Hi Barbara, you did say that Ginger has "rejection of embrase.....when he usually adores being cuddled and fussed over." So it could still be something worth checking out.
To help a little -
Signs of Depression in Cats Changes in behaviour are red flags for depression or illness in cats. If a formerly friendly cat begins to hide, a calm cat becomes aggressive, an active cat grows lethargic, or an independent cat becomes clingy, there is probably a medical or psychological problem. Changes in vocalisation (the cat becomes more or less talkative than usual) and urinating or defecating outside the litter box are also warning signs for illness, depression, or anxiety. Other symptoms of depression in cats are very similar to those found in people, including: Loss of appetite Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities Irritability Becoming socially withdrawn Sleeping more than usual Because many signs of depression in cats can also be illness symptoms, take your cat in for a veterinary checkup before assuming that the problem is psychological.
There are also natural products available to help your cat cope with stressful situations, such as Zyklene.
If you see any change in the behaviour of your cat there could be something more sinister going on. Get him to the vet for a quick check and to put your mind at ease before thinking of anything else.
If he is stressed by others there are many things you can do but get him checked over by the vet first.
I also have always bathed my cats and dogs, I have one of each now Merlin (cat)who is 10y ears and Giggie (dog)who is almost 6 years. which I try and do on a nice sunny day, which we have lots. however there has been time when I had to do it late at night when the cat come home covered in sh*t, or the dog had the runs. They are both boys, and yes will be boys. we call them the boys.
I left them at our home 3 weeks ago, with a friend staying for a week, and they play her up no end, but were all hugs and kisses when I got home. she phoned me to say why are they meowing and barking at me.
poor Ginger I hope he does feel much better with himself soon, its hard if they don´t want hugs. x
Barbara, it must be a worry for you. and a shock last night with the feral cat charging in like that. I am sure Maureen with help with Ginger. One of my cats, I had years ago, had arthritis it started when she was about 6, she had a great life and lived until she was to 18 years old.
Hello I am sorry to hear about Uncle Ginger´s suffering from depression, which you can see in his walking have you considered he maybe be suffering from arthritis which is giving him depression. its just a thought. hugs x
Arh Barbara - poor Big Ginger.. I haven't got any answers but I know from my cats that if something changes or something new comes into the house that takes away from them, they can get 'huffy'... like when you've been away on holiday and even though they have been taken care of in their own home, they can still give you a hard time when you come back... has Big Ginger got any reason to feel as though he's been pushed out, or lost his pecking order ... poor guy :-(
