Is my cat missing my husband from whom I am separated?
by Christine Elliot
(Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset, England)
My cat who is about 10 to 11 years old has gone off her food for almost a week now. She has done this before, but not for so long. Since I separated from my husband, and moved out of the family home she has gone from being an outdoor cat to one who just wants to stay in, although she wants to go out at night, which I do not allow.
She sleeps most of the day or just sits and looks out of the window. But she does play quite a bit when I play with her.
She also looks a little sad sometimes. Could it be that she is missing my ex. or could she have something wrong with her?
Christine
The following is an update submitted 11th Feb 2010 made after comments and notes below were submitted.
Hi..I have tried emailing you a couples of times but they have been returned. I want to thank you for your emails, but I do not know how to reply to them so I hope this gets to you. And I want to thank all the people who took the trouble to comment on my cat Sally-Ann. I really liked the one from Joyce Sammons.
Good news, my cat is now eating. I don’t think it can be the moving to a new home, as she has done this before. Sometimes her tummy rumbles when she is hungry. I have taken her to the vet but she could not find anything wrong with her, I’m glad to say. By the way, Sally-Ann hates catnip, although she used to love eating the catmint from the old garden.
I would very much like to echo the comments concerning the cat with the broken tail, please do not put her to sleep. Like every one has suggested take her to an animal shelter. In England there are many shelters, some just for cats.
To me a pet is a member of the family and you don’t put a child to sleep when he/she gets poorly. Like it says on the car stickers a pet is for life not just for Christmas.
Sally-Ann belonged to a friend of mine, but her boyfriend did not get on with the cat so she wanted to get rid of her so I took her in. She is a lovely cat and I would send in a photo but I do not know how to. I am new to computering and the internet; just learning.
Will you tell me your e-mail address, and maybe this time a I shall get it right.
Christine
Hi Christine…. Thanks for visiting and asking. This is a tricky one as going off food is a very general symptom. Without further symptoms to refine diagnosis it is all but impossible to decide what the problem is.
You say that she has gone off her food before but did not explain under what circumstances that occurred. Were the circumstances similar to those that exist at present? Was she close to your ex.?
I think something like a separation between humans can affect a cat companion so the answer might be as you state.
It does not sound as if she is ill because she plays. Sleeping all day for a 11 year old cat is probably not exceptional so that doesn’t support the argument that she is ill.
Her staying in during the day is probably linked to the move to a strange place. It takes time for a cat to adjust. Wishing to go out at night is logical as it is safer for her. Anyway the domestic cat is crepuscular (a dawn and dusk hunter/activity).
I would play and entertain as much as possible. Love and treat her and keep a watchful eye to pick up any developments that can then be assessed by a good veterinarian.
Is my cat missing my husband from whom I am separated? to cat health problems