Can cats get SAD?

[NancyDonahue]

Our cat (age 4) gets quite withdrawn and a loss of appetite when the weather is bad. I was almost worried enough to take him to the vet yesterday as he was wandering around slowly and not wanting us to touch him. However, today is beautifully sunny and he's bouncing around the garden like a kitten and loving all our attention. Dh says all cats originated from desert areas and therefore he think they need the sun to function, he thinks he may need a sun lamp . Does anyone else notice their cats being unhappy when they haven't had sun?

They certainly like nice weather and sitting in the sun, and hate wind and rain. Whether they get SAD though I doubt anyone knows. Someone needs to do a study ....

I think somesdo. One of my cats is as happy as Larry when the weather's sunny and mild, but when it's cloudy & rainy she spends most of the day in bed and is quieter than usual. My other cat's behavior is consistent in all weathers.

My Dad swears his replacement child cat has SAD. And anxiety.

I'm half convinced my cat suffers with SAD or depression or something. When its been wet and windy for a few days she spends about 22hrs a day sleeping and doesn't want to know us. A day or two of sunshine and she's happy again.

Mine is exactly the same at the minute. Barely finishing his food which is unlike him and just moping about!

They are originally from hot countries - they like basking in the sun

my friend with a cat says the minute she switches on the SAD lamp, the cat appears - from anywhere in the house, it's like the cat is waiting for my friend to flick the switch - and the cat sits right in front of it till it is switched off.

maybe they are like humans, some have SAD, some don't.

SAD is seasonal affective disorder - it's to do with light, not weather!

But yes, cats definitely get mopey when they can't go outside because it's rainy. When I was growing up, I had a cat who would hopefully check every door and window in case there was one it wasn't raining at

whisky "it's to do with light, not weather!"

but they are completely linked. The lack of light on a grey rainy day is a huge problem for SAD sufferers.

Of course. And I think most people have moods that are affected by the weather. There's not many people whose spirits aren't lifted by a bright, crisp day compared to a dull, grey one. (Some people are, however, adversely affected by heat!)

The point I wanted to make is that SAD, isn't just feeling a bit blue because the weather's bad and better the next day when it's good again - its cyclical depression that follows the rhythm of the seasons and the loss of light in the winter time. For most people, it means the whole of late autumn/winter is a pretty bad time.

Thanks all. Glad it's not just my puss cat then. It's drizzly here today so he's back to sleeping and moping. I think a sun lamp would do us all good so I'm ordering one.

I wouldn't say my cat has SAD but he's definitely more lively in sunny warm weather. When it's dull or cold he prefers to sleep - it's as though he thinks that as the weather isn't to his liking he'll ignore it and have a duvet day.

Nancy " I think a sun lamp would do us all good so I'm ordering one"

Do you mean a SAD lamp?

I actually debated getting a sun lamp but they don't seem to exist anymore! I have been told that an old fashioned blue light from the old fashioned sun fryers are really good. That said, I had a blue wave SAD light and I don't think it was any good.

anyway, you will jostle for position with your cat, whatever lamp you get

Part of it, especially the eating less, is they are burning less calories due to reduced activity. They actually don’t want to go out in the rain. Then in the spring when all the mice and birds start breeding and there is prey to catch, cats become quite active so need more calories.

Our younger cat (now only cat) is definitely one for getting the blues. His fur is less soft and shiny and he's less talkative. Usually takes a couple of days and he perks up again. Never noticed it to be in sink with bad weather. The older cat never had anything like that, so I suppose they can be very different.

Only cat has now become a mostly indoor cat (and as learned to go on a litter tray after only one error - great going for a 14y.o.). He was in a cattery for a week the other week and a bit affected by that (didn't really want to be in the house after being picked up again) but is now right as rain. He's one that's very much affected by circumstances, whatever these are - he's a tuxy, they say it comes with the territory.

*in sync, even.