Like people, cats can suffer from mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. Find out how you can tell if your cat is struggling emotionally and what you can do about it.
FHS can affect both male and female cats equally, and it usually starts early in life. FHS can cause cats to abruptly shift from happy to upset without apparent provocation. Cats with FHS can display freezing behavior. Genetics seem to be at play in both human schizophrenics and cats with FHS.
Cats can't have autism, but they can be diagnosed with other conditions, and like humans and other animals, some cats have special needs. Some special-needs cats have mental impairments which may result from birth defects, illness, or accidents. Some cats even have Down syndrome-type symptoms.
Causes of Inappropriate Mentation
There is much debate over whether or not a cat can have a mental illness. If your cat's behavior seems "off," it could be ill or could have a problem with its nervous system. Possible causes of inappropriate mentation include: Brain injury or infection.
In cats, the term used by specialists is a condition called Dysthymia. It causes sudden changes in mood in animals. It seems that this type of bipolar disorder is more common in certain breeds of cats like the Abyssinians for example. However, this remains rare.
While some vets and animal experts seem to agree that cats can get ADHD, the condition isn't recognized by all. Cats can exhibit symptoms or personality and behavioral traits that are often linked to ADHD in humans, especially human children.
Internet buzz notwithstanding, cats don't develop Down syndrome. In fact, they can't. First, a bit about Down syndrome: It's a disorder that affects one in 700 human babies born in the U.S. each year.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), characterized by exaggerated, repetitive behaviors, can also affect cats. Causes of OCD in cats aren't really known, and as such it's generally characterized as a mental disorder, although it can be initiated by stress, says PetMD.
While it's not possible for cats to have Down syndrome, they can exhibit Down syndrome-like symptoms, including: Behaviour different or strange compared to that of other cats. Unusually small or oddly shaped ears. Problems with vision.
Based on the answers from the 2042 cat owners, the scientists found that it likely all cats have psychopathic tendencies to varying degrees. Cats may be among the world's most popular pets, with Statista estimating some 370m house cats worldwide.
If you visit an animal shelter, you may see cats with special needs. While most are able-bodied, others may require additional attention due to a variety of ailments such as blindness, amputation, and deafness. Some cats are born with these conditions while others by an accidents or injury.
Still, there's no way to know for sure. Generally speaking, though, no, your cat won't be diagnosed with retardation. They might seem to be a little dull sometimes, but without a way of measuring average feline intelligence, there's no way to diagnose those behavioral abnormalities.
There's a chance your cat could have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if they have experienced one or more traumatic instances throughout their lives. Cats with PTSD can exhibit unusual changes in behavior as well as significant distress related to their disorder.
Cats that are ill will usually show changes in overall appearance, energy level, sociability, coat appearance and/or amount of shedding, appetite, litterbox usage, breathing, or discharges from the eyes or nose. In general, any sudden change should alert you that your cat needs veterinary attention.
He's self-centered and craves admiration
Does he expect your whole family to tell him how amazing and adorable he is? Those are classic cat signs of narcissism.
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is one such condition that is directly related to the aging of a cat's brain. Commonly referred to as cat dementia, it ultimately leads to changes in awareness, deficits in learning and memory, and decreased responsiveness to stimuli.
A rare condition known as Klinefelter Syndrome gives male cats the possibility of becoming calico. Male cats with Klinefelter Syndrome have an extra chromosome, giving them XXY chromosomes, so they have the necessary X chromosomes needed to be both black and orange colored.
In Summary. In short, a cat cannot be diagnosed as autistic. The traits associated with autism in people can be perfectly normal for a cat.
But not all cats are this amiable or this compliant. Some have an agenda of their own and seemingly refuse to take no for an answer. These are "alpha cats." They are natural leaders; they refuse to be led and attempt to take charge of practically every situation.
An anxious cat may have physical reactions such as increased heart and respiratory rates, panting, trembling, and salivation. The most obvious behavior changes are increased movement, hiding, destruction, and excessive vocalization.
The stress of moving home, a new baby, or being left alone for long periods of time can all trigger antisocial behaviour. If those things have been ruled out you may need to arrange a visit to the vet, especially if your cat is growling or biting when touched.
When you think about it, cats do exhibit some traits common in people on the spectrum. They get obsessed with catching certain things. They enjoy their alone time. They may get easily overstimulated or spooked by loud noises, bright lights, and even too much affection.
For example, people have 23 sets of chromosomes while dogs have 39. Down syndrome happens when there is a full or partial copy of chromosome 21. But a duplication of all or part of chromosome 21 would have different effects in the two species. Simply put, the answer is no.