how long does it take an animal to get over depression?

[nageov3t]

any ATOT animal experts in the house?

when my boyfriend was living with a roommate, they each had a cat, brothers from the same litter... when my BF moved in with me about 6 months ago, both cats came with him because his ex-roommate hadn't been able to find a new place that allowed animals.

update to this weekend, and the old roommate moved into a new place where pets are allowed and came back to reclaim her cat... ever since losing his brother, though, our cat has been in a major depression. he's eating/drinking, but when he's not sleeping all he does is just walk around the apartment looking for the other cat. the only thing that seems to settle him down is letting him sit in my lap (which is fine short-term, but not exactly an option when I'm trying to work from home)

my BF and I are debating how long we should give it before we seriously think about getting another cat to keep him company. ideally, I don't really want a second cat since we're in a small-ish apartment, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if it'd get our cat to be happy and independent again.

also thinking about potentially getting some kind of caged animal just to entertain him... any suggestions in the way of like mice or hamsters or something? low maintenance would be ideal, we'd only be getting it to provide cat entertainment behind a glass cage.

bonus picture of my poor depressed cat

 

[Linflas]

any ATOT animal experts in the house?

when my boyfriend was living with a roommate, they each had a cat, brothers from the same litter... when my BF moved in with me about 6 months ago, both cats came with him because his ex-roommate hadn't been able to find a new place that allowed animals.

update to this weekend, and the old roommate moved into a new place where pets are allowed and came back to reclaim her cat... ever since losing his brother, though, our cat has been in a major depression. he's eating/drinking, but when he's not sleeping all he does is just walk around the apartment looking for the other cat. the only thing that seems to settle him down is letting him sit in my lap (which is fine short-term, but not exactly an option when I'm trying to work from home)

my BF and I are debating how long we should give it before we seriously think about getting another cat to keep him company. ideally, I don't really want a second cat since we're in a small-ish apartment, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if it'd get our cat to be happy and independent again.

also thinking about potentially getting some kind of caged animal just to entertain him... any suggestions in the way of like mice or hamsters or something? low maintenance would be ideal, we'd only be getting it to provide cat entertainment behind a glass cage.

bonus picture of my poor depressed cat

Could take a couple weeks, cats are pretty sensitive to changes in environment. Also getting a 2nd cat won't necessarily solve the issue, it is just as likely they dislike each other as they will take to each other.

 

[dr150]

Can be purchased at a local hardware store.

Solution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZfK8ulOIt0

 

[Ruptga]

The most relevant experience I have was when I got a just-weaned kitten. That cat yelled all the way home, yelled when it was carried inside, yelled as it ran under various pieces of furniture, and yelled as it cowered in a dark corner under a bed. Laps and petting didn't work, he just ran off yelling, so I put him in a grape box with a washcloth and closed the lid over my hand in the box. The cat passed out within minutes of that. Of course he was still a noisy cat; he ended up being named Khan because that's what he would yell if you entered the room, stood up, took a shower, had chicken within fifty yards, went to the bathroom... though he did mellow as he matured.

 

[nageov3t]

Could take a couple weeks, cats are pretty sensitive to changes in environment. Also getting a 2nd cat won't necessarily solve the issue, it is just as likely they dislike each other as they will take to each other.

that's a good point.

supposedly the other cat is doing just fine in the new apartment (or the ex-roommate is lying, could go either way because she's crazy), but I supposed it's easier to understand being relocated to a brand new environment and finding yourself alone than your brother suddenly going missing from the old environment.

big worry is just having the cat be entertained and occupied without one of us needing to play with him (not that we don't -- I usually play with the cats for a solid 15-30 minutes after I get home from work -- but it's nice to have some alone time too).

 

[Sonikku]

Explain the situation to the room mate. Get their cat, or give yours to them. Think of the cat.

 

[nageov3t]

Explain the situation to the room mate. Get their cat, or give yours to them. Think of the cat.

we'd happily take him back, but unless her cat really starts being destructive or something, she's not giving him up (though, tbh, I'm surprised my boyfriend didn't put up more of a fight given that he's actually spent more time with her cat than she has, between him being unemployed for an entire year plus the 6 months that her cat has been with us in the new apartment, but I didn't feel like it was my place to say anything).

even if she wanted to take our cat, I can't see him having a better life with her just by being with his brother, since she's a pretty terrible pet owner (not to the point of negligence, but she spends half the week at her boyfriend's place and every weekend out of town traveling)... her boyfriend already has 2 cats, so god knows what their plan is if they ever move in together.

 

[WilliamM2]

We had three cats, lost two of them last year about a month apart (they were 15 and 21 years old). Our 3 year old cat definitely missed the other two, slept alot more, not as playful. we got another kitten this summer, seems to have perked her right up. She runs around like a kitten again.

If you do get another cat, your current cat is a lot more likely to accept a kitten, than a full grown cat. Even then, it usually takes a few weeks before they fully accept the intruder.

 

[dank69]

If you are going to get another cat it is best to do it right away. The longer a cat is solo the more they tend to develop a hatred for all other cats.

 

[lxskllr]

If you do get another cat, your current cat is a lot more likely to accept a kitten, than a full grown cat. Even then, it usually takes a few weeks before they fully accept the intruder.

This is pretty good advice. There's less drama with the competition regarding who is king.

 

[nageov3t]

If you are going to get another cat it is best to do it right away. The longer a cat is solo the more they tend to develop a hatred for all other cats.

definitely good advice... I decided to schedule a week off of work at the end of October since I've got vacation time to burn (use it or lose it, and mine resets around Thanksgiving). if our cat still seems like he's in a funk in a couple weeks, we'll probably use that week to adopt a new kitten.