Why is my new adopted cat depressed, sleeping, and trying to escape?

It sounds like this is not an easy situation. Some cats will not like being kept inside while others adjust easily. You won't know until you try. There are some things you can do which can benefit any cat (a bored cat and a cat adjusting to a new life style). Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play (really get him moving) and switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Try feeding him out of a food puzzle. Hide food for him to find. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so he can look outside. You may also try clicker training him for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. First, thank you for adopting! Especially a senior cat. Taco is probably still having a tough time adapting to his new home. It can take a very long time to find a cats inner kitten when life has thrown them some problems. I would only encourage you to have patience. It can easily take 6 months to a year for an adult pet to feel truly comfortable in a new home, yet may always remain skittish around anything new or strange. I know, I am going through this with a dog I rescued 6 months ago. I would invest in a calming pheromone diffuser called Feliway. Place 1 in each room he spends, or you hope he spends, most of his time in. Find a treat he likes. My cats love the Temptation treats. Quiet toys, like feathers will bring out his inner lion, & think about a calming supplement to also help with his anxiety. Nutramax makes one called Solliquin. I found this helpful for my guy, & he still receives one daily. I don't know if he will be a lap cat, but I would not be surprised if one day, he just jumps up & makes himself at home on your lap. I hope so. Take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pishoo. Congratulations on becoming a cat owner! Kittens are a lot of fun. He should play hard and then sleep. It is important to give him lots of love, attention and play time. However, it is equally important that he is left alone to have nap time. He is rapidly growing and developing and much of this happens while his body rests. When you need to leave him alone, be sure to play with him first. This will help to tire him out. Then keep him in a small safe area such as a bedroom. Make sure that he has access to his litterbox, food and water. He will likely nap most of the time you are gone and play alone some. It is important for him to learn to be alone. I hope this information helps!

Most cats will eventually settle down and adapt to life indoors. Her set up sounds wonderful and I'm glad you have taken the time to get everything in order for her. Here are a few things you can do which may also help. Try enriching his environment. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm (when Mimi is 1 year old) . You may also try feeding her from a food puzzle and/or hiding food around the house for her to find. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with behavior if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

He’s adorable. If he was feral and is now separated from the others he may be anxious and still scared or unsure of his surroundings, especially when he’s taken out of the safe spot in his cage. I’m glad he’s getting medical treatment. I would just be patient, he should learn to relax and eventually play as he becomes more confident in his living situation. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Gomez.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Mystique! I would start with a Vet exam as she is a senior cat to be sure the symptoms you are seeing aren't medical in nature. At almost 15 I would worry about kidney and liver disease, diabetes, an over active thyroid and cancer or even arthritis for her depression. It has also been 3 years, animals do feel sadness when the house hold changes but that is a long time to assume her behavior is due to that. If she medically checks out fine I would try to enrich her environment to stimulate her and get a few Feliway diffusers. If you want to repost with her symptoms of depression we can get specific with tips. Good luck! https://indoorpet.osu.edu/sites/indoorpet/files/assets/documents/Herron10_EE_for_Indoor_Cats.pdf https://www.petco.com/brand/comfort-zone