You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Cats
- Cats
- older cat
Cats/older cat
Advertisement
Question
my cats is 15 years, I recently got a divorce and had to leave him at the house with ex because of apt living. He won't eat the foods he always loved and when I recently got him for a few days visit his eyes looked dead. After a couple days he looks better. He has kidney disease. My question is, could he be depressed and could it be because he is missing me as much as I miss him? He was always mainly my cat. I am in a house now and am going to try and get him full time. Do you think a kitty antidepressant would be worth a try? I have always had regular ckups for him and plan to take him to a vet this week. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have grieved for Tux and my sister says she thinks he is grieving for me.
Kay,
Like people, cats do suffer from separation anxiety. Usually, cats get over that in a couple of weeks. However, at age 15, being so set in his ways, he could be depressed over the separation. Add to that the tension of your going through the divorce, he probably has been depressed.
He may take a couple of weeks to get used to the new house. You will have to keep an eye on him with the kidney disease, since all these changes and tension have stressed him out, and this stress can exacerbate the disease. I am not sure the anti-depressants vets prescribe will really have the desired effect on the cat, so, if I can avoid them, I would.
You just have to give it time to see how he does in the new house.
Best regards... Norm.
Related Articles
- Solve Separation Anxiety in Cats -- How to Solve Separation Anxiety in Cats
- Ecru, my Talkative Tabby - Reader Stories: Living with a Domestic Cat
- Ask Amy - Cat Poop - Litter Box Problems - Separation Anxiety
- Missy Changed my Mind - Reader Stories: How I Became an Accidental Cat Parent
- Cat PoPurrE - Cats Site of the Week for week beginning 4-28-00
Answers by Expert:
Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.
Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.
Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.
Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook
Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.
Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.