Can my stress affect my cats?

Question
Hi,
 I have 4 cats. 2 are almost 3 years old. 1 almost 2 years old. Last is just about 6 months old. All fixed, all had updated shots last month (including feline leucumia).
 The 2 year old has been 'out of sorts' since the kitten was introduced 4 months ago, and has shown (swatting/hissing) aggression towards the kitten. The aggression has calmed alot as the kitten has gotten older and has calmed down a lot as well. The 2 year old (Tillie) has a small Siamease like build to him (long slender body, pointy head, large ears, very long tail, had muscular body, until he started to loose a little weight) The vet saw them all last month for shots, and said Tillie was not underweight, and did not show any concern for his health. I figured his eating less had something to do with the stress of the new kitten, and as long as he ate a little and drank, he is ok.
 Now... the past 3 months I have been increasingly stressed I believe. (irritable, edgy, breaking out in hives... as my husband has been away in Iraq for over a year now, and I am getting increasingly anxious for his return... where I am normally very calm, structured, easy going.) Tillie is now not intrested in his normal dry food. I locked him up in my bedroom for 8 hours, with fresh water and wet food to see what he would eat, and he did eat a decent portion of that (3 table spoons maybe)! My other 3 cats seem to be fine, though the kitten used to devour his food and beg for more. Now the kitten has started going outside, and threw up some tree bark and maybe a mouse, and since then, has a much decreased appitite, and is less 'hyper'. Could my anxiousness/stress cause Tillie to eat less and hide out in the lower holes of the cat tree (he rarely hangs out in there). Is there anything I could do for him, other than keep an eye out, and keep trying to keep my own stress level down? What about when my husband is back? How should we reintroduce them (especially Tillie being more sensitive)? My anxities are only worsened when I see him fail to gain any weight... Also, could he just have some Siamease in him (he is completely black) that would keep him so sleak and tiny? Also, any advice on the reasons for the kitten not eating so much any more?
 Thank you, and sorry this is so long. I hope that the more info I can supply, the better you are able to make your response. Let me know if there is anything else I can tell you that would help. (PS.. my kitten is going in for a second leucumia shot in a few weeks, and I will ask my vet about the stress factor as well...)
Sincerely,
Denise :)

Answer
Hi Denise.  I feel for you!  My significant other is in Iraq, too.  It's stressful for sure.

I think you definitely need to get Tillie and the kitten to the vet.  Yes, cats can sense your stress, and yes, they can become stressed because of it.  In fact, I was reading some research that theorized cats (and dogs) can actually BORROW stressful energy from us and literally lower our stress level, which in turns heightens their stress level.  I don't understand entirely how that's supposed to work, but it's an interesting thought.

Social withdrawal and loss of appetite are signs of stress in cats, just as in people.  However, I'm worried that it's gone to the extent that it has in your kitties, and I think an exam should be done on both to see if there's something more to the problem.  It could be with your kitten that he's contracted worms from going outside that are causing belly aches and ruining his appetite.

Even if all agree it is stress-related, I think at this point, I would have to urge medicinal treatment.  When a cat starts losing weight, he endangers himself.  There are many excellent choices of antidepressants for cats.  I have used Prozac and Elavil in my cats and have no qualms whatsoever about recommending them when needed.

You might also want to try a product called Feliway to help reduce stress.  I recommend the plug-in diffuser, which is called Comfort Zone.  It's available at pet stores or through their site, www.felineway.com.

As for Tillie, yes, it's quite possible he's a Siamese mix.  It's very common for black offspring to be produced by a Siamese parent bred with another breed or a plain old domestic cat.  And the Siamese breed is prone to anxiety, so that may make sense.

When your husband comes home, I don't think there's necessarily any need to reintroduce him to the cats slowly.  But using the Comfort Zone can definitely help.  And just make sure the kitties have a place to retreat to where they can feel safe and comfortable around the new "stranger."