My new feral kitten hides and won't play. Is he depressed or anxious?

We certainly see depression in animals, and I have seen depression in a kitten before. However it is challenging to treat. First, at 13 ounces, your foster kitten is certainly underweight if he is 5-6 weeks old. If he has been malnourished before you got him, he may need some extra time to recover. There is some research that Omega 3 fatty acids (especially DHA) are important for brain development, so you might consider adding that to his food. I normally recommend Wellactin ( http://www.welactin.com/cat ) for cats. I have also had good luck with using Bach Flower Essences for depression in animals. They are homeopathically prepared flower essences that were developed for humans for mental issues. The most common formula is Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ), but you can also design a custom formulation. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Poor Onyx! She sounds quite scared. I would continue to allow her to familiarize herself with her new environment and you as her new ‘human’. Some cats will be quite sociable from the outset, others take time to adjust to new surroundings. Provide her with plenty of hiding places where she can be safe, give her space to become acclimated, and ensure she has food and water available in a safe location. You can spend time just sitting on the floor near her, maybe tease her with a toy on a string and see if you can coax her closer. Take it nice and slow with her and I suspect that soon she will be bouncing all over the house!

Poor little Sooki! If she comes from abuse or neglect, it’s possible she has a certain level of fear or anxiety around humans. You’re doing the right thing by being patient with her. Continue to encourage her to come out of her shell. Keep the environment peaceful and quiet. Continue to try to entice her to play. Try different types of toys to see if you find anything she is interested in. Cats will eventually come around to trust their primary care taker. Using a pheromone diffuser can help her in general to combat anxiety. Providing many hiding places and areas where she can get up high can also help. Lastly, there is a brand of food called Royal Canin that makes a diet called Calm that can help with feline stress. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor girl! There could be something that has spooked her. Or she could be not feeling well. Or there could even be an internal conflict with another cat in the household. The first thing I would do is make sure she is healthy. I would see if your vet can look at her and make sure she isn’t painful, no infection, no fever, no urinary tract infection, etc. if she isn’t feeling well, this definitely can cause a change in behavior. If everything is normal then I would make sure she is getting along with everyone in the house. Make sure there are plenty of litter boxes as this is something they commonly will become territorial over. You can even put out some feliway diffusers which are pheromones they help calm down cats. Unfortunately these don’t work on everyone. You make also look into vetriscience composure treats as a natural calming supplement. I hope this helps!

He could be just getting use to you but he could also be a little scared since he fell off the table. I would just continue to show him a lot of TLC and positive attention. Some cats as they get older they become less affectionate and more independent. If he isn't wanting to play and stops eating, then I would have your vet do another exam on him to ensure he is okay. I hope this helps! And thank you for adopting Chance. He is a lucky boy to have found such an amazing family.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats, like people, have different personalities; some are very sociable and always want to cuddle, while others can be more reserved and independent. It may be partly personality contributing to his behavior, as well as adjusting to his new environment. A pheromone collar (they can be found on amazon, such as nurturecalm) may be a good option instead of feliway spray, as it is a continuous release for a full month. While the response is variable among cats, it is definitely something I would recommend giving a try. Additionally, if there is a type of treat that Vin really enjoys, I would recommend putting some down by you when you are sitting on the couch watching TV, etc. When he comes to eat them, don't force an interaction, but allow him to nibble on them and then decide where he wants to go. Over time, they can be moved closer and closer to you to encourage him to be more comfortable in close proximity. When he seems playful, play with him with a toy, etc and then allow him to leave when he is done. If he is on a feeding schedule, get his attention by opening a can or shaking food into his bowl, allow him to stand next to you and have a short interaction before you set it down. If he still seems uncomfortable after these suggestions, I would recommend either setting up a consult or reaching out to your regular veterinarian for further advice. Good luck!

That is unusual. It may be that he’s just growing out of the playful kitten stage. As long as he’s healthy and you’ve had him examined then I would just give him time. If there is something medically wrong you should see a specific problem if it worsens. He could just be tired or sore if he had a mild injury you didn’t see. Hopefully with rest and time he’ll be back to his playful self. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Hachiko.