Lizzie
03-30-2006, 11:26 AM
Donna mentioned in another thread that senior cats in shelters tend to become depressed. Have others seen this? I ask because of Blackberry, the 13-year-old that I just adopted from a shelter and who had been there for 5 years or so. Two of the other cats I adopted had been at the shelter a long time also, Thumper for 5 years, but though they have trust issues are lively and becoming more so every day.
Blackberry is very quiet and barely moves around. He is going to the vet tonight for his check-up and I'll have a geriatric panel done in case he does have medical issues. However, it seems more like behavior since he's eating, drinking and litter box using normally. I see his companion, Faline, in the window all the time. I don't believe he has ever got into the window, and it's very easy to get to. He's usually under his chair when I go in their room, sometimes on the loveseat though he jumps down as soon as I arrive. I fuss him under the chair and he comes out after a few minutes to lean into me, walk around me and last night even rolled over to get his tummy rubbed. He now purrs most of the time I'm in his room, so I know he likes the company and attention.
I remember at the shelter that he came forward for fuss and really enjoyed it, but moved away to cuddle with another cat as soon as I was distracted. Is this simply shelter behavior, that he's used to very short fussing periods? Has he become depressed from years in the shelter? Is his inactivity a sign of depression? I've had lots of cats in their teens and they've all gone on being active into their late teens.
I know I need to spend time with him, keep helping him trust me and rely on me for attention, but I would like input on the possibility of depression.
Blackberry is very quiet and barely moves around. He is going to the vet tonight for his check-up and I'll have a geriatric panel done in case he does have medical issues. However, it seems more like behavior since he's eating, drinking and litter box using normally. I see his companion, Faline, in the window all the time. I don't believe he has ever got into the window, and it's very easy to get to. He's usually under his chair when I go in their room, sometimes on the loveseat though he jumps down as soon as I arrive. I fuss him under the chair and he comes out after a few minutes to lean into me, walk around me and last night even rolled over to get his tummy rubbed. He now purrs most of the time I'm in his room, so I know he likes the company and attention.
I remember at the shelter that he came forward for fuss and really enjoyed it, but moved away to cuddle with another cat as soon as I was distracted. Is this simply shelter behavior, that he's used to very short fussing periods? Has he become depressed from years in the shelter? Is his inactivity a sign of depression? I've had lots of cats in their teens and they've all gone on being active into their late teens.
I know I need to spend time with him, keep helping him trust me and rely on me for attention, but I would like input on the possibility of depression.