reclusive/independent kitty

Hello, I have recently begun a full time job and have been away from the house for long periods of time (10-14 hours a day). I am planning on living at home for a few months to save up some money, and my mom cheerfully looks after and feeds my babies their afternoon snack while I am away. Lately she has been telling me that she plays with Marble etc but hasn't seen Mia the whole day. I think Mia is very much a 1 person type of cat (she's currently stretched out over me, purring, as I'm typing this) and may be experiencing some anxiety when I am gone so long because I see her a lot on the days I am home. She already has pica, which is ocd/anxiety based but the vet refused to give me meds to help her unless we went to behavioral therapy, which I believe is a waste of money- she's a CAT. I just don't think any cat would respond as well as a dog or human due to their nature. Anyway, what can I do to help her out?

Is she usually awake when you are home? She might like to take advantage of when you are gone to catch up on her sleep. If she plays and hangs around most of the time when you are home, I don't know if I'd be concerned. (If you are just starting to live with your mother again, she might have gotten into that habit when you lived alone - that is if you have lived alone)

Cats will respond to behavioural therapy. They aren't humans or dogs but the behavioural therapy is about understanding the motivation and drives of the cat. Figure out what's making them stressed out or anxious (or what other problems there are) and then working with the cat to try and solve it. Being a good cat behaviour therapist requires a very deep understanding of the drives and instincts of cats and that's what's used to help them.

Please give that a go of you possibly can afford it. Your vet knows what he's talking about.