Cats are famous for their diverse personalities. They can be gentle, adventurous, and so much more. It is often difficult to understand their behaviors most of the time.
Since cats are known to have many different sorts of personalities, they must also have feelings. Researchers have found that cats indeed have feelings, and on facing any kind of trauma, cats can get depressed. Hence the answer is yes. Depression in cats is a real thing.
Can a Cat Be Depressed?
Depression is an absence of joy and lack of interest in everyday activities. Researchers have proved through their research work that just like humans, cats exhibit feelings such as joy, excitement, grief, and stress. Since cats are proven to have feelings, they can also get depressed under uncertain circumstances.
Several various such situations inflict harm and affect the mental health of these cats. If their feelings are hurt, or they experience trauma, just like humans, their mental health is disturbed, leading to cat depression.
Signs
When it comes to depression in humans, it means persistent feelings of sadness and a general lack of interest in life. Talking about cat depression, the main thing to notice would be obvious changes in behavior since we cannot properly communicate with our cats, and it is hard to get a grip on their feelings.
However, some cats do not exhibit such behavior changes; hence, it is up to the owners to deduce their daily activities and look for slight changes in their lives.
Mood Changes in a Cat
You should notice if your beloved, playful, and friendly cat is now less active than before. If a cat is not showing as much interest in playing with its toys as before, it is a sign of cat depression. More time spent just sitting or sleeping and loss of interest in activities mean an unhealthy cat.
A decreased appetite in cats where they eat less than usual also shows cat depression. Less interaction with other cats or family members is another very obvious sign. Changes in vocalization can also be a prominent sign. The cat may meow more or less than usual. Cats are usually aggressive due to certain reasons but not all the time. It is not normal for a cat to be constantly aggressive.
Lethargy & Sleep
Cats spend most of their day sleeping. If this sleeping extends the normal times your cat usually sleeps, it is a sign that the cat faces problems, such as cat depression. Cats are self-groom beings and spend much time grooming themselves, but if they stop or lessen this behavior, it could also mean that they are suffering from cat depression.
Cats that seem to spend less time in other activities than sleeping is a sign of depressed cats. If the cat does not get a comfortable environment and a suitable place to sleep, it can cause insomnia where the cat cannot get enough good sleep. A cat that is constantly sleep-deprived will get depressed.
Depression in a New Environment
When humans move to another house, they take some time to get comfortable and settle in the new place. Similarly, in the case of cats, if they are taken to another new home they are not fond of, it will disturb their whole routine. If they fail to settle there, it ultimately leads to cat depression.
Cats are amazing creatures. They get fond of their owners and love being their center of attention. If the cats are handed over to new owners, they get seriously disturbed as it is an entirely different environment for them, and in many cases, they fail to get used to it. This leads to cat depression as well. Eventually, this depression will become visible when the cat tries to escape its new home and return to its old house and owners.
Health Issues & Stress
Stress is a big source of depression in both humans and cats. Cats may try to escape this stress by trying to escape from the house. This stress may come from different factors such as health and other pets. If the owners get a new pet, the cat may suffer from cat depression as they feel less important and insecure and may never warm up to the other pet.
Cats face a variety of health issues. If left untreated, they will cause deterioration of the cats’ physical health and mental health. Another issue, such as growing teeth, can cause serious irritation, which is painful to the cat. This constant irritation can also lead to cat depression.
Cats also have allergies such as dust or pollen allergies. These make the cat stay distressed, leading to high-stress levels if untreated, resulting in cat depression in the end.
Overcoming This Depression
It is common for cats to experience depression, whether it is extreme or not. It is the job of the owner to help them come out of this sad state. There are various ways to overcome cat depression, but first, owners must find the source of this depression and remove it entirely.
The first step is to analyze the situation and predicaments the cat is in and find ways to help it. The next step is implementing that fix and making sure that it counters cat depression. Finally, once the identified problem has been eradicated, you should spend quality time with your cat. Cats need all the love, affection, and importance from their owners, especially during cat depression. It is the owner’s job to help their cat during cat depression.
Conclusion
In conclusion, yes, cat depression is a real thing that can cause severe disruption in a cat’s life. With the reasons listed above, along with the ways to bring them out of depression, owners must do their best to make sure their pets stay happy as long as they can.
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