Can Stress Cause Illness?

JenUrich · 01-06-2005, 03:14 PM

I have a 3 year old cat Dylan who is a completely loving affectionate sweetheart when my boyfriend and I are home. However, she does not like other people and hides in an upstairs bedroom anytime we have a guest over. Over New Year's Weekend we had several guests stay over for the weekend and Dylan pretty much hid most of the weekend (which I expected). We've never had so many people stay for so long and on Saturday (1/1) she threw up a little bit of a foamy yellow liquid. I was concerned, but due to the guests and the extra noise I attributed it to stress. She hid on Sunday but did not vomit.

On Monday after everyone was gone she was still mostly in hiding but came out a little bit for some petting. She threw up one time (foamy yellow liquid) and wasn't eating much.

Called the vet on Tuesday and explained the situation. She said the biggest concern is that Dylan isn't eating. I wish I knew how much she ate over the weekend, the food was gone but we have 2 cats so it could have been the other cat eating. Dylan HATES going to the vet and is EXTREMELY stressed by it. Everytime she goes for a checkup she goes into hiding for 2-3 days afterwards and is not quite herself. Due to this, the vet said to try to get her to eat at home first and call back Wednesday morning.

Not much change by Wednesday (she was a little more sociable though), I figured at this point how can she possibly still be stressed from the weekend, so I picked up some flower essences to calm Dylan down and an appetite stimulant. I then mixed some canned food with water and fed her via syringe. At first she was excited about the food and ate a little on her own but then quickly stopped. Shortly after she threw up the food all over the floor. I waited an hour, tried to feed her again, she threw up the food all over the floor. In addition, Dylan is normally a very vocal cat - she has been almost silent all week. She normally walks around wtih her tail straight up and perky, it's been down almost all week. She is unusually not active this week too and has been lying or sitting down.

After she threw up her food I called the vet Wednesday night and dropped Dylan off at the Vet's this morning (Thursday). The vet did bloodwork and saw that her kidney & liver levels are elevated and her thyroid function is low. Xray was normal. I have no idea what could possibly be wrong with her and I'm really concerned. I feel really bad for not getting her into the vet's office sooner but I honestly thought it was all stress from the guests over at our house and I didn't want to stress her out more by taking her to the vet if I didn't need to. I don't know if she ate something funny or what....

Is it possible this could all be caused from stress? The vet said that she's going to keep her on supportive care and fluids today and through the night and re-evaluate tomorrow to see what to do next. I asked why not do more tests NOW (I'm so anxious to find out what's wrong) but the vet thought we should see if the fluids made a difference first, does that sound right to you guys? Any suggestions would be great.

--Worried

catlover7731 · 01-06-2005, 03:22 PM

I think it was good to take her to the vet. Is it possible she ate something that your guest left behind? One of my guys is like yours he will hide when people come over and come out usually later on when they are gone. I don't know what to say to illness and stress. Anything is possible. I hope she gets better soon, and begins eating.

coaster · 01-06-2005, 03:43 PM

stress can predispose toward illness by stressing the immune system, but it doesn't actually CAUSE it, per se.

it's hard to tell in your case, but it's really irrelevant, as the cat is already sick and whether or not stress caused it won't make her better.

you did the right thing by seeking medical attention. don't worry about the cause any more.

JenUrich · 01-06-2005, 03:48 PM

Thank you. This is the first time she's ever been sick, at all, and I feel so bad.

I'm never having guests over again!!!

JenUrich · 01-07-2005, 07:09 AM

Vet called late last night - Dylan is eating, keeping food down, and doing much better, yay!! Apparently all of this illness was caused by her being stressed out by all the people at our house, I feel so bad.

The vet suggested that next time we have guests over to lock Dylan in a spare isolated room wtih litter box, food, and water and to keep her separated until the guests leave. I think she just didn't eat because she didn't want to go where all the people were to get her food, I feel so dumb for not realizing that earlier but I'm just glad she's getting better.

Puma · 01-07-2005, 10:18 AM

I am glad to hear Dylan is doing better...Some cats just get scared and that fear can definetly lower their immune system. When us humans get stressed we also have a tendancy to get sick, even get so stressed that we make ourselves sick.

At least now you know for future gatherings.

Give Dylan a hug for me.

01-06-2005, 03:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
JenUrich Cat Join Date: May 2003 Location: Harrisburg PA Posts: 102	Can Stress Cause Illness? I have a 3 year old cat Dylan who is a completely loving affectionate sweetheart when my boyfriend and I are home. However, she does not like other people and hides in an upstairs bedroom anytime we have a guest over. Over New Year's Weekend we had several guests stay over for the weekend and Dylan pretty much hid most of the weekend (which I expected). We've never had so many people stay for so long and on Saturday (1/1) she threw up a little bit of a foamy yellow liquid. I was concerned, but due to the guests and the extra noise I attributed it to stress. She hid on Sunday but did not vomit. On Monday after everyone was gone she was still mostly in hiding but came out a little bit for some petting. She threw up one time (foamy yellow liquid) and wasn't eating much. Called the vet on Tuesday and explained the situation. She said the biggest concern is that Dylan isn't eating. I wish I knew how much she ate over the weekend, the food was gone but we have 2 cats so it could have been the other cat eating. Dylan HATES going to the vet and is EXTREMELY stressed by it. Everytime she goes for a checkup she goes into hiding for 2-3 days afterwards and is not quite herself. Due to this, the vet said to try to get her to eat at home first and call back Wednesday morning. Not much change by Wednesday (she was a little more sociable though), I figured at this point how can she possibly still be stressed from the weekend, so I picked up some flower essences to calm Dylan down and an appetite stimulant. I then mixed some canned food with water and fed her via syringe. At first she was excited about the food and ate a little on her own but then quickly stopped. Shortly after she threw up the food all over the floor. I waited an hour, tried to feed her again, she threw up the food all over the floor. In addition, Dylan is normally a very vocal cat - she has been almost silent all week. She normally walks around wtih her tail straight up and perky, it's been down almost all week. She is unusually not active this week too and has been lying or sitting down. After she threw up her food I called the vet Wednesday night and dropped Dylan off at the Vet's this morning (Thursday). The vet did bloodwork and saw that her kidney & liver levels are elevated and her thyroid function is low. Xray was normal. I have no idea what could possibly be wrong with her and I'm really concerned. I feel really bad for not getting her into the vet's office sooner but I honestly thought it was all stress from the guests over at our house and I didn't want to stress her out more by taking her to the vet if I didn't need to. I don't know if she ate something funny or what.... Is it possible this could all be caused from stress? The vet said that she's going to keep her on supportive care and fluids today and through the night and re-evaluate tomorrow to see what to do next. I asked why not do more tests NOW (I'm so anxious to find out what's wrong) but the vet thought we should see if the fluids made a difference first, does that sound right to you guys? Any suggestions would be great. --Worried

01-06-2005, 03:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
catlover7731 Cat Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 101	good idea going to the vet......... I think it was good to take her to the vet. Is it possible she ate something that your guest left behind? One of my guys is like yours he will hide when people come over and come out usually later on when they are gone. I don't know what to say to illness and stress. Anything is possible. I hope she gets better soon, and begins eating.

01-06-2005, 03:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	stress can predispose toward illness by stressing the immune system, but it doesn't actually CAUSE it, per se. it's hard to tell in your case, but it's really irrelevant, as the cat is already sick and whether or not stress caused it won't make her better. you did the right thing by seeking medical attention. don't worry about the cause any more.

01-06-2005, 03:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
JenUrich Cat Join Date: May 2003 Location: Harrisburg PA Posts: 102	Thank you. This is the first time she's ever been sick, at all, and I feel so bad. I'm never having guests over again!!!

01-07-2005, 07:09 AM	#5 (permalink)
JenUrich Cat Join Date: May 2003 Location: Harrisburg PA Posts: 102	Vet called late last night - Dylan is eating, keeping food down, and doing much better, yay!! Apparently all of this illness was caused by her being stressed out by all the people at our house, I feel so bad. The vet suggested that next time we have guests over to lock Dylan in a spare isolated room wtih litter box, food, and water and to keep her separated until the guests leave. I think she just didn't eat because she didn't want to go where all the people were to get her food, I feel so dumb for not realizing that earlier but I'm just glad she's getting better.

01-07-2005, 10:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
Puma Tom Cat Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California Posts: 461	I am glad to hear Dylan is doing better...Some cats just get scared and that fear can definetly lower their immune system. When us humans get stressed we also have a tendancy to get sick, even get so stressed that we make ourselves sick. At least now you know for future gatherings. Give Dylan a hug for me.

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