I know this is going to sound strange... but i think my cat is depressed..

Question

almost my whole family lives in europe

so i went to go visite them this summer

and for the first mounth, my father stayed with it

although he is not a very good companion

he just feeds it and thats about it

sometimes he even forgets that

and for the second mounth of europe,

an old family friend came to the house every other day

to feed the cat and give it water and take care of the house

when i came back, my cat gained about 10 pounds [now it looks more like a dog], and it acts really depressed

like it doesnt mew, and before it use to all the time

and it just sits around lounging acting like one of those old old cats

i think that it was so alone, that it had nothing else to do but eat

usually we let it out, but since we were gone we kept it in the garage

my dad said that when i was gone, it just went in my room looking for me and mewing and sniffing my bed.

im really worried because it can bearly move now

before i could feel its ribs and now its just fat

well anyway,

my question is, how do i return my cat back to normal

?

how do i help it loose weight and become happy

because it didnt even care that i came back

when usually he purrs and shows delight.

Answer 1

When cats start acting out of character it usually means that they are ill.

Answer 2

How long have you been back from your trip? It's quite likely that your cat is sulking and giving you the "silent treatment" since you left her. In the past, when I've boarded my cat at the vet while I've gone out of town, when I've gotten back she would always sulk around for a while and want nothing to do with me for a couple days. It was almost like she was punishing me for not being there with her. It didn't take long though before she was back to normal. Give your kitty lots of love and attention and I'm sure she'll be back to normal in no time at all. If not, I would consult your vet. Good luck and hope your kitty feels better!

Answer 3

Cats do get depressed.  read the portion by pounds on your cat food. buy him diet cat food, and feed him 1 measuring cup a day, and buy lots of different kind of interactive toys and play with him. get him some catnip scratching posts, and a cat tree, your cat needs stimulation that is why he is depressed, and he needs proper diet, if you can afford it take him to the vet and get him on a prescription diet. how much does your cat weigh?

Answer 4

animals certainly can experience depression. since you were gone for such a long time, your cat may now feel insecure, uncertain as to whether you could disappear again at any time. i once went away for two weeks, and when i returned, my cat gave me the cold shoulder  instead of greeting me joyfully as he usually did. if you give it alot of extra one-on-one time, cuddling or brushing, or whatever it usually likes, and act reassuring, it may take some time, but i think it will regain trust. as to being overweight, that will cause laziness, possibly some level of discomfort, and can become a health issue. putting a cat on a weight-loss regimen can be tricky - some brands of cat food, such as iams, have weight-control varieties, and you could try that. it's best not to change foods suddenly, but mix old & new, less new at first and graduall change the balance over to the new stuff until eventually you have all new food. you don't want a cat to lose too much weight too fast, maybe afew months or so to drop those 10 extra pounds. good luck with the weight, and i hope your kitty begins to purr joyfully very soon!

Answer 5

He feels neglected, you should spend as much time with him as you can, to help him loose weight you should feed him better quality food and feed him less, if you just give him heaps of attention I'm sure he'll warm up to you!

Hope this helps! Good luck.  

Answer 6

Your cat's life changed dramatically in a short time for no apparent reason.  Naturally, he was lonely, mad, and even frightened.  If you don't travel much, he has no reason to understand your absence.  

Yes your boy is unhappy.  Why? He didn't have your companionship and attention.  Your pet sitters provided practical care but most humans give their pets so much more.    

So what now?  Cut back his diet to a bit less than you used to give him and give him lots of lovings.  Get back outside, everyday.  Take one of his favorite toys if you need to coax him.  This will take some time but it is doable.

If you anticipate travel in the future, practice now.  Once a month (or so), stay overnight with a friend but not on a work day.  You will need to get back to your boy soon.  I've had family and friends "care" for my pets and every time it was a disaster.  Start looking for an inexpensive pet sitter.  If you can't afford a pet sitter, maybe you can find someone you can trade pet care with.  If family and friends are your best bet, make a list of care you want for your boy and make sure they know how important this is to you.  Remind them of this incident for the guilt factor if necessary.