Are you a cat lover? Are you beginning to feel that one cat is not sufficient for your family, and therefore, there is a need for bringing in a new kitten to your home? Well, you need to be wary of the possible repercussions that this could have to your existing resident cat. You could be leading your cat to depression.
Cat depression can be simply defined as an absence of joy. Bringing in a new kitten is one of the causes of cat depression. Some cats accept new kittens right away, while some require a lot of time to adapt to being around a new kitty. In fact, some cats could never fully adjust. Much of this is dependent on the age and the socialization levels of your cat. You can be able to tell how social your cat is by observing their reactions whenever it is introduced to a new family member.
This article discusses cat depression – signs and treatment, as well as suggestions on how to handle your cat the next time you plan to bring in a new kitten.
Cat Depression and the Similarities to Human Depression
It is next to impossible to find someone who has not had their share of bad days. Some of these bad days are not frequent, while some tend to re-occur more than we would like. They could last more than just a single day, stretching up to weeks, although most of them are cured by simple things such as a night of good sleep, some laugh, or some good company. The good thing about us humans is that we have the ability to vocalize these nasty experiences with those around us.
Think about what happens to animal pets such as cats whenever they feel down. They cannot tell us how they are feeling! Scientists have it that pets experience the same magnitude of emotions that we as humans do. And just like humans, cats behave individually. Each one of them exhibits depressions signs differently. Just like us humans, cats at times exhibit symptoms of depression which could be behavioral or physical.
A sad cat adjusts their normal behavior. You can easily tell that something is not right with your cat if they stop strolling over to greet you or when they stop grooming. Some of them could even act out by defecating or urinating outside their litter box. The physical signs include nausea or lethargy.
Whenever this happens, the first thing to do would be to consult a vet. It is advisable to always rule out medical conditions before concluding a problem is psychological – check out your pet’s health first. If your pet passes the health check, then your animal friend is depressed.
Signs that your Cat is Depressed
Cat depression can be summed up by one word: withdrawal. A depressed cat usually withdraws and stops doing things they normally enjoy. Therefore, if your cat stops doing things that they usually do to be happy, then you may have a sad animal friend with you. It would help if you watched out for the below signs:
Seclusion
Cats like their space a lot, but they also like to cuddle and hang around their owners. If you notice your cat starting to hide and stay in seclusion, this is a sign that things are not right. Your animal could have fallen into depression, and the faster you act, the better.
Too much sleeping
Yes, cats like to sleep a lot. However, even if they enjoy sleeping, they still create time for stretching and some playing to stimulate their brains. If you notice that all your cat does is sleeping, especially more than they are used to, then this should be a trigger for concern – something could be wrong.
Over and under-grooming
This behavior is no different from what we as humans do. A messy space usually indicates distress. The same applies to pets, cats in this case. When in distress, cats usually stop grooming themselves, and their fur and skin becomes messy. The opposite is also true. If your cat begins to groom themselves too much and you notice irritated skin or bald patches, this is a result of anxiety and an indication of depression.
Appetite loss
Typically, pets love to eat and feeding time is their most favorite moment. Cats are not an exception. They will always behave in a manner that may suggest that you have not fed them well, even if you have. If your cat begins to lose enthusiasm for food, you should begin to worry. This is one of the signs of cat depression.
Aggression displays
Cats, like any other animals and humans, have different personalities. Some may be aggressive naturally, and it could make it difficult to tell the difference. Having spent time with your cat, you should be in a position to know its personalities and behaviors. If your cat begins to exhibit aggression where there wasn’t, then this is a bad sign. When depressed, cats, even the calm ones, begin to act hostile even towards their owners.
Other signs of cat depression include tummy upsets, loss of interest in toys, weight gain or loss, etc. Keep in mind that these signs are generic. Therefore, you should check for illness before concluding that your cat is depressed.
Why Do Cats Reject New Kittens?
Understanding cat behavior is complicated. However, studying their wild relatives can provide some insight as to why cats usually have an issue co-existing. Domesticated house cats have a close relationship with their wild counterparts. Although there are a couple of differences, these groups bear some similar characteristics and instincts, which include coexistence with other cats.
Wild felines, including bobcats, servals, and lynx are solitary animals. They are barely seen, nocturnal, and are naturally secretive. They hide in their dens during the day and only come out at night just to hunt for food.
Ordinary domesticated cats that have grown up in the wild also hunt and sleep in solitude. However, in some instances, they form a colony that is led by a female cat if food is given to them by people. These colonies typically consist of related cats.
This social establishment is a bit different from that of the ordinary house cat. This is because domesticated cats are spayed and neutered, usually not well socialized with the other cats, and live in an isolated environment away from other cats.
This is basically the cause of problems experienced when bringing in a new kitten into the family. Also, feral cats or domesticated cats usually live in colonies made up of genetically related cats that get born into the colony. It is not common for unrelated cats to join the colony, and even if they do, it takes a while to be fully accepted.
Sometimes this problem is solved by simply giving your resident cat time to adjust to the new kitten. However, if your cat was not socialized before attaining the age of three, it could be tough to accept the new kitten. As a matter of fact, some cats do better when they remain the only cat in a home.
How to Stop Your Cat from Rejecting a New Kitten
If you have decided to bring a new kitten home, the first step would be to introduce the new friend to your resident cat slowly. Be sensitive to the magnitude of change this is for your older cat and always remember that this process usually takes time. The period it takes to integrate a kitten with an adult could take two to four weeks.
It is natural that the two strangers will not immediately become best of friends; below are a couple of steps that can help break the ice:
a. Separate food bowls
Ensure that you provide the kitten with its own food and water bowls. The bowls should be placed in a separate location from the cat’s bowls. This helps to prevent your cat from being territorial about its own food and water, and also ensures that your new kitten gets to eat.
b. Treats
A good socialization practice would be petting your new kitten while allowing your older cat to sniff you while you treat it. This assists in teaching your cat that the new kitten’s scent is not bad, after all. This is purely a psychological approach in that your older cat will begin to associate the new kitten’s smell with treats, making it a good scent.
c. Sleeping areas
Your cat and new kitten should sleep in separate areas. Avoid giving your cat’s old beds to the new kitten. Remember your older cat has developed possession of these and won’t tolerate the new kitten using them without permission.
d. Pheromones
Just like humans, cats do well with peace of mind. You can consider buying sprays, diffusers, or wipes that contain special feline pheromones to help boost the peace of your animal friends. These pheromones make cats feel relaxed and safe and will benefit both your older cat and the new kitten during the introduction period.
e. Litter boxes
It is advisable that you have at least one more litter box than you have cats. This implies that if you have two cats, it is recommended that you have three litter boxes. One thing to enforce is the absence of a direct line of sight between the litter boxes during instances when both your resident cat and the new kitten are in the litter boxes simultaneously.
f. Observation areas
It is normal for cats to handle intruders by avoiding them. They only display aggression as a last resort. You should ensure that your cat has a safe place to get away from your new kitten until such a time that they have begun to get comfortable with each other.
Give your resident cat with places away from the kitten’s reach where only it can go. This could be a high perch where the older cat can observe the kitten for a while. These places could also offer a good retreat for your cat whenever it needs to get away from the annoying kitten.
g. Keep things calm always
Sometimes unusual things that are known to scare a cat will cause it to direct the frustration towards your new kitten. Therefore, you should avoid making major household changes such as house renovation, ripping up carpeting, or a fireworks party when introducing the new kitten.
h. Restrict fights
Your cat and the new kitten may decide to square things up whenever frustration of being around each other builds to high levels. You should not allow your cat to do anything beyond hissing and swatting to your new kitten. Whenever you sense a fight is upcoming, distract the cats by clapping loudly or a water squirt. In case they manage to fight, they should be kept away from each other for a period of time, and then brought together gradually.
As you implement these measures, remember that success does not imply that your cats will develop a strong liking and become great buddies. Some cats will build a bond while others will spend their lives staying away from each other and always hissing at the other. So, you should be prepared for either a positive or a negative result.
The Bottom Line
Cats are naturally solitary creatures that usually require weeks or months to adapt to changes in their lifestyle and environment. Introducing a new kitten is basically interfering with your cat’s space. For this reason, first impressions are hugely essential when meeting other household pets. If you introduce your cats too quickly, you risk having them fighting regularly, and they may never learn to co-exist with peace.
There is a high chance that your resident cat might fall into depression at the continuous sight of your new kitten. Depression in cats is more common than you could imagine. Cats may be known for being the moodiest domesticated animals, but depression could turn all this around. It affects their physical health as well as social life.
This article discusses the mechanisms to apply when bringing in a new kitten so as to prevent your resident cat from falling into depression. If you have already introduced a new kitten home, ensure you do an assessment of your older cat to establish if their life has changed recently and act accordingly.