Separation Anxiety or is my cat sick?

I am a freshman in college this year, and I go to school about 1000 miles away, so I don't visit home much. I haven't been home since August, and I've never been away from my cat for more than 3 weeks. My cat, Kitty, and I have an extremely codependent relationship: whenever I'm home, we spend hours together cuddling and just spending time together, and she always happily greets me when I come home. Saying that she loves me is an understatement. Kitty is about 8 or 9 years old, and she's very social and normal around the family, but she gets really scared when other people come into the house, and is difficult with adapting (when we moved to our current home and traveled across the country to do so, she was depressed and scared and crying for a week before adjusting to the new home).

About a week before I left home in August, my cat knew something was up and cried  as if she knew I was leaving. But after I left, everything's been fine. For the past two weeks, however, she hasn't been eating. She won't eat dry food at all, and will only eat saucy canned food in tiny amounts after much encouragement from my mom. She eats like a spoonful or two per day, very little. She normally eats a lot, so this is concerning. Also, she's vomited a few times, but nothing super major. She's drinking water normally and the litter box is normal. In the past week, she's been coming to my mom on her downtime and cuddling with her (usually my cat gives my mom no attention, just me when I'm home. My mom is now, however, the only one left at home). To me this seems like separation anxiety and that she's looking for love and attention and trying to cope with me being gone. However, this week, she hasn't been coming to my mom or sleeping in her usual spots in the living room; she literally has been spending all day laying down in the doorway of my bedroom, as if she's waiting for me. The lack of eating is still happening.

I would like to think that my cat is simply experiencing separation anxiety, but I'm worried she's sick. We don't want to take her to the vet until we need to because that will just stress her out more. All the signs point to separation anxiety, and I read that lack of appetite and vomiting can be symptoms. However, I'm worried about whether she'll just come back to normal eating habits as soon as she sees me. Also, why is she only exhibiting these behaviors two weeks before I'm supposed to arrive? Has it just hit her now that I'm gone, or is she anticipating my arrival? But also, shouldn't her knowing I'm coming back in less than a week ease her, rather than stress her out?

Any advice would be incredibly helpful about what you think is happening. I'm so worried about her and I love her so much. I'm counting down the days till I get home and can finally see her.

Get her to a vet ASAP!

@Primula  you don't think it's just her stress? we're hoping to at least wait until Tuesday night when I get back

You said she hasn't been eating for two weeks. And that she vomits. She needs a vet!

@Primula  well she has been the 1-2 spoonfuls a day.. she's barely eating enough to make it through but she is. I just really want to avoid taking her to a vet. Do you think she might just come back to normal when we reunite?

Thanks for your reply!

Zuzanna Szulc said:

@Primula
 well she has been the 1-2 spoonfuls a day.. she's barely eating enough to make it through but she is. I just really want to avoid taking her to a vet. Do you think she might just come back to normal when we reunite?
Thanks for your reply!

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We can bat this back & forth all night long. You are trying to get me to say only what you want to hear. I've said twice she needs a vet.

A spponful of two of food a day is not enough and your cat is at risk of developing fatty lier disease from the lack of enough daily calorie intake. I would not wait a few weeks to see if your return home will cause your cat to eat normally again. Senior aged cats such as yours often eat very little or stop eating because of underlying medical issues. Your Mom really need to take the cat to a vet now instead of doing a 'wait and see" approach.

Your girl needs to go to the vet as soon as your Mom can get her there.  If you are worried about stressing her out, see if there is a mobile vet in the area who can come to the house.  

I'm sure your cat does miss you very much but it's dangerous for her to go without eating enough.   She can develop potentially fatal liver problems if she persists in not eating.  The vet can prescribe appetite stimulants and perhaps recommend a different food that she might find more appealing.   She should also be checked for any underlying medical disorder at the same time.  There are many reasons a cat stops eating and throws up and these need to be ruled out before you can attribute it to separation anxiety.

It also might be helpful to increase the amount of stimulation for your cat.  Does your Mom play with her?  If not, this might help a lot.  A laser pointer or a wand toy like Da Bird might perk your girl up.  She should also have some new toys at home that she can play with on her own.  Consider something like the Bergen Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy or one of the other track and ball toys available.    You could ask your Mom to put a bird feeder in a window where your kitty can watch.  

Good luck with her.  Poor little thing- I hope she feels better soon.  

OP also posted in Health: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/329826/separation-anxiety-or-is-my-cat-sick Maybe a mod can merge the threads or eliminate one?

Your girl needs to go to the vet as soon as your Mom can get her there.  If you are worried about stressing her out, see if there is a mobile vet in the area who can come to the house.  

I'm sure your cat does miss you very much but it's dangerous for her to go without eating enough.   She can develop potentially fatal liver problems if she persists in not eating.  The vet can prescribe appetite stimulants and perhaps recommend a different food that she might find more appealing.   She should also be checked for any underlying medical disorder at the same time.  There are many reasons a cat stops eating and throws up and these need to be ruled out before you can attribute it to separation anxiety.

It also might be helpful to increase the amount of stimulation for your cat.  Does your Mom play with her?  If not, this might help a lot.  A laser pointer or a wand toy like Da Bird might perk your girl up.  She should also have some new toys at home that she can play with on her own.  Consider something like the Bergen Turbo Scratcher Cat Toy or one of the other track and ball toys available.    You could ask your Mom to put a bird feeder in a window where your kitty can watch.  

Good luck with her.  Poor little thing- I hope she feels better soon.  

Thanks everyone.. praying everything is ok

also, she's been sleeping a lot less. Any idea on what that can mean?

I have a feeling this cat still has not been taken to the vet.

the next appointment available is tomorrow. My mom is taking her.