Feline Depression

June 19, 2016

A person being depressed these days is a very common thing but have you ever thought about the furry little creatures? Do they get all sad and grumpy? If you never thought about it and you notice your kitty having less ‘interest’ and energetic than she used to be, you haven’t been paying attention.

Let us first diagnose whether your cat is depressed or not. So, does she:

· Sleep more?

· Have a change in eating habits?

· Not get all cleaned up like usual?

· Less affection for you?

· Meow louder! Or lower?

· Started showing aggressive behavior?

· Have Litter Box issues?

These are some of the common symptoms that you should check on daily basis to analyze the depression level of your pet and if you happen to detect more than one of these your cat needs serious attention and Veterinary checkups.

What leads to such Behaviors?

Next we need to know the reasons behind such changes. Well, summarizing some of the reasons:

Separation of loved ones:

Cats are loving creatures and when someone deeply attached to them gets separated from them they start getting the ‘blahs’ and get down in the dumps. It could be someone from your home or another animal companion who is away or demised so special care should be done for the cats in case of such incidents.

Lack of Attention:

Yes, you heard it right cats demand depression, all peaceful and lovely that they are doesn’t mean they don’t deserve your time and attention. If you have been too busy in your work or social gatherings and your cat was left alone during this, they will definitely get all gloomy and blue.

Change in food or kitty litter or her comfort zone:

Cats are very particular in what they eat, where they pee and obviously their place of sleeping. You might note a change in the behavior of your furry one if you happen to do any one of these things. Be careful when taking such steps, they might find it ‘mean’.

Combat your cats Depression:

The real question that arises here is ‘how to combat such situations’?

Luckily, we happen to have the answers right here.

First of all, be sure to give time to her, play with her for at least 30 minutes a day—everyday! And it would be even better to have her chase toys; balls etc. to lighten up her mood.

Secondly, if you have are not at home during the day, leave the curtains open for Kitty, it will keep her jolly while you are away. Or an even better option is to find your Miss whiskers a partner; this can prove to be one of the best ways of keeping your cat away from depression.

A rather mature way of dealing with such a problem could be seeking professional help. Cats are known to be very good at hiding their ‘feelings’ and ‘illness’ so having a pro diagnose the problem could be very beneficial and time saving.

An easy and simple way is to set her up a schedule of fun time and veterinary checkups to deal with the depression problem.

References:

http://pets.thenest.com/symptoms-depression-cats-7362.html

http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-behavior/Feline-Depression.aspx