- Joined
- Aug 6, 2018
- Messages
- 7
- Purraise
- 1
Hi all,
Thanks to everyone in this community since it's been helping me a lot! I posted my first thread a few pages down ("Trying to understand adopted cat") and the responses have been very helpful.
As a follow up to that thread, I wanted to reach out for guidance on something I've been noticing in MYSELF since the adoption of my 7 year old cat about 2 weeks ago. In the beginning, she would hide and be aloof with me but slowly she has been opening up and I have been trying to bond with her in different ways.
What I've noticed since I've adopted her is that MY anxiety is through the roof and I feel like I have the blues. I think she is adapting at a normal rate for a shelter cat, but I have been constantly worrying about every little thing, wondering if I made the right decision to adopt a cat, anxious about leaving her alone even for a few hours, and fretting about any upcoming trips I have for business or personal.
I've heard and read that this happens often to both new dog and cat owners, this anxiety/ depression/ regret, but that it will subside the majority of the time and I'm wondering if any of you all experienced this when you adopted your cat in the beginning and how did you all cope with your anxiety/ feelings of regret, worrying, or depression?
I'm not sure why my anxiety is suddenly so strong since adopting a cat (I've always dealt with mild anxiety) since animals are supposed to help calm and de-stress humans and I'm hoping all of this will go away soon but until that time, wondering what I can do to de-stress. I mainly worried about how she is more aloof than other cats and doesn't really play (I'm in the middle of trying to find different toys/ games she likes) and about leaving her alone (when I go into work or my upcoming business/ personal vacation trips). Not sure if twice a day for 30 minutes is enough and my cat is more shy/ timid so I'm scared that she'll never even spend any time with the pet sitter.
Sorry for the long thread but these are all the thoughts going through my head. I think I just have anxiety over having this new responsibility of caring for an animal and when she doesn't play or show affection or when I have to take trips, I start ruminating on if she would be happier with another family or if I made the right decision to adopt a cat.
Thanks to everyone in this community since it's been helping me a lot! I posted my first thread a few pages down ("Trying to understand adopted cat") and the responses have been very helpful.
As a follow up to that thread, I wanted to reach out for guidance on something I've been noticing in MYSELF since the adoption of my 7 year old cat about 2 weeks ago. In the beginning, she would hide and be aloof with me but slowly she has been opening up and I have been trying to bond with her in different ways.
What I've noticed since I've adopted her is that MY anxiety is through the roof and I feel like I have the blues. I think she is adapting at a normal rate for a shelter cat, but I have been constantly worrying about every little thing, wondering if I made the right decision to adopt a cat, anxious about leaving her alone even for a few hours, and fretting about any upcoming trips I have for business or personal.
I've heard and read that this happens often to both new dog and cat owners, this anxiety/ depression/ regret, but that it will subside the majority of the time and I'm wondering if any of you all experienced this when you adopted your cat in the beginning and how did you all cope with your anxiety/ feelings of regret, worrying, or depression?
I'm not sure why my anxiety is suddenly so strong since adopting a cat (I've always dealt with mild anxiety) since animals are supposed to help calm and de-stress humans and I'm hoping all of this will go away soon but until that time, wondering what I can do to de-stress. I mainly worried about how she is more aloof than other cats and doesn't really play (I'm in the middle of trying to find different toys/ games she likes) and about leaving her alone (when I go into work or my upcoming business/ personal vacation trips). Not sure if twice a day for 30 minutes is enough and my cat is more shy/ timid so I'm scared that she'll never even spend any time with the pet sitter.
Sorry for the long thread but these are all the thoughts going through my head. I think I just have anxiety over having this new responsibility of caring for an animal and when she doesn't play or show affection or when I have to take trips, I start ruminating on if she would be happier with another family or if I made the right decision to adopt a cat.