Ben Madilynn
A “depressed” cat named Biscuit has left the internet in tears after a clip of him sitting by the window alone with his head down, looking like he’s “about to cry,” went viral on social media.
In the video, shared on TikTok in December by the cat’s owner, under the username Thefluffymeows, the Scottish Golden Chinchilla, who, with his sister Cookie, already has over 47,000 followers, appears to be almost crying.
The viral clip comes with a caption that reads: “The second day our cat sits like this. He looks depressed and we don’t know how to help him.” The owner asked: “How can we help him?”
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According to Pet WebMD, cats are emotional and can get stressed or depressed and, although there usually are some telltale signs, sometimes your cat may not show obvious signs of stress.
Dr. Hunter Finn, a Texas-based integrative veterinary expert, told Newsweek that cats can become depressed, but it may not be in the way you are thinking. He added that the reasons for this depression include lack of enrichment, boredom, loss of a caretaker or companion, and sometimes physical illness.
“Signs can certainly vary, but more commonly may include lethargy or disinterest in normal activities, lack of appetite, urine-marking or defecation outside of the litter box, changes in vocalization, aggression, hiding more often, overgrooming or not grooming altogether, and sometimes just sleeping more,” Finn said.
The best way to help a cat who may be depressed, according to Finn, is to figure out the underlying cause, and if it’s a medical illness, treating that may be all that is required.
“If it is grieving, it may take time and creating new habits with the cat to help them through it,” Finn added. “If it is a boredom issue, then finding out your cat’s play style and creating a more entertaining environment for them can be extremely helpful.”
The video quickly went viral, attracting animal lovers from all over TikTok, and has so far received more than 16.8 million views and 2.4 million likes.
One TikToker, max_Y, commented: “get him a girl.” And Its.me..lex posted: “it’s like about to cry.”
TikToker mommakitty_ wrote: “As a veterinary technician, I would recommend taking him to the vet ASAP. This is usually a health issue.”
Evie.davies commented: “Cuddle him and give him treats.” And tltnole added: “Oh poor thing. This makes me so sad. Please tell us he’s okay?!?”
Another TikToker, amkramer3, posted: “Poor baby. He looks like he doesn’t feel well. One of my cats started doing this, and I took her to the vet..she was in renal failure.”
Newsweek reached out to Thefluffymeows for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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