8 Signs Your Cat Might Be Depressed and How to Help

In this video, Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ explains the symptoms of depression in cats and what you should do if your cat is showing these signs.
Read the complete guide on the Cats.com site: cats.com/depressed-cat
Humane Society guidelines on introducing a new cat: www.animalhumanesociety.org/b...
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0:00 Introduction
0:38 Signs of Depression in Cats
3:11 Causes of Depression in Cats
6:36 How to Help a Depressed Cat
13:39 Conclusion
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[@chloerobin6304]

1. Inappropriatel elimination/defecation 2. Changes in vocalization 3. Decreased grooming 4. Changes in habits (eating/sleeping/ play pattern)

[@attheranch873]

Reading these heartbreaking situations in the comments that are going unanswered makes me feel very sad. People need to ask questions somewhere else.

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

:/ I know. It's difficult to catch every question, and of course, most of these are not things we can answer, but I feel we're letting a lot of people down. Thanks for reminding us of this as an encouragement to improve...

[@carlosvillegas8775]

If you don't talk to your cat about catnip, somebody else will.

[@oliviamartini9700]

😂😂😂

[@Sk0lzky]

One of my cats went through horrible depression after my dog who he grew up with (and learnt most behaviours from which is hilarious) had died. It took over a year of light medication and introduction of two other cats for him to slowly return to the normal (well, his normal. We picked him up from Tesco parking lot as a stray kitten, without any socialisation or knowing "cat ways", his primary modes of vocal communication are various forms of growling and weird whiny noises, since that's what he picked up from our husky x))

[@stayhappyhumans4416]

Oh thats nice, you saved him! That is very sweet he must be happy with you know

[@ricaricardorn]

i Got depression after 3 of my pets died in the same month, my dog was just really really odd and died peacefully but then 2 of the "special" cats i had died they were super interactive one of them refused to leave the house because I was home most of the time died and I don't know why (no one told me what happened because they know how special he was to me) and the other one was also super interactive and had her own cute fetishes and such but she got run over and what got me to make a scene at my school was the fact that she war run over there right next to my school, just imagine going through a stressfull day of school and you're ready to go home and be with your cat and then she is fucking dead on the road next to the school. And now I have 2 cats 1 that i had since I was 4 years old Wich is also the mother of the 2 i talked about and one that my sister adopted because she couldn't go without the other one Wich was always home with us (especially my sister because she was her ACTUAL owner) so she adopted a baby one Help

[@swettyspaghtti]

I have to play with my cat about and hour over the day...he would play 10 hours a day with me if i was able lol

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

That's some energy! 🐾🔥

[@TheDaffyduck1963]

My cat is also high energy. It’s always play time.

[@nerllyneskenassy3659]

My cats too!!

[@jillianoldfield2300]

My cat too! I get tired before he does! But it gives me a lot of joy, I'm a happy human.

[@swettyspaghtti]

@@jillianoldfield2300 :)

[@lilyrrichard236]

I am housesitting a 5 month old kitten and 2 year old chiuawawa for a month while my son in law and daughter are relocated out of state. My adult male cat has stopped socializing with the family. He was barely eating and stays behind the couch. I started feeding him so hand held squeeze food twice a day while holding him and loving on him and got some new scratch pads and tower. I basically spoiled him for 3 days and today he is back to normal. It was scary. I thought he was sick but the vet said it was probably depression so I worked on that.

[@waltermatthewmeza9310]

An interesting reminder that if we bring in other new animals, our own adult cats need to know from us that they still belong! [ Thanks for posting, great example ]

[@petergriffiinbirdistheword]

My cats got happy when an abuser left and they got sad when a baby entered.

[@franqueroz6027]

Our young cat, Jett has been so different for about a week. All she does is lay around and watch cartoons! She won't meow or play.

[@benton-benton]

I'm going to play the throw the kibble game. I know my boy would love it. Thanks!

[@rachelwhite1702]

My cat loves doing this, she’s so food motivated it’s the easiest way of getting her to exercise! 😂

[@edytag1979]

My cat loves this game. I play kibble game with him twice a day and he can't wait for it 😀

[@eyimofe3310]

Me watching this video from start to finish.. when I don't have a kitty yet.. I just love them ♥️♥️♥️♥️😂

[@MadHax-wt5tl]

I adopted a 16 year old, her former owner surrendered her to the RSPCA when they moved into a nursing hole. As fare as I can tell this home body of a cat lived in the same environment for 15 years, then in the space of a year her entire world was flipped upside down. She is lacking confidence, and seems depressed, but I'm making sure my house is quiet and stress free, and even after 3 days I am seeing some positive responses. I know this will take time, but I've got all the time in the world for her.

[@waltermatthewmeza9310]

I wish more folks would adopt senior cats like you've done. Best wishes!

[@MadHax-wt5tl]

@@waltermatthewmeza9310 My previous comment was 3 months ago, so here's an update for anyone who's reading. Trixie has wholeheartedly made my house her home, and the two of us have bonded really well. This is all thanks to videos like this one, that have really helped me learn more about car relationships. And to finish I will promote the rewarding thing that is the adoption of older cats and pets in general.😸

[@bellazaida]

I just recently left the house and I had someone take care of my kittens, and when I came back home, they were like feeling sad they were not acting like they usually do but thank you for this video

[@butchspence1047]

Hi Sarah! You are the best feline vet ever on the internet! My cat Siggy (Sigaard) I believe was slightly depressed when we moved from a suburban environment to a very rural wooded property and had to part with his three female companions. However, I quickly devised a plan to eliminate his post-move depression. I cut out several long walk paths in the woods around the property with secluded sitting benches. It only took Siggy 1-2 days to thoroughly explore each path. Now, each morning when we get up, we go out and walk one of the pathways (all average about 200yds). Sometimes I lead. Sometimes Siggy likes to lead. He has scratching logs on each pathway that he uses religiously. Sometimes he wants me to stop and sit on a bench with him. After we walk, he gets his breakfast food, and then is free to roam the property for the rest of the day. Not only does he get good exercise, but he makes choices of which paths to take, and who leads the walks. This early morning routine makes Siggy a very happy cat.

[@andreah6379]

My cat, Tigger, was my only family and real friend. He knew it! If any stranger came to my front door, Tigger who was typically afraid of strangers, would go to the front door & growl! He was very protective of me. And that's the only time I ever would hear Tigger growl.

[@sarahgocek5906]

Both our boys are harness trained, and we also have a cat stroller for them because they're both overweight at this point and get tired. So they go on their harness and into the stroller with the top open. They know to put their paw on the edge if they're ready to go down and walk again. Our boys LOVE it, and we feel really safe. I would love a catio as well but our HOA does not allow them.

[@benton-benton]

That is so sweet picturing your boys going in and out of their stroller wearing their harnesses. Just made me smile thinking of it.

[@belmum1689]

My partner is building my purbabies a catio we are going to get two wine barrels and cut them in half and grow plants that are safe for cats like..... cat grass etc.

[@edytag1979]

I walk my cat on the leash outdoors. He is 10 months old and he loves it. He runs and jumps , climbs bushes and trees . He also hunts small insects , squirrels and birds which helps him to stay in shape . Just for fun 😁. He is a very happy cat. I play with him every day a few times a day. He is my first cat and I live him very much and enjoy his company.

[@ritashustitzky2934]

My two, two year old cats don't show interest in playing too much. Sometimes I can get them to play but I notice my one cat stops playing if I start playing with his brother. I've tried many kind of toys without success. I feel bad that it is such an effort to play. I've had many cats and these two are the first cats that have down this. I wanted to walk them like I did with a cat I had previously. That cat loved it. They do have cat trees and spend a good time looking out the window when they are not sleeping.

[@julilla1]

My cats were the same. As soon as one of them came the play, the other cat would just walk off. They just would not play together until I played with a feather toy on the bed and on the floor. Then they each took a spot and I'd move the toy randomly, letting each one have a couple of minutes before I switched. They liked that much better. While one was catching his breath, the other would play until I'd worn them both out a few times.

[@sarahgocek5906]

You could try clicker training, to at least get some mental stimulation even if they won't play. This would be one on one with each cat so it's give you some good bonding time.

[@attheranch873]

See Jackson Galaxy’s excellent videos on you tube on how to get a cat to play.

[@oscarthagrouch]

i got my cat checked out at the vet today, and they said her vitals and everything else seemed fine. she had a tick on her and we only saw it today but i think it was there for a couple days already. she had stopped grooming herself for a week already, and always came back to us with matted fur. she also stopped eating and drinking. i told this to the vet and they said it probably wasn’t related to the tick. she’s been acting really strange recently and just doesn’t have a personality

[@christinathea5737]

is she better now?

[@Islam-for_life]

Wait my cat has been the same, please tell me what you did and what was the outcome this will really help me, thank you :) I hope your cat is better now!!

[@Pistachios36]

Update? Was she depressed?

[@bernadettetsosie6309]

My cat was harness trained as a kitten and didn't start walking until 8 months...she loves going outside. Try to put her on a harness and leash when going outside even it it is tethered to a tree/post. She can sit for hours if I let her. But the best time is during our evening walks. She loves it and starts to cry when we haven't gone outside for our walk!

[@danif.9414]

I rescued a little black kitty last week, she's been living in the street with a group of other cats for the last couple of years but lately she looked in really bad shape (large scar on her neck - probably attacked by another cat or dog, I don't know, plus she was very skinny). So I took her to the vet and ran some tests. They gave her antibiotics and a couple of supplements to help her recover faster. I already have two other girls, so I kept her in the bathroom for a week - she never complained, in fact I believe she felt safe for the first time in her life. Yesterday I took her to my bedroom, she meowed a little at first but then relaxed and stayed there all day till night. Meanwhile it looks like she's getting a little bit better every day. She also seems to trust me and will purr when I pet her. Today she's in the bathroom again but she is not showing any interest in what's behind the closed door. She keeps looking out the little window. She is still skinny, but now she is eating good food with pleasure it seems to me, and has a beautiful shining coat. She eliminates regularly in the box. I started wondering whether she was depressed or just needs time to recover and wants to be quiet and feel safe. Thanks to anyone who will bother reading all this and maybe answer or just give an opinion 🙏❤️

[@CuyahogaWing]

I commend you for helping this cat. I'm not any kind of expert, but intuitively I feel that it seems very possible that your cat, in spite of her rough life in the streets, could be missing one or two of the cats she got to know out there. Knowing how cats are (that is, social to the point of grooming each other and living in colonies as ferals), it seems likely that she may have bonded with at least one of the other cats whom she now misses. Alternatively, she could just miss being able to roam about freely outside; as she says in the video, cats do form a strong connection with their environment. In any case, it sounds like she is certainly better off indoors for health reasons, and your patience and loving care will gradually show results with her becoming more social indoors. Having been through something similar with my 2 cats, I do know it's best to give them their own beds, food bowls, and toys since they are territorial and that helps them feel secure. Also they are very sensitive to how things smell and want to have their own smell on their things! Hope this helps a little. Good luck 🙂

[@danif.9414]

@@CuyahogaWing thanks so much for your reply. Actually yesterday she suddenly got up and let me know she was ready to get out of the bathroom. I gave her the whole upstairs floor and she roamed around and explored and today for the first time she even played a little with a toy. I was so glad to see she's finally getting better! Now I'm going to try and introduce her gradually to my other two girls and see how they interact 🤞🏻🐱❤️

[@maferbruce]

I had the same experience with the stray kitten i rescued! He cried a lot at first and was really restless and then got really quiet and down and would sleep all day. I thought maybe he was ill! But after a few days he slowly became more playful and engaged. Now that I look back I think he was just recovering from the trauma and getting all the safe rest he maybe didn't get outside. Hope your kitty is doing ok!

[@danif.9414]

@@maferbruce Thank you very much for your reply, yes my kitty is getting better every day and she's playing a lot now 😺❤️

[@boniw698]

I am teaching my new rehomed cat to kitty harness and leash. We are doing great. She loves putting on the harness🙏🫶. She’s still cautious when we go out in the lawn. She wants to hide next to the apartment. Which she has a full screened patio she uses and loves. I’ve only had her 6 months and she was 2 years old or less when I got her ftom previous owner. We are both still learning about each other. I find your channel very helpful. Thank you

[@sirintornstantripop788]

I never knew about or thought about letting cats “catch” a laser pointer. This was all great advice: thank you 🙏🏻

[@cathybeebe4764]

I let my boy go out by himself on the patio but leave the door cracked so he can come in when he wants to. He never goes more than 30 - 50 ft.from the door. Yes, I am very lucky! I would like you to discuss the pros and cons of putting an elderly cat under for surgery. If you are comfortable with it, don't mean to put you on the spot. ,🐾😻

[@karleenbettencourt6299]

My Cat wears a Harness & Leash out on the Deck with me & walks around our Lawn. She also hasxa Stroller. Which she LOVES!

[@HeronCoyote1234]

Thank you, Dr. Wooten. I currently live in a stressful situation. In the next 45 days, I’ll be moving to a small apartment, taking my cat with me. I think we’ll both benefit from the calmer atmosphere. I’m going to set up a cat tree, and a couple of window ledge rests so kitty can enjoy Mother Nature. He’s fine with new places. We took him to my late mil’s house. He eventually wandered out of his carrier and had fun exploring.

[@Glissycat]

I hope you two are living happily now x

[@rayne1213]

My 5 yo male was diagnosed with depression a few days ago. He's bonded to my other male who is currently being isolated so I can treat his severe UTI. I was worried Brutus, the depressed cat, was getting sick with whatever his bond mate, Tigger, had. Vet said he's depressed. He doesn't eat. He doesn't drink. He just lays there. He's lethargic. I'm having to syringe feed him pedialite and gruel just to keep nourishment in him. I'm really concerned about him. He's given up on everything and it's breaking my heart.

[@lilyrrichard236]

Try feeding him some hand held Squeeze -ups while petting him. That helped my cat.

[@yuliyabutina7758]

Thank you a lot for the video! I adopted a cat 6 month ago, we've survived renovation (wasn't planned by me or my landlady, it was more of an obligatory one), being alone during vacation, a lot of new people visiting the place. And now I started to have a full-time offline job instead of online one, I noticed my bagel acting quite strange and go to more vocalizing moods with scratching some weird stuff like my papers and printed patterns, being less active and hiding more. I live in a quite small city where it's almost impossible to find a behavioral specialist so I had to check my guesses and have more insight on the topic and here I am. Thank you a lot for what you do and what knowledge you share ❤

[@ashleylobato3405]

Can you please talk about dental care for cats? My cat refuses to let me brush his teeth and becomes very violent when I try. I am looking into other options that he might like better.

[@chrisharris7931]

Have you tried Greenie's dental treats? That's what I use...thinking that it has to be better than not doing anything.

[@user-wl7zq7ky5x]

Violent ? Are you abusing your cat ?

[@heavenIysent777]

@@chrisharris7931 stop using greenies, it's not healthy, it has a lot of carbohydrates. I use the kelp dental powder.

[@Alexcutspie]

@@user-wl7zq7ky5x yeah omg it’s so _abusive_ that she cares for her felines oral health right? Like someone call CPS for the cats

[@lindajaeger4953]

I think my cat has been depressed since the death last March of the cat she grew up with. Now it's not as frequently as it was before. Thanks for the tips. I live in an apartment and feed birds on my balcony just to entertain her. It's become part of her morning routine.

[@TheDaffyduck1963]

My little Sugar walks well on a leash, but also loves her backpack. It doesn’t have the plastic bubble, but rather mesh all around. We make sure to fit the backpack securely, so it doesn’t wiggle around. If she sees it, she jumps inside, so that’s a sure sign. We also go slow and keep trips short.

[@bruteboy123]

So pretty much all the same symptoms that humans get with major depressive disorder, I just hope cats don't experience suicidal ideations 😢

[@-oi3824]

Sadly enough they can feel suicidal

[@_davus_]

@@-oi3824 no they can't , what the hell are you talking about?

[@-oi3824]

@@_davus_ they literally starve themselves to death in attempting suicide so yeah they do

[@_davus_]

@@-oi3824 tell me one thing, how the hell does a cat know that starving will lead them to death? I love cats as much as you do, but cats (and other pets) are not as intelligent as humans. Cats don't have the self-awareness of death as humans do. Yes, they obviously can commit self-destructive behaviour, but not with with intention of killing themselves. They dont have the concept of suicide present on their brains.

[@-oi3824]

@@_davus_ a cat knows if it doesn't eat it will die this is called instinct and this is actually research based a lot of animals commit suicide for various reasons and animals have a very beautiful minds they understand hope,death, love, danger and a lot more emotions.

[@Cupcakes8Musketeers]

Love it . Sooo informative 💖

[@NicoleMarie717]

Super helpful!!!! You touched on everything that crossed my mind!!!

[@tamaraatkins5767]

Love your videos, very helpful thank you!

[@a.rogers9358]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@sharonh988]

Very helpful. Thanks for the video.

[@relaxmycat]

This is such an important subject, thanks so much for sharing this vlog, really informative!

[@sarahpressler4592]

My cat likes cats tv when I am gone. He was depressed when i went to work. He got toys and now is active. :)

[@kaninuny]

that was helpful, thank you!

[@ActionableInfo]

This was so helpful. Just found your channel and am going through all your vids now. Amaazing help.

[@koalatheworld]

I walk my cat on a leash without difficulties and it enjoys it as much as I do except when times there were dogs around and their owner could not control them and that is when my cat got terrified. I will try your pet trolley idea next time. Hopefully, this will create a safe space for my cat to enjoy the space without having to worry about dogs.

[@Retrodesperado]

I've got a feeling that my foster cat is depressed. We found him, and his brother outside in our garden. They were just babies so we took them in. Him and his brother were together in our home for about 8 months. They would play together, groom each other, they would even fall asleep together. We already have 4 cats so we can't keep them. His brother ended up getting adopted earlier this month, and the poor little guy hasn't been the same. He's isolating himself, he won't eat, he used to be very vocal when it was dinner time, but he doesn't care anymore. He's also not grooming himself. I've bought him chicken to try to cheer him up, but his behavior isn't changing. It makes me sad seeing him like this. He's going to be adopted some time in the future so I'm very worried about him... 😢 I'm pretty sure he misses his brother 💔

[@shamayitacool]

Very informative.. thanks for the video 😊 thanks for especially mentioning about getting another cat for company is not always fool proof..

[@jacquelinegarcia6442]

Thank you for your help , I’ll try all these things , excited to see if any changes slowly happen!

[@lanahale7321]

I really enjoy your videos. I've learned so much, thank you.

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

I'm so glad!

[@elizabethswanepoel6770]

Thank you.. My cat is depressed.. Moving etc and your video today helped me a lot! Elize, Johhannesburg

[@craftyfox1959]

We have always been a indoor three or two cat household. Our Gracie has had issues with stress she would get bladder infections. So she was on a prescription diet. She does have first signs of kidney issues too. They prescribed S.O. calming formula by Royal Canin. Has anyone else had a vet change the diet to resolve stress issues? She was doing fine so I took her off that food and put her on Weruva. Any stress that does pop up she still does well. Our second cat recently passed away so Gracie is an only fut child. She is still doing well and her behavior has not changed from before to after our Murphy passed. Sadly she never interacted with him much. Just to swat at him. Gracie has always been an independent cat does her own thing, the house is her castle and she is the princess.

[@carlgomm9699]

My cat and I live alone after my wife passed away, kitty is now 13 yrs old, not sure if she's depressed but more likely bored, I don't let her go out as there's too many feral cats around, fleas are a big problem as well,I really like this channel and subscribed to your show because of the quality of this show, keep up the good work !!

[@petergriffiinbirdistheword]

Omg, one of my cats that never meows has been vocal lately and I thought it was so strange. I think my cats are struggling. I have a baby now and have not been able to play with them the way I used you. 😢

[@XTR02]

My 1.5 year old cat literally cries when he’s sad. It literally sounds like a child crying. It’s nonstop sad meowing that’s very intense. He does this when he’s very bored or when he feels lonely. It’s crazy because me, my wife and my other cat might be in another room but he cries from loneliness until we come to him.

[@waltersobchak7275]

Before my 6 boys were snipped they didn’t groom at all. Once the problems were removed they became groomaholics. Their fur seems way thicker and softer. It may be due to the grooming but I don’t think so. When our household was suffering from delta all the cats seemed lethargic. Three people passed and the cats didn’t seem to notice. Although grandma and two great aunts were not cat lovers at all. I had to neglect all of the animals for about three weeks. Not on feeding just on affection. I think they understood though. Took everything just to make it to the food bowl without gasping for air.

[@briimarie2218]

I'd love a video on behavior changes or over all changes a cat can experience after giving birth. it's been about 2- 2 1/2 months since ours gave birth (she was a street cat we didn't know was pregnant til it was too late from how skinny she originally was) but before she was loving liked our attention and company now she just seems to only be food motivated and not really interested in us. only wants food from us and wants to eat constantly even if there is food out she will cry for more. shes beginning to gain significant weight from this. it's frustrating and also heartbreaking. we give her and the kittens lots of toys, interactive play time, combing, pets etc idk what else to do.

[@avengingscapegqat4598]

I have a small group of cats. One of them died last year and her best friend her sister, was very depressed. They were rescued off the street at the same time. She doesn't play much since then. I think she knew her little sister was gone.

[@mok8591]

What a lovely introduction

[@ICOD73]

I rescued a cat who was abandoned. She just stays in her box, exits to eat and urinate, and then go into her box. She does not groom herself, sometimes sits in the litter box, and does not eat well. Also, she does not interact at all.

[@jessicarios5415]

I just lost my dog, CAIRO. Touchko, My cat has been really sad.we miss him so much.

[@maryannl5846]

My cat Milo loves his leash & harness! However I made a rookie mistake by not applying flea meds regularly & that was a temporary set back. 🐱

[@Sk0lzky]

Random flea infections (probably from mice or hedgehogs) always turn one of my cats from a fairly normal good boy (albeit not the hug-loving kind) into nervous, overreacting incarnation of hatred >

[@mlsaulnier]

I always enjoy your videos and will take some of these advices I do think my cat is depressed - we moved to another country a couple of months ago. She is slowly adjusting but has gained a lot of weight ( but she is also 8 months so in her teenage years).

[@CatsVDO]

😻😻

[@richardparis8738]

Great video

[@crimsonkirsten]

My cat loves going on walks with his harness and leash! 😺

[@Prene16]

I went on vocation for the first time in three years and it's the first time I wasn't homs for my cat since we got him three years ago and now they send me videos of him being down and saying he didnt go for food and didnt eat happily.... I dont know if I am touched but I am one step away from getring the first plane home

[@lisarodriguez4216]

Your great, thank you for this information

[@lisarodriguez4216]

I also forgot to ask, if a cat looks into space for a long time, is that a sign of depression for them? Thank you again 😊

[@areebachewa8318]

I saw some videos and commenting not to play with laser with the cat and it make them frustrating as they could not catch the laser ....

[@benton-benton]

We played the kibble game! My boy and I had a great time! What a great suggestion. Thank you so much! We will do it every day.

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

Aww, so happy it worked for you and your cat!

[@CatsVDO]

I have two kittens (One is Rescued by me) and one mother cat. I take care of them and love the scene when kittens Playing together and mother cat patrolling around them.

[@PinkFlowers365]

thanks a lot

[@meryemamaouche8158]

My aunt's cat gave birth to some kittens and one of them was given for adoption when he was 2 months old Today the girl who adopted him told my aunt that he hasn't been playing or eating after being with her for 6 days We took him back home My heart is breaking for him He is not eating All he wants to do is sleep He keeps hiding And he lost so much weight it hurts to look at him or even hold him cuz I can feel his ribs

[@gl15col]

I adopted MeiMei from the humane society, and she'd been at the PetSmart for many weekends, as she was adult and hard to find a home for. She just crouched on the table when I met her, and never moved even a muscle. The first year she lived with me she stayed in my walk in closet and only came out to eat and go pot. After all those months I was almost ready to give up hope, but one day she came out and started begging to be picked up. She's done really well in the 6 years since, but I never realized cats could be depressed until I took her in, a big surprise for me!

[@JC-mo6vp]

haaa that’s heart breaking 🙁i notice all cat at the pet smart and humane are depressed i hope they all find a good home like ur thanks for not giving up

[@user-po5wj4qc6k]

I really don’t know my cat got spayed about 2 weeks ago and before she always played with my dogs and she was a very active kitten but after those weeks she doesn’t play with my dogs anymore, sleeps a lot, Pees in wrong places, hides A LOT please respond and inform me I miss my active kitty 😢

[@rubberkiwi1]

Wink, our one eyed ginger boy, loves going out on his harness and leash and then on winter days or at strange places, we go out in a pet stroller. We just got him a booster car seat for rides in the car now besides his carrier. 😸👍

[@RiaSoul33]

My cats walk with me, no leash or anything. They just follow. 😉 recently lost my dad that was living with us. My elder cat has been very depressed but now I live alone, I fear they are lonely. I'm trying to balance everything but they are like little humans ❤ they are my world. Thank you for the info. ⚘

[@karenpreston4482]

I have to go back to working 12 hour shifts 2 days a week am dreading it as we have spent the last 14 years together, I feel so bad to leave him this long

[@oliviamartini9700]

I hope it's been okay? I face the same problem. It might help you to know that cats have no concept of time - so your being gone for three or 14 hrs won't make a real difference to him, especially only twice/week. Please don't feel guilty. It's household income he'll benefit from too :)

[@vanillacat5174]

Thx

[@Evolition180]

I live in a big city on the rooftop (8 floor) and I have a big garden that I take my cat out on with a leash and harness. He likes it. 👍

[@pipkin5287]

Even though my cat is an indoor/outdoor kitty (he's got a cat flap and we don't live in the US) I've *still* trained him to walk on a leash, because being confined stresses him out. Which means that, every time he goes to the vet, he gets put in an open carrier with a leash on, so he can choose to hide, but also sit up and look around without running away. It's, hands down, the best decision I made when he was a kitten.

[@Evelyn_Is_Fine]

We just got a new kitten and my seven year old cat doesn’t seem happy but it’s not in a made way it’s more like a depressed way so I’m hoping he’ll learn we love both him and his new brother. Maybe one day they will become play mates!

[@brooksrownd2275]

Our new boy cat has always been comfortable with the harness and leash, but we are only using it to bring him downstairs weekly to meet the old girl cats who are still terrified of him. He wants to chase and jump on them.

[@susand4424]

My indoor cat is harness trained and goes for regular walks. Over the last three days he has stopped playing so much, stopped crying to go out, sleeping more and if I go to sit with him and stroke him, he turns his back on me and moves away, which he has never done before. I'm thinking he may be depressed so will try a few of these options and see if it helps. Thanks for this video :)

[@nannybannany]

We totally have harnesses for our cats!

[@anthony3604]

thank you Dr for this very informative video . I walk Prusky EVERY single day at least 30 minutes a day and he always want MORE , I try to bring him to the forest with backpack but he hates the way to the forest because we have to walk next to a noisy road so ... We will see but Thanks to that and wet food he lost like a kilogram in a few month he was 7.5 and know he is 6.5 or less maybe but the beautifull thing is know i feel his ribs when i pet him

[@anntv4654]

The mother cat I think is depressed because of her looks now. She had a wound on her left face. She hides in the corner. She don't go to her kittens. She don't like to eat. Her fur also is falling. Like balding.

[@justagirl27]

ok, so my cat is "just" less energetic, sleeps a lot, moves slowly... so I think it could be worse... however, her depression is caused by my newborn baby - the cat can not understand why I do not pet her anymore (to avoid fur on my clohes), why she is restrained from sleeping in our bed (again - to avoid fur plus the fact my newborn is 14 days old) etc. I hope all will get better when my newborn gets a little older... so I can intoduce them propperly.

[@priscillawarren2367]

I cat proofed my back yard so they are safe and can't get out. I have 2 and they love to go out. I have a 12 year old and a 6 year old. My 6 year old dose not mind wearing a harness. But my 12 year old panics. So we don't put one on him. We do go out with our cats for their safety. They were both rescue cats and are very loved.

[@ednadonaldson31]

after I finished laughing... bought a harness and leash from the dollar store fully expecting it to be a failure so I did not want to invest any money. Well I am happy to tell you I was wrong!!! My cat loves it and we go for walks often. still with the dollar store harness and leash. So yes some cats like it. Mine does.

[@carissagunderson1346]

Great. Now I have to worry about my cat being depressed.

[@sydshided]

You.. clicked and watched the video ????

[@pauljo1597]

I started walking with leash but my cat loves to walk without a leash and he stays right next to me. My cat loves the walks and people that see it thinks it's ahwsome. I and my cat (Clark) have gotten to know almost everyone in the neighborhood., Fairfield, ca

[@AllAboutCatsYT]

That's amazing! We'd love to feature your story, by the way. Feel free to email me at [e-mail].

[@BastIsis88]

I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old who are both harness and leash trained. We go outside most days (weather permitting). Highly recommend this so at least they can have some outside time, otherwise indoors cats (both males). I can definitely tell how not going outside effects their mood if we've had a few days of bad weather. We are also using CBD for them.

[@CatsVDO]

😻😻

[@remyasmar418]

I always wanted to get 2 Bengal kittens but all of my friends are laying on the guilt trip and telling me to get stray siblings from a shelter. So I decided that I would do the next best thing.Ever since COVID has been "over" and people have gone back to work there has been a lot of purebred adult cats that started to develop separation anxiety where their owners have decided to put them up for sale. Although I would of preferred kittens I could now get 2 adult cats for a fraction of the cost of 1 kitten.What scares me though is how do you introduce 2 adult Bengals to a new home that were bought because they were now adult cats demonstrating separation anxiety. All of my friends are now also telling me to stay far away from doing this type of purchase for the cats will come with a lot of baggage and end up becoming a nightmare to deal with.I would want to do the right thing by adopting adult cats and giving them a second chance in life but now I am hesitating so if anyone could advise me what to do

[@ellewright6991]

We lost our old cat 2 weeks ago and we also adopted a beautiful dog. Although our 18m old ragdoll gets along well with other animals including our other cats and the dog, he has what we think is depression. It's strange. His eyes are different and he's not happy like he was. So obviously he's noticed Dora isn't coming inside anymore or he's jealous in regards to attention etc.

[@joniangelsrreal6262]

My 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐾🐾🐾🐾 twin boys love this video… purrrrrrs to you

[@Jvhh9]

I wish my cats could go outside but the train tracks have me too paranoid I lost a kitten when I was a kid to a train.

[@tapirzok]

Hi Sarah! My cat seems reasonably happy, he is still young not one year old Maine coon kitty. We live in an apartment and he is very active and likes to play. I trained him indoor to walk on a leash and he seems to be comfortable with it, but when I tried to take him outdoor he was terrified. Do you think it is good idea to try more and take him outdoor or should I let it go and let him be only indoor cat?

[@khushikadam1126]

yes...i do take y cat for walk everyday with leash. many people laugh and say that its the dog thig. you dont take cats out like this....but they dont undertsnad that cats are wild creatures and love to be in the wild....to experience the air the trees , other creatures and all.

[@outlawgt3045]

I play with my cat everyday. I let him bite and scratch my hand and arm all up. He loves to play fight and wrestle. My cat is super michevious. He knows when he is getting into things he shouldn't be getting into. I let him do whatever he wants and just pick up after him. I believe my cat thinks he is the king of the house. I'm thinking about getting a female kitten so he can have a friend. I didn't watch this because I felt my cat might have been depressed. I searched for cats catching leaves. My cat was running from the living room to the back porch. He would catch a leaf and bring it inside, then shoot back outside to catch another one to bring inside. Theres leaves all over my living room floor

[@elmocake2849]

I feed the stays in my apartment complex. I think someone moved and left their orange cat. It looked like a skeleton with fur when first seen it. It found my outside cat food and water. It comes around day and night unlike the feral cats, that only come out at night. For weeks to a month I’ve been sitting outside with this cat trying to catch it. About a week or so ago. I picked it up and was trying to get it inside. It freaked out and jumped outta my arms and walked away. Not run, just walked and turned around and meowed at me as if it called me a bad name. The I didn’t see that cat for a week. It avoided me like the plague. But I would notice it eating when I came home sometimes but took off. I have two cats. One is really interested in this orange cat. She sits by the window day and night waiting for this cat. She now attacks the feral cats and raccoons from inside the glass door trying to scare them away from orange kitties food. The other day orange kitty came running up to me injured. I got it inside and to our local ARL for treatment. No chip. So they said if the owners aren’t found I’m vip for adoption. I have to wait 7 days. When I brought the cat inside and into my bedroom. My cat was right outside the bedroom door waiting. Wouldn’t leave the door. I had to take the cat to the ARL for treatment and to find the owners. But I’m pretty sure it was dumped. Now my cat didn’t leave he bedroom for two days only to use the bathroom. She is barely eating. And will now leave the bedroom if she next to me. It doesn’t help that all the excitement stressed my other cat out and she’s all growling and hissing non stop and still is. Which is making my cat even more depressed because they’re best friends. So my cat is depressed because her orange kitty friend is gone and her sister is acting like she hates her.

[@AnushaYadav]

What is your recommendation on rescue remedy (alcohol based)

[@menotu000]

Anyone who declaws a cat should have their first knuckles removed.

[@user-wl7zq7ky5x]

Shut up

[@TwoBs]

@@user-wl7zq7ky5x You must be someone who declaws cats lol Poor animals. No way I could do something so cruel to them. If anything was to happen to me and no one in the family could take care of them, then they’d go to foster care and hopefully be adopted. If that doesn’t work out, I’d hope like hell that if they were to ever get outdoors somehow, then they’d at least be able to hunt for themselves to continue their survival. Declawing just doesn’t allow for that, and instead complicates it. It’s selfish and cruel for pet owners to do it when they don’t know what will happen or if they will even be able to own that cat for the rest of their life. If you don’t want shit scratched/clawed up, then pet owners need to spend the time clipping and filing their nails instead. People that declaw are usually people that rush to the most extreme option so they don’t have to bother training their pets. Lazy.

[@michaeladkins6]

I love your videos. I have decided to adopt a cat. I am retired and looking for a part time job to help pay for it. My request is about bring a new cat home. Im sure it will stress the cat and me as well.

[@kath.9505]

I am training our 5 month old to use harness. He loves going to the pet store. My 18 year old loved going to the vet on the leash, that way he could sniff the dogs. Lol

[@opalbeauty1578]

In the morning I put pieces of her food around the living room and her furniture. She knows all the spots but I mix it up every day leaving some areas with none. She waits for me to be done patiently (OK she gets ancy and can't wait until I'm fully done) lol Little things to make her happy. :)