AboutJessica Expertise I have bred Siamese cats and have years of experience caring for homeless, feral, orphaned, and terminally ill cats. I am knowledgeable in cat behavior, health, history, troubleshooting, breeds, coat patterns and colors, and trivia.
Experience I have extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to at-home medical care to rescuing homeless cats and placing them in homes. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning. I have given supportive care to cats suffering from diabetes, terminal cancer, feline leukemia, feline infectious peritonits, and kidney, liver, and heart failure. I have been through chemotherapy with two of my cats who had lymphoma and have also been through many cutting edge surgeries with my special needs cats.
Question recently my mother passed away,and left me her cat she is about 5 yrs old and has always been healthy regular visits to vet shots etc. i spent 2 weeks in the house with her adjusting her to my smell etc all seemed well so we traveled from calif to colorado we have been home almost 2 months we have other cats but i kept her secluded from the rest of the animals she was fine and then she started sleeping more and more sometimes i wouldn't see her for 2 and 3 days in the past 3 weeks her appetite has dwindled to almost nothing i have experimented with just about every kind of cat food and now tuna,sardines and even baby cat milk but still to no avail she is long haired and she is becoming horribly matted she moves around and i have even given her access to outdoors she goes out and returns but she just seems so distant and moves ever so slowly what can i do? is she mourning? help debra
Answer Hi Debra. I don't think she's likely mourning at this point. Typically the mourning period resolves within 3 months. If she is mourning normally, she should be improving by now.
It is a fact that some cats slip so deeply into depression that they can't get out without help, just like people, and they need medications to stabilize their moods. This is a possibility.
However, I fear a physical illness is probably present here because of the severity of the symptoms. A vet visit is definitely in order. If there is no obvious sign of infection, the vet will probably suggest a full blood panel to check for kidney, liver and pancreas function, as well as thyroid levels, diabetes, anemia, high or low white blood cell count, feline leukemia and AIDS (if these haven't been performed), and protein levels. He or she will also listen for heart function, breathing problems, and palpate the abdomen for growths or obstructions. A urine test might be wise, as well, to check for urinary tract crystals or infection.
If all tests come back normal, it may be wise to discuss an antidepressant with the vet. Most often, these can be discontinued after a few months' use.
