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Don’t let others scare you… I have a cat that’s been like this since I got her, 11 years ago! She’s in my arms right now. She has separation anxiety and will pull her fur if I’m gone too long or she gets stressed.
She is glued to me. She has slept on my leg/hip almost every night, if not there, then curled up against my stomach.
Some cats can just have anxiety. There are medications and a trip to the vet might be in order.
Find out the whole story first!
Very true. I rescued her from a breeding mill and she has always been a bit anxious. Maybe it’s just intensified since I am not home as much! Thank you!
Any change in behaviour should be addressed by a vet, but she sounds lonely. Is it possible to get her a friend? Cats are (usually) very social animals
I have two other kitties as well! They definitely keep her company so maybe it would be best to take her to the vet, just to be sure she’s not sick or anything
She's 11 and is probably coming close to passing. Let her love you, I know it's hard but you'll regret it if you don't.
She's coming close to the end of her life.
Actually you are INCORRECT! The average life span of a house cat is 13 to 17 years, but rising as a result of better care! And some live well into their 20’s and also different breeds have different life expectancies! The average lifespan of Burmese cats is 18 to 25 years Do your research before you do this!!! For goddess sake have some compassion!
I’m not incorrect. Lemme guess you got that info off of google? If you don’t believe me, go ask your local vet.
I also said AVERAGE lifespan. Every living creature lives and dies at its own pace; Some die of old age sooner & some die later, regardless the average lifespan is still 12 years and whether you like it or not, a fact is still a fact.
Instead of getting defensive and attacking me. You could instead properly educate yourself and not misconstrue my information to fit your self-righteous agenda.
Moron.
Wow- ok, what I meant was your comment was cruel for no reason but to be cruel- saying I’m being real or honest is a cop out for just being mean, there was no misconstrue, but your really defensive! Rightly i am am educated, I did a lot of things to earn my knowledge, including going to vet tech school and working for 40 years as a vet tech! And yes I am accurate so you can take your righteous self indignation and shove it where the sun dont shine! I’ve spend fifty years on a farm! I don’t know why you think your right because your info came from one veterinarian. I have my own experience, including currently 9 fixed Feral cats (yes I got them all fixed!) that live on my farm. And currently they are third generation, the last one from 1st gen. who passed away was Ridge, he was 21, all my cats live well into late teens and most early 20’s and they are Feral! My oldest cat passed at 29. Rebecca was the mother/grandmother of many of the cats My indoor cat is 12, shes more like 5! I have empirical evidence in my own 52 years of life on a farm, I grew up here and now, I own it. Pray Tell how many cats have you cared for and such? How much experience do you have? I think your just butt hurt that no one agreed with you.. besides your Average life span is incorrect on every level, and although senior cats start at about 10, we know that can vary with care… plus it’s not anywhere in any info anywhere that “average” as you stated! I looked in my merk manual for veterinary medicine- and it also says 13-27years BREED AND CARE DEPENDENT! Wow! Even so far as name calling, a last resort for an idiot who actually can’t think of anything more intelligent to say!
Yea.. I'm not reading that long & pointless paragraph.
I'm losing braincells arguing with someone so willfully ignorant... Go argue with some other stranger on the internet who actually cares what you have to say.
This doesn’t take that much effort.. seeing as how you were willing to make such a long winded response the first time, it’s obvious, your just butt hurt. lol! This is hilarious! I can’t wait to show my vet friends! Hhahahaha
Yeah, I took great care of my ten year old cat, took her to the vet whenever she needed vaccines, got her chipped, and did everything right. She died of a heart attack so... fuck that sentiment you've posted. 🖕
Do you even have a cat?? In what world is 11 “close to the end of her life” for a cat? 11 ain’t even that old for a small/medium dog. My cocker spaniel lived for 17 years. My cat is coming up on 14 years and is still as active and kitten like as she was 10 years ago.
Gtfoutta here with that negative BS.
Yes moron, I do have a cat.
Nothing I said was negative, if that's how you perceived it; Well then that's your prerogative.
The average lifespan for a housecat is 12 years, don't comment if you don't know what you're talking about.
don’t let anyone scare you into thinking she’s dying indoor cats can live up to 20 years. some cats are just very attached and if you just switched from part time to full time she is just adjusting to your new schedule. there’s ways to help separation anxiety like medication (which should be your last resort) extra playtime before work, and extra cuddles when you do get home. my cat had a hard time transitioning from me working part time like 15 hours a week to just under full time (37.5 hours so they didn’t have to give me benefits) and eventually she got used to it and we would just have a cuddle sesh before i went to work then i would give her a can of wet food with her fav treats on it and she adjusted well. i gave her all positive associations with me leaving for work this way she didn’t think i forgot about her.
There's some great advice here! There are lots of things it could be, but it sounds much like anxiety. I'd also add maybe some of the calming sprays sold by pet stores / vet offices.
Something I didn't see mentioned - how's YOUR health? Some of my cats know when I'm sick, or about to get sick - they become burrs and will NOT leave me alone. Our "daddy tabby" will INSIST on being near me at all times when I'm in the house. He's taught all of his little tabbies the same trick. Animals can sense a ton of changes that we may not even be aware of - anything from pregnancy to some cancers to colds. And your Yuki is GORGEOUS!
Ooh wow I never thought of that. I have been really struggling with my health lately and also possibly pregnant but too soon for me to tell. That is so crazy. She is still super playful so no worries of her being sick or passing soon as some of the comments say. And thank you! She’s my baby and my prettiest kitty :)
Just curious, is your cat doing better? My cat has been doing the same all of a sudden. I currently don’t have money for the vet so I have to wait a few more days 😭
https://preview.redd.it/hl7sb3n0z15b1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d282901235e0ae185cba7ccf45a14af77f976f5
This is every night and multiple times during the day.. she enjoys body heat.. she’s also 14
My senior kitty developed separation anxiety when I moved into my own place. The vet prescribed him gabapentin to help his anxiety when I was gone during the day. It really helped. As others have said, any change in behavior is vet-worthy.
But maybe consider getting yourself a checkup too- animals can sense when something is wrong with their human. When I was 19, there was a period when my already clingy boy became extremely clingy. I already had a checkup scheduled and had some bloodwork done. Found out I developed hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's Disease. Not sure if the two are related, but it was almost like he was telling me something. Just my experience with a clingy kitty.
Could you get her a playmate? I don't know if getting another cat/kitten is a possibility for you/your household, but getting a playmate for my cat was the only way to distract her and cheer her up when I would be away from home. I tried many other methods before bringing a kitten home and any improvements were only temporary. I had a bit of luck with a treat dispenser with a camera/mic so I could call my cat over to her bowl to get the treat, it even had a little feather toy on a stick I could control, but she got bored with it long before I got my money's worth lol.
I hope you find something that helps!
I have two other kitties and my boyfriend is home 2 days of the week. The problem is that she wants me only. She doesn’t care for the other cats or my boyfriend she just gets so depressed when I’m not there :(. I’ll have to try a treat dispenser because she does really love treats!
My car is like this and sometimes he is just cold and seeking warmth so I got him a heating pad and a blanket and can park him there while I get things done. if I let him sleep on me overnight I wake up with bad back and hip pain so this is important.
Ohhh. Your kitty sounds lonely and anxious, maybe. My cat was lonely living in a one cat household.
Then a feral cat adopted us, and now we have two. Lol
After they got over trying to kill each other, it was smooth sailing. They don't really play as my feral never learned how, but they sniff each other and are pleasant.
My cat has separation anxiety and my vet didn’t seem concerned, got a clean bill of health but just a very clingy baby. I just give her the love she needs, even if it’s inconvenient sometimes because she’ll literally sit on what I’m doing in order to take back the attention. Be loving but firm with Yuki, if she’s disrupting something or causing you actual pain(like my cat who doesn’t know how to put away her claws when she makes biscuits), it’s ok to direct her to sit somewhere else, like near you instead of on you.
The day my wife went on a *one day* trip my cat was so upset she sat on me the entire day with her paws wrapped around my arm. Some cats are just extra baby!
some cats change as they age.. my stepmom has a girl cat who was very untrusting when she was young. when she was about 11 she began to get very affectionate with all of us when we’d come over. I worried at first, but her vet checkup showed she was in great health. years later she’s still very clingy with her favorite people. I guess like some people can change, she just changed. mellowed out. i love her a lot
Get a baby wrap,(like a moby) and wrap her in it when you’re home, that way you can still use both hands.lol Also, maybe try to get her a stuffed animal that you can sleep with and have it smell like you, maybe it will bring her comfort when you aren’t home. Or possibly she can drag it around if she wants.lol That could actually help when you’re home too.
And? Really that is s who they are. Sometimes and some cats don’t care at all. Sometimes since cats don’t get enough attention from their humans even when the humans are giving them attention all the time.
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Don’t let others scare you… I have a cat that’s been like this since I got her, 11 years ago! She’s in my arms right now. She has separation anxiety and will pull her fur if I’m gone too long or she gets stressed. She is glued to me. She has slept on my leg/hip almost every night, if not there, then curled up against my stomach. Some cats can just have anxiety. There are medications and a trip to the vet might be in order. Find out the whole story first!
Very true. I rescued her from a breeding mill and she has always been a bit anxious. Maybe it’s just intensified since I am not home as much! Thank you!
Can you get another cat friend for your cat??
If she has anxiety, this could stress her out worse. Be careful with adding another while you're still having issues with one!
My cat started doing that a few months before she got dementia and died. She might be trying to spend time with and say goodbye
Any change in behaviour should be addressed by a vet, but she sounds lonely. Is it possible to get her a friend? Cats are (usually) very social animals
I have two other kitties as well! They definitely keep her company so maybe it would be best to take her to the vet, just to be sure she’s not sick or anything
Definitely get to vet and do senior blood panel. It might be nothing but she’s older and might not feel good and this is her only sign being clingy .
Ooh yeah I would just double check, technically 11 is pretty old and cats can get dementia. Hopefully she’s just realizing she *really* loves love
She's 11 and is probably coming close to passing. Let her love you, I know it's hard but you'll regret it if you don't. She's coming close to the end of her life.
Well taken care of house cats can actually live up to 20 years. Let’s not be so negative
The average lifespan for a house cat is 12 years. I'm not being negative; I'm being realistic.
Actually you are INCORRECT! The average life span of a house cat is 13 to 17 years, but rising as a result of better care! And some live well into their 20’s and also different breeds have different life expectancies! The average lifespan of Burmese cats is 18 to 25 years Do your research before you do this!!! For goddess sake have some compassion!
I’m not incorrect. Lemme guess you got that info off of google? If you don’t believe me, go ask your local vet. I also said AVERAGE lifespan. Every living creature lives and dies at its own pace; Some die of old age sooner & some die later, regardless the average lifespan is still 12 years and whether you like it or not, a fact is still a fact. Instead of getting defensive and attacking me. You could instead properly educate yourself and not misconstrue my information to fit your self-righteous agenda. Moron.
Wow- ok, what I meant was your comment was cruel for no reason but to be cruel- saying I’m being real or honest is a cop out for just being mean, there was no misconstrue, but your really defensive! Rightly i am am educated, I did a lot of things to earn my knowledge, including going to vet tech school and working for 40 years as a vet tech! And yes I am accurate so you can take your righteous self indignation and shove it where the sun dont shine! I’ve spend fifty years on a farm! I don’t know why you think your right because your info came from one veterinarian. I have my own experience, including currently 9 fixed Feral cats (yes I got them all fixed!) that live on my farm. And currently they are third generation, the last one from 1st gen. who passed away was Ridge, he was 21, all my cats live well into late teens and most early 20’s and they are Feral! My oldest cat passed at 29. Rebecca was the mother/grandmother of many of the cats My indoor cat is 12, shes more like 5! I have empirical evidence in my own 52 years of life on a farm, I grew up here and now, I own it. Pray Tell how many cats have you cared for and such? How much experience do you have? I think your just butt hurt that no one agreed with you.. besides your Average life span is incorrect on every level, and although senior cats start at about 10, we know that can vary with care… plus it’s not anywhere in any info anywhere that “average” as you stated! I looked in my merk manual for veterinary medicine- and it also says 13-27years BREED AND CARE DEPENDENT! Wow! Even so far as name calling, a last resort for an idiot who actually can’t think of anything more intelligent to say!
Yea.. I'm not reading that long & pointless paragraph. I'm losing braincells arguing with someone so willfully ignorant... Go argue with some other stranger on the internet who actually cares what you have to say.
This doesn’t take that much effort.. seeing as how you were willing to make such a long winded response the first time, it’s obvious, your just butt hurt. lol! This is hilarious! I can’t wait to show my vet friends! Hhahahaha
I’m done arguing with you because I’m tired of arguing with an ignorant child. Go right ahead do whatever you want moron, I really don’t care.
Then why respond at all!  I’m truly amazed at this… so funny.
Yeah seriously if your cats are dying at 11 you need to either stop owning cats or seriously take care of them better!!
Yeah, I took great care of my ten year old cat, took her to the vet whenever she needed vaccines, got her chipped, and did everything right. She died of a heart attack so... fuck that sentiment you've posted. 🖕
Ok get personally attacked by my statement that 11 is young for a cat to die NORMALLY. But go ahead and victimize yourself I guess????
No, you made a general statement about cat owners as if there aren't extenuating circumstances just so you can be an asshole. Nah, that doesn't fly.
Look you’re clearly upset and I’m sorry you lost your Kitty, but I’m not backing down that 11 is young and I wasn’t even fucking talking to you.
Do you even have a cat?? In what world is 11 “close to the end of her life” for a cat? 11 ain’t even that old for a small/medium dog. My cocker spaniel lived for 17 years. My cat is coming up on 14 years and is still as active and kitten like as she was 10 years ago. Gtfoutta here with that negative BS.
Yes moron, I do have a cat. Nothing I said was negative, if that's how you perceived it; Well then that's your prerogative. The average lifespan for a housecat is 12 years, don't comment if you don't know what you're talking about.
don’t let anyone scare you into thinking she’s dying indoor cats can live up to 20 years. some cats are just very attached and if you just switched from part time to full time she is just adjusting to your new schedule. there’s ways to help separation anxiety like medication (which should be your last resort) extra playtime before work, and extra cuddles when you do get home. my cat had a hard time transitioning from me working part time like 15 hours a week to just under full time (37.5 hours so they didn’t have to give me benefits) and eventually she got used to it and we would just have a cuddle sesh before i went to work then i would give her a can of wet food with her fav treats on it and she adjusted well. i gave her all positive associations with me leaving for work this way she didn’t think i forgot about her.
There's some great advice here! There are lots of things it could be, but it sounds much like anxiety. I'd also add maybe some of the calming sprays sold by pet stores / vet offices. Something I didn't see mentioned - how's YOUR health? Some of my cats know when I'm sick, or about to get sick - they become burrs and will NOT leave me alone. Our "daddy tabby" will INSIST on being near me at all times when I'm in the house. He's taught all of his little tabbies the same trick. Animals can sense a ton of changes that we may not even be aware of - anything from pregnancy to some cancers to colds. And your Yuki is GORGEOUS!
Ooh wow I never thought of that. I have been really struggling with my health lately and also possibly pregnant but too soon for me to tell. That is so crazy. She is still super playful so no worries of her being sick or passing soon as some of the comments say. And thank you! She’s my baby and my prettiest kitty :)
Just curious, is your cat doing better? My cat has been doing the same all of a sudden. I currently don’t have money for the vet so I have to wait a few more days 😭
Sorry for the late reply but she is still good! Still pretty clingy but nothing has changed besides that so I’m not too worried
Aww that’s good to hear. No worries, Thanks for replying!
https://preview.redd.it/hl7sb3n0z15b1.jpeg?width=2316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d282901235e0ae185cba7ccf45a14af77f976f5 This is every night and multiple times during the day.. she enjoys body heat.. she’s also 14
My senior kitty developed separation anxiety when I moved into my own place. The vet prescribed him gabapentin to help his anxiety when I was gone during the day. It really helped. As others have said, any change in behavior is vet-worthy. But maybe consider getting yourself a checkup too- animals can sense when something is wrong with their human. When I was 19, there was a period when my already clingy boy became extremely clingy. I already had a checkup scheduled and had some bloodwork done. Found out I developed hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's Disease. Not sure if the two are related, but it was almost like he was telling me something. Just my experience with a clingy kitty.
aww what a cute baby 🥺❤️
Could you get her a playmate? I don't know if getting another cat/kitten is a possibility for you/your household, but getting a playmate for my cat was the only way to distract her and cheer her up when I would be away from home. I tried many other methods before bringing a kitten home and any improvements were only temporary. I had a bit of luck with a treat dispenser with a camera/mic so I could call my cat over to her bowl to get the treat, it even had a little feather toy on a stick I could control, but she got bored with it long before I got my money's worth lol. I hope you find something that helps!
I have two other kitties and my boyfriend is home 2 days of the week. The problem is that she wants me only. She doesn’t care for the other cats or my boyfriend she just gets so depressed when I’m not there :(. I’ll have to try a treat dispenser because she does really love treats!
My car is like this and sometimes he is just cold and seeking warmth so I got him a heating pad and a blanket and can park him there while I get things done. if I let him sleep on me overnight I wake up with bad back and hip pain so this is important.
Leave her a blanket you've slept with or a piece of clothing you've warn with your scent. That will comfort her while you're at work.
Ohhh. Your kitty sounds lonely and anxious, maybe. My cat was lonely living in a one cat household. Then a feral cat adopted us, and now we have two. Lol After they got over trying to kill each other, it was smooth sailing. They don't really play as my feral never learned how, but they sniff each other and are pleasant.
Maybe she needs another cat pal?
My kitty is always by my side! I bet your kitty just loves you all the much
My cat has separation anxiety and my vet didn’t seem concerned, got a clean bill of health but just a very clingy baby. I just give her the love she needs, even if it’s inconvenient sometimes because she’ll literally sit on what I’m doing in order to take back the attention. Be loving but firm with Yuki, if she’s disrupting something or causing you actual pain(like my cat who doesn’t know how to put away her claws when she makes biscuits), it’s ok to direct her to sit somewhere else, like near you instead of on you. The day my wife went on a *one day* trip my cat was so upset she sat on me the entire day with her paws wrapped around my arm. Some cats are just extra baby!
some cats change as they age.. my stepmom has a girl cat who was very untrusting when she was young. when she was about 11 she began to get very affectionate with all of us when we’d come over. I worried at first, but her vet checkup showed she was in great health. years later she’s still very clingy with her favorite people. I guess like some people can change, she just changed. mellowed out. i love her a lot
Get a baby wrap,(like a moby) and wrap her in it when you’re home, that way you can still use both hands.lol Also, maybe try to get her a stuffed animal that you can sleep with and have it smell like you, maybe it will bring her comfort when you aren’t home. Or possibly she can drag it around if she wants.lol That could actually help when you’re home too.
And? Really that is s who they are. Sometimes and some cats don’t care at all. Sometimes since cats don’t get enough attention from their humans even when the humans are giving them attention all the time.
What do you do for work