Anxiety in cats can present itself in many ways, they may urinate in inappropriate places, scratch more, or excessively make noise. Some cats are naturally anxious while others can suddenly feel anxiety due to an underlying cause. Read on to learn how to manage cat anxiety and how you can help to calm them down.
How do you know if your cat is anxious?
Just like all animals, cats can be anxious. They may not be able to vocalise how they feel but many signs you can read that show anxiety. Whether it be bad or destructive behaviour, it is important to notice if your pet starts showing signs of being stressed.
Stress in cats is often triggered by very specific events, objects, or changes in routine or people and the environment. Sometimes anxiety can be triggered by historic trauma. If you adopted your cat from a shelter, it would be a good idea to learn as much about their background and previous care as much as possible. This will help you understand if you are putting your cat in situations that could cause them to revisit a traumatic memory and trigger stress.
If you can identify when the problems started occurring this will help to figure out what has triggered your cat and will help to find out the best cat calming technique for them.
Many Veterinarians and cat behaviourists look at the cat’s physical and emotional health, as well as instinct traits to help figure out what’s going on and find solutions to help them.
What are the signs and symptoms of cat anxiety?
You may notice that your cat is being more destructive than before such as scratching and clawing at furniture and the door.
They may also show compulsive behaviour, one that is repeated over and over again. It could reach the stage where your pet is causing themselves or objects unintentional damage such as repetitive grooming to the extent that they start to have bald patches.
Signs and symptoms of a stressed cat are:
• Failing to use the litter tray/spraying indoors
• Aggressive tendencies
• Hiding
• Mood swings
• Aggressive tendencies
• Following people around
• Excessive meowing and noises
• A change in weight or appetite
• Increased fatigue
• Nausea
How to tell if your cat has separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is very common among domestic animals especially if they have been moved around frequently or have suffered abuse in the past. However, separation anxiety develops in any pet no matter their upbringing.
Cats with separation anxiety tend to follow their owners constantly throughout the house and demand constant attention. They will begin to notice the signs when you’re about to leave the house and will become distressed. If home alone they may become destructive and such as failing to use the litter box properly or not touching their food.
For pets suffering from cat separation anxiety, it would be a good idea to find entertaining toys and activities that can keep your cat mentally stimulated so they will not think about your absence as much.
Ways to reduce cat anxiety
To reduce cat anxiety, you will need to make their space more distracting and exciting.
Cat toys and entertainment
Cat perches with many levels and textures and a range of toys will all help to keep your cat active while you’re out. Puzzle feeders are also a good distraction. Cats’ trees are another good option as cats like to hide in dark places where they can’t easily be seen. Confident cats will seek out high spots, while anxious ones may hide at ground level.
Here are some options for cat perches, trees and a puzzle feeder to keep your pet occupied.
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Combine food and play in activities
Cats spend 17 per cent of their time either hunting or eating, puzzle feeders or a great way to entertain your cat. You can also create a scavenger hunt for them by hiding small portions of food around the house.
This play hunting game mimics their natural hunting behaviours and can reduce stress and anxiety.
Make the litter box experience better
Anxious cats urinate outside of the box often on owner-scented objects such as the bed, near windows or other lookouts where they see other cats or by doors. This is due to their territorial nature.
To prevent inappropriate urination, it is a good idea to provide thebest litter boxespossible and situate them throughout the home in a variety of places.
It is vital to keep the litter boxes clean. A dirty litter box will discourage cats from going at the right time and can cause or enhance any anxiety.
Try natural anxiety relief
You can use scented and natural remedies to relieve some of your pet’s anxieties.
One option, Feliway is a spray that synthetically replicates the feline facial pheromone which helps ease tension related to environmental stress.
Another is Rescue Remedy, which can be used on humans too. These drops can be beneficial for nervous cats. There is one specifically made for pets, which can be purchased in many pet stores.
Many essential oils are potentially toxic to cats and can create health problems so do not use oils that are not designed for pets in mind.
Overall, after you have eliminated whether there is a potential health issue, the best thing to do is to ensure your cat’s environment is as calm and entertaining as possible. At the same time, keep in mind that change can also stress a cat so try not to make too many changes at once.
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