In some ways, ADHD may be easier to diagnose in older cats. When a cat with ADHD is going through a hyperactive period, they will often zoom around the house faster than most kittens. Adult cats are usually a bit lazier by nature and would much prefer to sleep than exert themselves too much.
Affected animals may require treatment with cardiac drugs, sedatives, muscle-relaxants, anti-convulsants and active cooling. Animals ingesting the immediate release formulations may be in hospital for 12-24 hours, while those ingesting sustained release may require prolonged hospitalisation.
What does feline hyperactivity look like? An over-active cat can exhibit all kinds of nervous behaviours. Running around the house, jumping between furniture, chasing humans and other pets, attracting attention through mewing and hitting, and even compulsive licking.
In terms of age and gender, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention were common in young dogs and male dogs—no surprise to anyone familiar with ADHD in humans, in which it tends to be most common in young boys.
Hyper cats tend to be hyperactive because they need to release suppressed energy in their little bodies. To calm a hyper cat, the key is to drain pent-up energy by playing with them and scheduling proper mealtimes. Likewise, we can ensure they get proper grooming and try using calming solutions.
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.
Cats can have ADHD; however, it is mainly undetected in felines since the condition is not named in cats. If you wonder what ADHD is, let us explain a little bit more about this condition. ADHD can be described as a short attention span, rapid mood swings, and periods when the cat sleeps and show impulsive behavior.
Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were found to be the best characterized and also currently the most appropriate model of ADHD [45].
Autism is a neurodevelopment condition found in humans, and some of the diagnostic criteria, such as a delay in language development, can't apply in a straightforward way to animals. That said, some animals do display autistic-like traits, such as a tendency toward repetitive behaviour or atypical social habits.
Given that catnip can have a calming, soothing effect, it can be used to: help reduce a cat's stress and anxiety when going to the vet, help reduce stress when traveling, help with urinary issues (note that stress is a major contributing factor to urinary obstruction in cats!).
Autistic people are often diagnosed with sensory abnormalities. Some cats may appear to lack focus, to have uncoordinated moves, and to express diminished responsiveness altogether.
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.
The most common reason cats experience the zoomies is pent-up energy. Cats rest and sleep for a majority of the day to conserve energy for short, very active periods. Without intentional exercise and activity, your kitty will need to find a way to get that extra energy out, resulting in a case of the zoomies.
As the new owner of a tiny, terrorizing bundle of energy, you may be wondering: Do cats calm down with age? Rest assured; the answer is usually yes. Although it can be wearisome at times, it's healthy, and normal, for your kitten to be running through the house with the “zoomies” and getting into mischief.
There may be cases where some kids with ADHD really shouldn't have a pet. Kids with severe impulse control issues or who are aggressive can harm an animal without meaning to. This doesn't mean these kids should never have a pet.
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.
Cat anxiety may be caused by pain or illness, exposure to something toxic or infectious diseases that affect the nervous system. A psychological trigger may be to blame, like a traumatic experience, lack of proper socialization or a history of abuse or neglect.
Bipolarity as we know it is defined by radical and sudden changes in behavior. 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.
In a nutshell, cats can't have autism, but they can be diagnosed with other conditions, and like humans and other animals, some cats have special needs. However, remember that most of these needs stem from physical disabilities or old age.
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.
Test your cat's intelligence: Try to teach kitty a “trick,” such as “sit” or “give your paw,” using small food treats as motivators. If he accomplishes the tasks, you have a smart cat. If he can't be bothered, you have a typical cat.