Seasonal Affective Disorder and Cats
Seasonal Affective Disorder and Cats
Most of us are familiar with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and many of us experience it after the Winter holidays are past.
The question here, of course is whether our cats feel the same sort of depression during the Winter season. Also, whether or not we "telegraph" our own SAD to our cats. Since expert opinions vary, I took these questions to my readers in the form of a five question survey.
I can attest from my own experience that I sometimes suffer symptoms of SAD, especially on cold rainy days, when the sun never appears. On those days my passion for work lessens, and I wear my "sweat suit" pajamas all day. I check my email, work on my website for awhile, or go to Facebook, looking for humorous postings or cat videos to brighten my mood. Sometimes I spend the rest of the daylight hours either napping, reading my Kindle, or watching comedies on television.
My cats are usually beside me, sleeping on my lap, or wandering to the food dish for a dry snack treat.
When night falls, the cats perk up. Nighttime is their time, after all, as they are nocturnal creatures. (Some would argue that they are crepuscular.) They commence chasing one another down our long hallway, playing rough and tumble boxing games.
Spurred on by their activity, I fetch the hidden Birbug Wand from my bathroom and we have fifteen minutes of interactive play. I then feed them a meal of canned food, clean their litter boxes, and eat dinner.
Then, feeling alive and refreshed again, I return to work, sometimes working past 2 a.m.
One might conclude that my cats do "mirror" my own SAD, and that their recovery also gives my spirits a boost. But is this really the case? Let's further examine the aptly named SAD.
What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?
A single cause of SAD in humans is still unknown, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, the reduced period of sunlight during winter months contributes to three possible causitive factors:
Again, from the Mayo Clinic, certain risk factors may exacerbate the incidence of SAD.
Opinion varies among veterinarians and other cat experts, as well as among cat caregivers. PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) is the leading veterinary charity in the U.K. It is also the oldest, established in 1917.
In 2007 PDSA conducted a "snapshot poll" of U.K. pet owners. Some of the results include:
Elaine Pendlebury, Senior Veterinary Surgeon with PDSA, said that animals can suffer from depression just like people: “According to our poll, some pets display similar symptoms of the human disorder, SAD, which include fatigue, depressed mood and lack of energy.”
More cat owners than dog owners felt that their cats ate more in the winter months, and that it was harder to motivate their cats to exercise.
Kim Boatman, writing for The Daily Cat, interviewed Dr. Elizabeth Colleran, DVM, who has veterinary offices in Portland, Oregon and Chico, California. According to Ms. Boatman, Dr. Colleran's feline clientele in Portland doesn't demonstrate noticeable seasonal changes. However, that possibly could be because Portland has "gray weather" throughout the year.
In Chico, it was a different story. Quoting Ms. Boatman, " 'I really do see a difference, I'm absolutely convinced of it,' says Dr. Colleran. In the wild, other cat behaviors, such as mating, are related to exposure to light. It's therefore logical to assume that the onset of winter might have some effect on your kitty as well, Dr. Colleran explains."
What Are the Symptoms of SAD?
Although cats vary in the kind and degree of symptoms, any of the following may be noticeable:
As mentioned before, humans with SAD may also display some of these symptoms.
Activate Your Cats
Cats with seasonal affective disorder often want to sleep all day. We want to get our cats out of their figurative beds and into their normal activities. This will require some activity on our parts too.
Monitor Cats' Food Intake
Fat cats are unhealthy cats, and because of their excess weight, they are less inclined to be active. Foods formulated for weight loss may be fine if there is only one cat in the family, and if that cat will eat those foods. I prefer to feed all my cats grain-free food, both canned and dry. At the time of this article, I have two obese cats, Billy and Jennifur. They are each fed canned food separately, and their dry food is given more as treats, and the bowls taken up between meals.
Keep Indoor TemperatureJust Warm Enough
While cats are said to best enjoy temperatures around 75 degrees fahrenheit, it isn't necessary to keep the home that warm. I keep our thermostat at seventy-two during the day, and at night turn it down to sixty-nine or seventy.
I have extra blankets, and my cats have fur and each other.
Minimize StressWhenever Possible
Even under normal conditions, cats are often subject to stress because of loud or boistrous human activity. If at allpossible, try to minimize stressful activities, or lock the cats in a safe room at those times.
We love our cats and want them to be as healthy and happy as possible for as long as possible. Seasonal affective disorder doesn't last yearlong, and by following these tips, you and your cats should weather the dark winter days with a minimum of stress.
Resources
Disclaimer: As with all medically-related articles, a reminder that I am not a veterinarian. This article is not intended to be a definitive answer to any questions you might have about SAD in Cats, but is meant to give you a basic understanding of that condition. If your cat exhibits symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, I strongly suggest you have your cat examined by your veterinarian, to eliminate any serious medical causes for those symptoms.
Most of us are familiar with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and many of us experience it after the Winter holidays are past.
The question here, of course is whether our cats feel the same sort of depression during the Winter season. Also, whether or not we "telegraph" our own SAD to our cats. Since expert opinions vary, I took these questions to my readers in the form of a five question survey.
I can attest from my own experience that I sometimes suffer symptoms of SAD, especially on cold rainy days, when the sun never appears. On those days my passion for work lessens, and I wear my "sweat suit" pajamas all day. I check my email, work on my website for awhile, or go to Facebook, looking for humorous postings or cat videos to brighten my mood. Sometimes I spend the rest of the daylight hours either napping, reading my Kindle, or watching comedies on television.
My cats are usually beside me, sleeping on my lap, or wandering to the food dish for a dry snack treat.
When night falls, the cats perk up. Nighttime is their time, after all, as they are nocturnal creatures. (Some would argue that they are crepuscular.) They commence chasing one another down our long hallway, playing rough and tumble boxing games.
Spurred on by their activity, I fetch the hidden Birbug Wand from my bathroom and we have fifteen minutes of interactive play. I then feed them a meal of canned food, clean their litter boxes, and eat dinner.
Then, feeling alive and refreshed again, I return to work, sometimes working past 2 a.m.
One might conclude that my cats do "mirror" my own SAD, and that their recovery also gives my spirits a boost. But is this really the case? Let's further examine the aptly named SAD.
What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?
A single cause of SAD in humans is still unknown, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, the reduced period of sunlight during winter months contributes to three possible causitive factors:
- Your internal clock, ( circadian rhythm) may become disrupted, with accompanying feelings of depression.
- Reduced sunlight also contributes to a drop in serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood.
- By the same token the levels of Melatonin may become disrupted, affecting circadian rhythm, and disturbing normal sleep patterns.
Again, from the Mayo Clinic, certain risk factors may exacerbate the incidence of SAD.
- Because decreased sunlight seems to be the primary factor in seasonal affective disorder, SAD is more prominent in the extreme Northern regions as well as far south of the equator.
- Women are affected more than men, although men's symptoms are more severe.
- Younger people are affected more, along with those with a family history of SAD and/or depression.
- People with clinical depression or bipolar disorder have more severe symptoms during the cold seasons.(()
Opinion varies among veterinarians and other cat experts, as well as among cat caregivers. PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) is the leading veterinary charity in the U.K. It is also the oldest, established in 1917.
In 2007 PDSA conducted a "snapshot poll" of U.K. pet owners. Some of the results include:
Elaine Pendlebury, Senior Veterinary Surgeon with PDSA, said that animals can suffer from depression just like people: “According to our poll, some pets display similar symptoms of the human disorder, SAD, which include fatigue, depressed mood and lack of energy.”
- 43% of pets have less energy
- 59% of pets sleep for longer periods
- 47% of pets demand more affection from their owners
More cat owners than dog owners felt that their cats ate more in the winter months, and that it was harder to motivate their cats to exercise.
Kim Boatman, writing for The Daily Cat, interviewed Dr. Elizabeth Colleran, DVM, who has veterinary offices in Portland, Oregon and Chico, California. According to Ms. Boatman, Dr. Colleran's feline clientele in Portland doesn't demonstrate noticeable seasonal changes. However, that possibly could be because Portland has "gray weather" throughout the year.
In Chico, it was a different story. Quoting Ms. Boatman, " 'I really do see a difference, I'm absolutely convinced of it,' says Dr. Colleran. In the wild, other cat behaviors, such as mating, are related to exposure to light. It's therefore logical to assume that the onset of winter might have some effect on your kitty as well, Dr. Colleran explains."
What Are the Symptoms of SAD?
Although cats vary in the kind and degree of symptoms, any of the following may be noticeable:
- Sleeping more during the day due to lower energy levels
- Eating more than normal
- Showing more aggression than usual
- Acting sluggish and depressed
As mentioned before, humans with SAD may also display some of these symptoms.
Activate Your Cats
Cats with seasonal affective disorder often want to sleep all day. We want to get our cats out of their figurative beds and into their normal activities. This will require some activity on our parts too.
- Dig that feather wand or other interactive toy out of the closet and have a rousing fifteen minutes of play with your cats.
- While they're cooling down, put on a Sylvester and Tweetie cartoon. Or find a movie on film involving songbirds. As we know, most cats are fascinated by birds.
- Speaking of birds, hang a birdfeeder outside a window where the cats can see it. Watching live birds will engage their attention and help keep them from sleeping all day.
- Don't forget play-alone toys, such as the Peek-a-Prize Toy Box.
Monitor Cats' Food Intake
Fat cats are unhealthy cats, and because of their excess weight, they are less inclined to be active. Foods formulated for weight loss may be fine if there is only one cat in the family, and if that cat will eat those foods. I prefer to feed all my cats grain-free food, both canned and dry. At the time of this article, I have two obese cats, Billy and Jennifur. They are each fed canned food separately, and their dry food is given more as treats, and the bowls taken up between meals.
Keep Indoor TemperatureJust Warm Enough
While cats are said to best enjoy temperatures around 75 degrees fahrenheit, it isn't necessary to keep the home that warm. I keep our thermostat at seventy-two during the day, and at night turn it down to sixty-nine or seventy.
I have extra blankets, and my cats have fur and each other.
Minimize StressWhenever Possible
Even under normal conditions, cats are often subject to stress because of loud or boistrous human activity. If at allpossible, try to minimize stressful activities, or lock the cats in a safe room at those times.
- During Winter holidays, invite friends to party in public places rather than at your home. If you feel you must entertain friends in your home, put the cats in an isolated room, turn on their favorite TV cartoon, and make sure the Feliway Plugin is fully operational.
- Resist the urge to move litter boxes around at this time. Don't change the brand of litter either. Remember that for cats with SAD, change equals stress.
- Don't suddenly start rearranging your furniture. It's not only a noisy activity, but will pile stress upon more stress for your cats.
We love our cats and want them to be as healthy and happy as possible for as long as possible. Seasonal affective disorder doesn't last yearlong, and by following these tips, you and your cats should weather the dark winter days with a minimum of stress.
Resources
Disclaimer: As with all medically-related articles, a reminder that I am not a veterinarian. This article is not intended to be a definitive answer to any questions you might have about SAD in Cats, but is meant to give you a basic understanding of that condition. If your cat exhibits symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, I strongly suggest you have your cat examined by your veterinarian, to eliminate any serious medical causes for those symptoms.