How to Tell If a Cat Is Sad or Depressed?

Cats can be sad or depressed more often than we think. They can suffer from separation anxiety when a caregiver changes their schedule; or when a caregiver is too busy to play or cuddle them. Cats can also suffer from depression after moving into a new home. But, cats do not talk and frequently, cat mild depression goes unnoticed until it becomes a serious problem. To avoid that scenario, we can look for symptoms of depression before it gets serious. The first symptom we can notice in a depressed cat is a lack of activity. Namely, depressed cats are unmotivated to play and engage in activities that they found alluring before. Cats can also become extremely vocal when depressed. It can look like as they are whining about their situation. Sometimes, a previously outdoor cat may yowl to go outside. A good idea is to make the cat’s environment interesting and dynamic before cat develops a serious form of the illness. Feline experts have noticed that usually quiet cats become very loud when feeling sad, while noisy cat becomes extremely quiet. For that reason, they suggest paying attention to every behavior that looks extreme or atypical to our cat. To learn more about how to tell if a cat is sad or depressed, the article “6 Warning Signs That Your Cat Is Depressed” gives us the following list.

#1 – Lethargy

#2 – Lack of Appetite

#3 – Over or Under Grooming

#4 – Hiding or Avoiding Affection

#5 – Excessively Vocal

#6 – Aggression

However, whenever we wonder about how to tell if a cat is sad or depressed, we should not forget to consider any medical issue. Namely, when feel unwell cats tend to hide and exclude themselves from usual activities and family life. For that reason, before we begin to think about cat depression, a cat’s health condition needs to be examined by a vet. Only after that, we may continue to find out the reasons and solutions for their unhappiness.