I think my cat is depressed.

[hannahe01]

Hey y’all. Me again. The crazy cat lady who’s been stressed ever since adding a second cat into the home.
Things are better on the stress front, by the way. Thankfully. Still stressed but not as much as before.

today makes two weeks ever since adopting little girl. Despite a few hiccups along the way, my resident cat has taken it relatively well. He’s eating and drinking and using the bathroom just fine, there have been no fights, they have slept onmy bed together (at opposite sides but still) and they even play sometimes.

I’m pretty sure my resident cat may be a bit depressed though. Ever since bringing her home he’s been a little stressed and a lot more aloof than normal. Today especially. He’s slept almost the whole day, only coming out of the bedroom occasionally for very brief moments. I can’t get him to want to play, I’ve given him so many kisses and pets and cuddles and he just looks... sad? Annoyed? Lol. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it and perhaps it’s just because it was a lazy rainy cold Sunday

he was so playful with me before we got the new cat. Now he will play with me here and there but barely and never for as long as before. He’s found a new spot under the bed and in the coat closet where he never used to go before. It may sound silly but it upsets me. I worry his personalityhas changed and he’ll never bounce back to his old self. I miss hanging out with him and playing with him. Will he bounce back? Is he depressed? It’s only week 2 so he probably is still adjusting and i get it. I just don’t want him to become antisocial and sedentary because of all of this.
Any tips or advice would be great.

 

[TobyTims]

I am no expert, but I just wanted to jump on and say I completely understand how you feel! I was so upset watching our first cat, Lola, be sad and withdrawn when we got a second. It really distressed me and I was worried we'd done the wrong thing. We are now 6-8 weeks into having two cats and they are both doing so much better! Lola is much more herself and more playful and seems really happy. I'm sure your sweet cat is still just adjusting to all the change!

 

[Maria Bayote]

I think your resident cat is just fine. As what was mentioned above, he could still be adjusting to this new member of the household. Or, maybe he thinks his work is done, and has assigned the new one to do more of the entertaining. LOL.

If he is eating, drinking, using his litter box to poop and pee like the usual then I do not see anything wrong. However, to ease your mind, you can have him checked by the vet. Only you fully know the character of your cat, so if you think in your heart something is wrong then better to have a professional check up on him.

Let us know of any updates as soon as any changes are observed. Hopefully, it's nothing.

 

[di and bob]

I think you are extremely lucky to have two cats get along like that in only two weeks! Everything sounds perfectly normal. Your resident cat is very distracted right now with the new presence, so he will not be as outgoing or playful. Cat's sense of time and ours are entirely different, it usually takes MANY weeks for them to get comfortable with major changes, and he has had a big one. His personality won't change, he'll revert back once he accepts the newcomer as a family member. Just keep doing what you are doing, try to feed them or give them treats in each other's presence, they foster many good feelings while they are enjoying food. Just give him more time!

 

[Katy Perkins]

If you had an especially good relationship with your cat, it probably feels rejected or threatened. Somehow you’re going to have to provide all kinds of special attention to the older cat, for comfort, without neglecting the emotional needs of the other cat. You could try involving the older cat in everything you do with the second cat, theoretically to involve them with each other around you, and all in a positive way. This could backfire, of course, so be watchful for behavioral changes involving hostility or attempts to escape the activity. If you’re able and confident, let them both sleep with you nothing makes a cat feel loved more than sharing your bed.

 

[Katy Perkins]

Cats don’t adapt to each other easily. In general, it can take weeks before they accept each other. As long as they don’t actively fight, don’t worry about it. They’ll gradually come to terms.
If the cats do fight, you’ll have to keep them apart for a while, but not completely. Let them see each other and get used to the fact.

 

[flybear]

just give it time ... play time usually only works when both cats have started to trust each other ... in fact I use play time as an indicator how far the integration has progressed ... when my Snowball starts playing ... everyone is accepted 100% lol ... I think your introduction is going well - especially if they are already interacting, sleeping in proximity ... Even with kittens it usually takes about 3-4 months for my adults to be 100% comfortable after introductions - and that is with kittens who integrate easily around here ... adults would need way more time. Cats are slow to change and slow to accept new routines... You are doing great with these two and all signs are positive that they will even become friends! This is not a given as many cats simply dislike each other ... if they have played and starting to sleep in close proximity after only two weeks - there is trust there already ... My adults have always changed their behavior when new babies were introduced but always went back to how they used to be after a while ... often becoming first aloof and then needy or the other way around ... lol