Is your furry friend sad and not as playful as it normally is? Well, this might mean that your feline friend is suffering from cat depression, anxiety, stress, or any other medical condition. If you want to know about the medical condition that is making your cat sad, depressed and if it’s not active, then you should take it to a vet immediately to find out the reason behind this behavior. However, if this behavior is due to psychological reasons, here are some ways through which you can eliminate sadness from your cat’s system and cheer it up:
1. Take your cat out for a walk
This is a problem that many cat owners faced during lockdowns. Cats love to go outside, but due to COVID restrictions, they couldn’t go out. Many owners reported that their cat has been sad and depressed about not going outside. These are the basic cat upset signs. If you don’t take your cat out often, this might be the reason why your cat is sad. So, put your cat’s harness on and take it out for a walk. Taking your cat out on a quiet day in a park can also be a great way to curb your cat’s depression and anxiety.
2. Take your cat out for hunting
Even though your cat is a domesticated one, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have an urge to hunt. Cats like to hunt due to their hereditary hunting instinct. So, even if you keep your cat on a supplementary diet, you still can’t stop it from hunting. So, it’s better to let your cat be a cat and take it out for hunting. You can take your cat to a park where your cat can find its prey and hunt them down.
3. Bring your cat a sibling
Just like we humans feel the need to socialize and want another human at our house so that we don’t feel lonely, cats feel the same way. Sometimes, their favorite human is not the only thing they would like to have. Sometimes, cats also need a sibling to play with, and if your cat feels lonely and has no one to play with, considering how busy you are with your schedule, it might be time to adopt another cat and introduce your cat to its new housemate.
4. Use a Catnip
Catnip is a plant that belongs to the mint family, Nepeta Cataria. It contains nepetalactone, which is a natural car pheromone and it has a unique effect on cats. When cats chew or rub catnip, it uplifts their mood and they feel better. It is a pheromone that gives cats a feeling of pleasure. It is harmless and temporary, so don’t worry about any side effects. However, catnip does not affect cats below 6 months, and not all cats will respond that way to catnip. But, it’s worth trying and if your cat does get pleasure and happiness through it, this is a great way to make your cat happy.
5. Let your cat climb
Cats are very energetic animals and they love to climb. This is the reason why if your cat is feeling a little better and you want it to recover from its anxiety and depression much faster, you can allow it to climb around your house. You can form these castles using filled cardboard boxes and let your cat climb on them. You can also let your cat climb over cats when you take it to the park.
6. Give your cat the attention it needs
Sometimes, cats are shy and they won’t come to you and demand the attention of their favorite human. You have to go to them and give them the attention they need. You can pet them, comb their fur coat and even give them a sweet message, cats don’t mind a little spa session. You can even watch your favorite movie with your cat or can read your cat a book. You can do a lot of activities with your cat, even if it is not feeling as playful as it normally is.
7. Purchase new toys for your cat
If your cat has started to recover from its depression and anxiety a little bit and is in a mood to play a bit, it’s the right time to get it motivated to play even more, and you can do that by buying your cat new toys. Just like children, cats also like to have new toys. This will make your cats a lot happier and excited. This also motivates your cat to play more.
8. Reward your cat
Just like us humans, cats also love to get rewards when they play. This is why whenever you play with your cat or whenever you take it out for a walk or a hunt, reward your cat with treats frequently. For example, if your cat kills a disturbing rat in your house, treat it, if the cat brings the ball to you, treat it, if your cat doesn’t try to get out of the leash for 15 full minutes, treat it. These might look like small achievements to you, but’s a big deal for cats and they want to get rewarded frequently to stay motivated in what they are doing.
9. Play with your cat
If your cat is feeling a lot better than before and is playing normally, you can make it even more joyful by introducing new activities. You can play an obstacle game with your cat in which you can place cardboard boxes on top of one another and ask your cat to jump over it. Cats love to jump around when they are happy and active, and they will love this activity. And while you are playing with your cat, don’t forget to treat it.
10. Love your cat
Love can heal everything, even your feline friend’s sadness. If your cat is feeling down and is not as playful and friendly as it normally is. Just give it the attention and affection it needs, cuddle with it, run your hand over its fur coat, have a conversation with it, and act like your cat’s best friend. Once you start giving your cat the love it deserves, the cat depression signs will just fade away.
Cats also have bad days, and for different medical and psychological reasons, they can feel sad, depressed, scared, and paranoid. It is better to calm your cat and try to cheer it up using these methods.
