All cat parents are responsible for managing and maintaining their cat’s health. They should keep a track of their feline baby’s overall well being. Hence, when doing the same, some of you might observe your cat has suddenly started doing very unusual activities. They might react very unusually to very basic and usual things. As a result, you will think that something is definitely wrong with your cat. Hence, in this case, a lot of questions will strike your mind. One out of them will be if can cats have autism or not?
Well, to provide an answer to all of your questions, we decided to come up with this blog. Over here, we will discuss various things related to cats and autism. Hence, keep reading so that you do not miss out on anything important.
Table of Contents
What exactly made you wonder about whether or not can cats have autism?
The term autism can be defined as a defect in the neurological development and functioning of a living being. Autism directly affects behaviour, communication skills and abilities, and the capability to interact socially. Hence, this term is mainly associated with human beings.
However, we should not forget that autism is related to the functioning of the mind. And clearly, every animal on this planet possesses a brain. Hence, it is obvious to assume that all living beings are prone to autism. The same goes for our cats as well. They might exhibit some characteristics and perform various activities similar to that of a person with autism. Some of them might include the following ones:
- Your cat might refrain from touching or being touched by you. (showing restrictive behaviour)
- Doing the same thing again and again (repetitive interests and behaviour development)
- Avoiding making eye contact with you (lack of confidence, problem in socially interacting)
Well, it is obvious for you to wonder if cats have autism or not when noticing such types of actions and behaviour. Well, to find out a specific answer to this question, refer to the next section.
Can cats have autism?
For all the feline parents out there, it is good news for you! Your cats are not prone to autism. Instead, the best part is that no cat in this world can have autism. These include pet cats, stray cats, and the most giant cats such as lion, tiger, and leopard as well.
Reasons behind cats behaving in an autistic manner!
Since you now know that the answer to can cats have autism is no, you might wonder about the reasons behind your cat behaving in an autistic manner. Well, there could be a couple of general as well as medical reasons which might lead to your cat behaving abnormally. Hence, in this case, there are some specific things/questions that cat parents should consider researching about. Some of them include the following ones.
If it isn’t autism, does my feline baby have any other disorder?
There is a 50% probability that your cat might be suffering from some specific mental or neurological disorder. On the other hand, the reason you witness some unusual or abnormal activities is that your feline babies are just being themselves.
In case if your cat is suffering from a mental disorder, it could be a result of some hormonal or genetic defect. On the other hand, physical injuries and illnesses also significantly contribute to the development of mental issues in cats.
Hence, if you frequently notice abnormal behaviour, waste no time further and take your feline baby to the vet.
Is being extremely smart and intelligent a sign of autism in cats?
One of the rarest symptoms noticed in autistic human beings is that they are super intelligent. These autistic human beings are great at subjects that normal human beings find tough. These include subjects like mathematics, accountancy, and science. Hence, when noticing their cats behave smartly, some feline parents might wonder if their cat is autistic.
Well, we all should be aware of the fact that cats are highly active as well as social animals. Hence, the reason behind their smart behaviour will not always be autism. Instead, there are specific cat breeds that are actually known for their intelligence and smartness. These include cat breeds like the Birmans, Persian cats, and the Abyssinians.
Additionally, feline parents should look at this situation from a different perspective. You should pay attention to the fact that every child is different from the other one. And this holds true for our fur babies as well. Every cat is different from the other ones, in their own ways. Hence, some of our furry babies might be blessed with some exceptional skills. Whereas, there will be fur babies who aren’t that smart and intelligent.
Cats doing the same thing again and again?
Can cats have autism? NO! Then why is my cat exhibiting the relative behaviour symptoms generally exhibited by autistic people?
Well, every animal on this planet has some specific habits that they generally perform on a regular basis. These habits depend on various factors. Some of them include the category of that animal, some gender-specific habits, etc. The same thing goes for our feline buddies as well.
Cats love to perform activities that they love or enjoy doing repetitively. Hence, this could be the reason why they do one particular thing again and again. On the other hand, it is very much possible that your cat might be having obsessive compulsive disorder. Yes, cats are prone to and can develop this mental issue. Apart from autism, this is one disorder that leads to performing repetitive activities in both human beings and cats as well.
Hence, you should make sure that you continuously monitor your cat’s activities. This will let you determine whether they are doing that thing for fun and enjoyment. Or else, do they have obsessive compulsive disorder?
Winding up
All feline parents will be relaxed after reading our blog. This is because they finally have a positive answer to their question, ‘Can cats have autism’? Hence, all cat parents out there can take a sigh of relief as their fur babies are not prone to this mental issue. But, in order to make sure that your cat is completely healthy and safe, make sure you keep a check on their activities and overall, well being.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can cats have autism?
No! Any feline baby on this planet does not have the risk of developing autism. They are blessed with a mind that is free from the risk of getting this neurological or mental disorder. Hence, no cat parent needs to worry about their cat being autistic.
If cats cannot have autism then why does my cat behave in an autistic manner?
Every cat parent might have sometimes noticed their feline baby behaving abnormally. They might either indulge in unusual or abnormal activities. Or it might do some things that generally indicate the presence of this neurological disorder. But, apart from autism, their cats can have different reasons for doing such things. Some of them include physical illness, genetic defects, fun and playing, etc.
My cat is very intelligent. She makes her way out of even the most difficult situations. So, should I consider this as a sign of autism?
There is nothing wrong if you have a highly intelligent and innovative feline baby that has an incredible brain. Also, since we all know cats cannot be autistic, hence, clearly, there is no point in considering their smartness as a sign of autism. Cats, in general, are very smart and social. And, it is a fact that some might be even more smarter than the other ones.
Just like autism, can cats not get any other neurological or mental disorder?
It is a piece of good news for all cat parents that our feline babies are not prone to autism. However, this does not mean that cats cannot have any other mental issues or neurological disorders. Autism is just an exception. However, the fact is that our feline fur babies might develop various other problems related to the brain. Some of them include obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorder, anxiety and depression, dissociation and dissociative disorder, etc.
