depressed cat

cabaki · October 2007

so i took in a cat that showed up on my fire escape screaming for food about a year ago. i have another cat who's a big bully and is agressive to her if they cross paths or get too close.

the problem is that she doesnt move around very much - she sits in the same place on my bed all day and thats about it. my other cat is friendly and walks around the house and hangs out with my rooommate. my roommmate hasnt seen this cat in 2 months, since she never leaves my room.

she doesnt let me pick her up either, and she's skittish if i approach her too suddenly. she's gained alot of weight and im concerned about her well being although theres no way i would put her back out with the cold and all, but she doesnt get any exericse. im thinking i may let her back out in the spring and still feed her and let her in to sleep.

she's very happy when im around and loves to snuggle and such, but im wondering if im worrying about it too much? she seems happy but its kind of sad that she was able to roam free and now shes cooped up in an apt all day and doesnt move from the corner on my bed.

any thoughts?

caseopele · October 2007

It could be that she's just happy to have a home. Stray cats lives are not the best, they're under constant stress to find shelter and food. Not to mention staying out of harm's way (dogs, other cats, crazy people). Maybe she's had her fill of excitement and is perfectly content to curl up on your warm bed with plenty of food to eat. Other than being a little skittish, does she show any signs of being unhappy? I have 4 cats and one is a former stray. Kiki loves to sleep on my pillow or up on a shelf, she doesn't like being picked up and isn't quite as friendly to other people as she is to me. Another cat, Pele, is kind of anti-social and rarely is affectionate but I've come to realize that's just the way she is. I've had her since she was about 2 months old and she's always been this way. My other 2 cats love to snuggle and one is very friendly with other people. It could just be her personality, don't compare her to your other cat when judging her happiness.

Does she like to play with any toys, maybe a cat dancer or something interactive? Hope this makes sense, I'm way too tired to be posting anything but I still do it anyway.

You're a wonderful person for taking a stray kitty in, she's very lucky to have chosen your fire escape. Maybe she knows it and is making the most of it!

lilbangladesh · October 2007

You also didn't mention her age. The vet can usually guesstimate a cat's age. Older cats are not apt to move around as much. While my 16-year-old is pretty hyper for his age, because he's 16, he spends a lot of time under the covers on my bed.

Then again, I had another cat who refused to move after she turned one. You could step on her in the middle of the night and all you would get is a feeble meow of protest, but she still wouldn't move. She wasn't depressed. It was just how she was.

I'm willing to bet that if your kitty is enjoying snuggling up to you, then he's probably not depressed. Also, if eating behavior hasn't changed, probably not depressed. Cats tend to NOT eat when depressed.

Generally cats, even strays, do not need a lot of space. Your cat may very well be content just as he is. If your cat is going batshit and destroying furniture by climbing them and leaping off it, then maybe you need to throw a leash on him and take him for a walk (on quiet streets only!) to get rid of the excess energy. I had to do that with Penny when I lived in a tiny efficiency. His medication was also making him super-hyper. Now that I live in a larger apartment, I don't have to do that anymore. Otherwise, if your cat is mellow, don't worry about it.

MOD · October 2007

I wouldn't let her out again, unless supervised. Kitties are weird and run off without realizing that they might not know how to get back.

alafairnadia · October 2007

I've found that cats take over a year to adjust to a change. fully adjust, I mean, not just settle in. give her time. don't let her out. she'll either start moving or she won't. signs of depression in humans are the same in cats: is her personal grooming affected? is she drinking enough water? if she's still cleaning herself and staying hydrated, I'd give her time to process. she may have been seriously affected by her time on the streets. poor baby!
and good for you for taking her in - affectionate strays are wonderful beings.

lilbangladesh · October 2007

Yeah, I have definitely have to agree with that. The city is NOT a happy place for an outdoor kitty. If he takes to a leash and you want to be the weird cat lady who walks her cat, go ahead, but otherwise, keep your cat INDOORS.

And if your cat goes out for any reason, have him microchipped.

Your cat may just be happy to be on the bed. If he really wanted out, he'd be at the window or door and yowling his head off.

My older cat, who's a stray, is immobile in the mornings. All he does is lie down where the sun comes in.

cabaki · October 2007

thanks for the advice everyone. i dont think she's depressed after the points you guys brought up because she eats and grooms fine. she's just fat, happy and complacent, but i guess i feel a little guilty for keeping her cooped up, though i know its better for her well being in the end.

vanilla · October 2007

Cabaki wrote: thanks for the advice everyone. i dont think she's depressed after the points you guys brought up because she eats and grooms fine. she's just fat, happy and complacent, but i guess i feel a little guilty for keeping her cooped up, though i know its better for her well being in the end.

you could put her on a diet --- i mean, just give her a little less food. sometimes my cat eats way too much (he'll loves to eat the other cat's food the time) and then i notice him in bed not moving for what seems like days. but he's really happy!!

also, if they are too hyper at night & i really have to get to sleep i give them a little extra food to calm them down.

sweet tea · October 2007

she also may not be playing because your other cat is the dominant one. this is pretty common, as i understand it. you situation sounds like ours.

our older female cat used to play more, but now that we have a hyper, social (and hyper-social -- he's like a dog) young cat, she won't. even if we lock him in another room, or one of us keeps him busy, she usually won't play. i've been told that this is common feline social structure.

on the other hand, they do chase each other around the house for the 1/2 hour a day she doesn't spend sleeping on something, and she seems pretty happy -- not lonely like she was before we got the other cat. (she's a little fat, but after the scare we had with hepatic lipidosis last year, i'm happy to see her chubby.)

we do make sure to spend a little time each day on things she likes -- like combing her at bedtime, or just a prolonged petting session.

dakotas way · November 2007

It's really great that you took this cat in. What a lonely world it can be out there when you're at the mercy of anyone you come into contact with, be it good or bad.

She's probably so very happy that she has a home that she's just taking it all in.
Please don't let her back out into the city. You'd never forgive yourself if something happened to her or she got lost.
Some cats just like to hang out and not get really involved. But they're loving it just the same.

lucille · November 2007

Years ago, when I adopted my dog, my cat who was about eight at the time took to living on top of a cabinet. She only came down to use the litter box or when I brought her down when the dog was out of sight. This went on for quite some time, even though she had lived with a dog and several cats previously. In the end, they wound up sleeping and playing together. But it took a really ong time. She really may still be adjusting.
What does she do if you pick her up and carry her out of your bedroom?

cabaki · November 2007

Lucille wrote: Years ago, when I adopted my dog, my cat who was about eight at the time took to living on top of a cabinet. She only came down to use the litter box or when I brought her down when the dog was out of sight. This went on for quite some time, even though she had lived with a dog and several cats previously. In the end, they wound up sleeping and playing together. But it took a really ong time. She really may still be adjusting.
What does she do if you pick her up and carry her out of your bedroom?

she doesnt like to be picked up in general, though she somewhat allows it now, and it was out of the question in the beginning. she hasnt been acting depressed the past few weeks - i've been leaving my door open so its easier for her to roam freely through the apt. i had been keeping my door closed because i have a roommate, and she wasnt using the cat door at all for some reason. i guess she was just going through a lazy phase!

laura · November 2007

Some cats just hate to be picked up. Both my Wanda (16 years old) and Lucinda (5 years old) think it's absolute torture to be picked up. (On the other hand Aubrey BEGS to be picked up.) And even though I've had Lucinda since she was a kitten (she was from a feral community) and she's a total love muffin (if she had her way she'd be on my lap All Day Long), she is still weirdly skittish if I move suddenly or carry an unfamiliar object near her. Also, there must be No Movement Or Noise whilst she is eating.

lilbangladesh · November 2007

oh dear God. Getting that cat to eat must be torture.

Be vewwy vewwy quiet!!!

I have to sit in the bathroom with Tuly to get her to eat.

lucille · November 2007

I know what you all mean about cats not liking to be picked up. I'm glad to hear that depressed cat seems to be coming a bit out of shell, or at least out of your bedroom.
I have two cats that turned up on the breast of their mum in my old back yard when they were 4 weeks old. I managed to get all of them adopted (four kitties and a mom) and kept my two. One just can't get enough of being held and the other is just not so crazy about it, although she does sleep next to my head and knead my dog's belly. I guess we all have our own tempraments.

depressed cat

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