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Q: Is it possible for cats to have mental illness, or is it always just a matter of behavioral issues?
Faye Schecter
Chicago, Illinois
Dear Ms. Schecter,
A: Cats, like humans, can have mental health issues. Some behavior problems are simply a cat’s response to the constraints and challenges of life as a pet. But there can also be psychological pathology. For instance, a cat who is excessively fearful may be suffering from an abnormal level of anxiety.
Genetics may play a role, as can life experiences, particularly unfortunate life experiences during the first nine weeks of life. But trauma at any age
can cause a cat to have psychological problems, just as it can for people.
Such a cat can still make a wonderful pet. It may just take some extra patience on their people’s part to accommodate and work through issues.
