new neighbourhood about 2 years ago, and every morning there would be a big white cat on our porch. Finally after a long while, we realized this cat was dying...."of a broken heart." We talked to some neighbours and they said the owners used to live in our house. When they left they abandoned her. So we continued to feed her, gave her a new name and invited her into our home. Little did we know, this cat was so personable and compassionate. It was almost like she thanked us everyday for giving her a new reason to live. Her attitude went from sad to greatful the way she pranced around and purred.

Answer 6

Well it's nice to see our friend above knows how to use the copy and paste functions.

Cats can experience anxiety and depression. It is best to have them evaluated to make sure that there is nothing medically wrong with them as signs of depression (see the article above for sign associated with depression) can also be signs of pain and illness. Cats do not show clinical signs as dog do and are very different in their behaviors. Have your catevaluated by your veterinarian first or cat specialist before trying home remedies, OTC concoctions, etc that could potentially harmful.

Answer 7

Yes.. cats can be depressed. They have feelings almost like ours.

Once I did an experiment with my cat ( don't kill me for this I was a teen and it was a long time ago ) ....

I would pet the cat and treat him nice and he would purr... then I would suddenly act disappointed and frown, I would say bad cat,, etc.. his ears would go back, his purring stopped, he would swallow hard and look like he just was miserable. I could then go back to being nice and he would relax and purr again.

Answer 8

Yes. An animal can become depressed due to a stressful life change or environment. Has anything happened recently?

Answer 9

Yes, go to the vet and have the cat checked

Answer 10

When my cat Sheba died, my other cat Elvis would walk up and down the hall way for weeks looking for her, sniffing her catbed, and lay beside her toys. It broke my heart to watch this, but cats do grieve and feel emotion.