Lower Stress And Anxiety
Petting or playing with your cat can release all the right chemicals in the brain. There is also evidence that a cats purr can help lower blood pressure and relax the nervous system.
They also help relieve stress and provide anti-anxiety benefits for their owners. Cats are generally low maintenance pets, which mean less stress for their owners, making them ideal pets for those who cant deal with a pets rigorous care.
Specialist Help For Cats
For particularly severe anxiety or issues that are not resolving, you should speak to your veterinarian. They can organize a referral to a board certified veterinary behaviorist to get you additional help. Keep in mind that if your cats anxiety goes untreated, the symptoms can become more severe over time, even resulting in health conditions.
Can Cats Lower Depression
In addition to reducing stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and encouraging exercise and playfulness, pets, especially dogs and cats, can also improve your cardiovascular health. Children can grow up more secure and active by caring for animals. Pets also provide valuable companions for older adults who need them.
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Changes Around The Home
Be aware that changes in your home, like new furniture or redecorating can be stressful for cats. To help your kitty adapt to these changes, a FELIWAY Optimum Diffuser plugged into the room before, during and after changes are made will help to keep your cat calm and comfortable. Make changes slowly so that they can adjust slowly.
Helping Your Stressed Cat
The first thing you need to know in order to help your anxious cat is that you should never punish or scold them for their anxious behavior. This will only increase negative associations and fear and make things worse instead of better. The goal should be to help them feel safe and relaxed in their surroundings.
Once you’ve identified anxious behaviors in your cat, the first step is to make an appointment with your veterinarian to either diagnose or rule out any underlying health issues or toxins that might be causing your kitty stress. Because cats tend to hide their pain, this is not something that is likely to be obvious, and may require a thorough series of blood panels and other tests. If it turns out that your cat is suffering from pain or a medical issue, treating the issue may be all that’s required to eliminate the anxious behavior and help your kitty get back to their normal self.
On the other hand, if your vet rules out a physical problem as the cause, this may mean that the issue is psychological. If this is the case, your vet should be able to advise you on a course of treatment.
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Cat Calming Products To Help Ease Cat Anxiety
Reviewed for accuracy on August 29, 2018 by Katie Grzyb, DVM
Humans are not the only ones that deal with anxiety issues cats can suffer from anxiety, too. As a pet owner, keeping your cats anxiety under control is important for establishing and maintaining a positive pet and human relationship.
There are many reasons a cat may experience anxiety, but there are also many calming products that pet owners can try to help manage their cats anxiety.
Heres What You Need To Know
If your cat suffers from anxiety, you probably want to know what your options are to help her feel better.
Some cats might need a little extra push to help them be their best, and thats where cat anxiety medications come in.The Dodo reached out to Dr. Michelle Burch, a veterinarian from Safe Hounds Pet Insurance, to find out more about the different kinds of anxiety meds for cats.
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Is Cbd Oil For Cats Legal
Hemp-derived CBD oil is federally legal. However, no regulations have been set yet on the recommended daily intake, quality, potency, and labeling of pet CBD oils, so theres the risk of buying contaminated or substandard products that may be harmful to your cat.
For the health and safety of your cat, you need to know the factors to consider when buying pet CBD oil.
Do Cats Help With Depression And Anxiety
Did you know that millions of Americans suffer from anxiety disorders and/or depression, or most oftentimes both?
Its highly likely that either yourself or someone you know, is currently experiencing either one of these. Its serious. Its an illness. And there are thousands of medication brands out there on the market that can help or reduce anxiety/depression symptoms. However, many of the people we know who suffer from these illnesses do not like the idea of having to take drugs in order to just get through their day.
So then I tell them this: get a cat.
And they say, What, why would I get a cat how could a cat help me if medication cant? and then I go on saying loads of jargon only a cat-lover would say.
But all jokes aside, to answer the impending question which just so happens to also be the title for this post YES, cats do in fact help with depression and anxiety. Thank you for asking!
In fact, not only do cats help but also other pets can help with those suffering from depression or anxiety. These animals can be associated with emotional support animals .
If you have anxiety, its possible in some cases to have a doctor prescribe your pet as an emotional support animal who is allowed to come with you where most animals are not allowed.
Watch this informational video about a college student with anxiety who lives with his ESA cockatoo in his on-campus dorm.
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Cats Help Mental Health: How Getting A Cat Helped My Anxiety
Cats help mental health. Not just my mental health , but cats can help anyone’s mental health.
In January of this year, I adopted a cat named Lemmy. Some of you may have seen him lounging around in the background of my videos, but Ive never devoted an entire post to him. I feel as though I should, as adopting him has been an incredible boon to my anxiety and is proof that cats help mental health in general.
Im a cat person, full-stop. I wasnt even in kindergarten when my family adopted its first cat and since then weve always had at least one. It wasnt until I got my own place that I got my first taste of life without a cat and it always felt like something was missing. I decided to remedy that, and I adopted Lemmy from the CatCade, a cat café on the north side of Chicago.
My Challenges with Anxiety
Aside from struggling with anxiety, Im also on the autism spectrum, and one of our traits is being prone to physical and mental overstimulation.1 Im always overstimulated, and because overstimulation is cause for anxiety, Im always anxious.
Furthermore, I still struggle with being able to talk about my mental health issues with others. Though Ive made progress, more often than not I dont know how to reach out when I most need to. Because Im unable to get my negative feelings out, they bottle up, giving them the potential to become much more severe than they would be had I just shared them.
Lemmy helps me with both of those issues.
Provide Positive Alternative Behaviors Through Enrichment
Cats have instinctual needs that, when met properly, can dramatically impact their quality of life and state of mind. Giving them opportunities for play, hunting behaviors, mental stimulation, and of course, a sense of safety and security is a surefire way to alleviate anxiety. Try social enrichment activities such as:
- Interactive play
- Cognitive enrichment through food puzzles and training sessions
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The Psychological Benefits Of Owning A Cat
Owning a cat can be very rewarding. In fact, according to studies, watching cat videos is enough to boost your energy. They can be affectionate, and a simple purring or curling next to you can create positive emotions and calming effects. There certainly are psychological benefits of owning a cat.
Cats are beneficial to physical and mental health and can also be a source of emotional support for their owners.
While your feline friends may not be nice to your furniture, they can be a great companion and make lives happier and healthier.
Here is Catonsville Cat Clinics list of top psychological benefits of owning a cat
Provide Mental Stimulation While You’re Home And Away
“One of the most helpful ways to prevent separation anxiety is to provide your cat with mental stimulation and physical activity, both when youre at home and when youre away,” said Katribe.
When you leave, providing your cat with mental stimulation keeps them occupied and entertained. Katribe suggests puzzles, a scavenger hunt for treats or other rewards, interactive toys, cat-friendly TV, and access to an enclosed yard or patio. There are even apps available for tablets and smartphones. Yes, there are apps for cats.
And when you’re home, both Kornreich and Katribe highlight the importance of dedicated playtime. Play with a cat-approved toy, “where they can exercise and kind of carry out their normal behavior and the prey drive,” said Kornreich. In general, whether it’s playtime or downtime, dedicated time together provides an opportunity to give positive reinforcement for good behavior and strengthen your bond.
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Kitty Refuses To Use The Litter Box
When a house trained cat starts doing her business everywhere except in the litter box, the first things that come to mind are litter box aversion and substrate aversion. However, in most cases, the actual culprit is separation anxiety. Interestingly, cats with separation anxiety tend to make mistakes around the door and near the owners personal belongings .
The Surprising Thing That Really Helped Reduce My Anxiety And Stress Levels
I’ve always been prone to worrying and overthinking things, but a little while ago, I began suffering the worst anxiety I’ve ever experienced. Unlike previous episodes , this time the anxiety was far more personal. I would lie awake for hours dissecting the day, worrying about tiny things I’d done or said, finding myself in a spiral of shame for no real reason. This wasn’t just normal self-awareness it was uncontrollable navel-gazing. And it definitely wasn’t doing my any good.
Then two things happened. Firstly, I went on holiday, and I’m sure that did something to temporarily calm my overactive gray matter. But there was something else that I think has had an incredible effect on my anxiety levels, and that happened when a very sassy calico cat called Mina moved in. Gratuitous photo, because the internet is for cats.
Image Source: Gemma Cartwright
I didn’t know until I’d spent a few weeks with Mina how much the presence of a feline friend can help with anxiety and stress. There’s a reason animals sometimes get prescribed for emotional support, and I’m not alone in noticing the benefits. Aside from the obvious â having something cute and cuddly to play with is awesome and keeps your mind off other stuff â spending time with a cat boosts serotonin levels in the body. Battersea Cats Home should have put that on the adoption page: “Mina: scientifically proven to increase your happiness!”
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Helping A Stressed Cat
If youre concerned about your cats behaviour and are struggling to reduce stress, you might be referred to a qualified behaviourist who can identify the underlying cause of the stress and design a tailored behavioural plan for your cat. Make sure the behaviourist belongs to a regulated body like the Animal Behaviour and Training Council. Theyll be able to focus on the issue with your cats behaviour and help them to manage.
One way to help reduce stress is a plug-in pheromone diffuser like Feliway. You simply plug it in the room where your cat spends most of their time and it can help them to reduce their anxiety. However, it should be used in combination with medical and behavioural advice as it is one piece of the puzzle to help. It may not be that effective when used as a stand-alone treatment .
Laboratory Test Result Or Certificate Of Analysis
The CBD market offers many different brands of pet CBD oils. They vary not only in types of CBD oils but also in their potencies.
Choosing one may be confusing, but if youre after quality CBD oils, then look for laboratory test results or certificates of analysis.
Trustworthy pet CBD producers always have their product samples tested by certified laboratory testing facilities. These look for pathogenic microorganisms which compromise the products quality. The tests also check for toxic residues such as harmful pesticides, heavy metals, and solvents.
Last but not least, these tests also make sure that the products contain their stated potency by checking their cannabinoid profile and concentration.
If a pet CBD producer cant show you their products COA, then dont buy their products. They might be cutting corners somewhere and producing substandard pet CBD oils.
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How Can I Choose The Right Pet For Me
You may have a strong idea of the pet you want perhaps because you grew up with that animal or you might not be so sure. When youre deciding, consider:
- how much outdoor space you have
- how active you are
- how much time you have to spend with your pet
- how much money you have for vets bills, insurance, food, toys, etc. There are charities that offer low-cost vet care, but they are limited to certain areas and have financial criteria.
Animal charity PDSA has an online quiz you can take to help you choose the right pet.
Signs Of Separation Anxiety In Cats And What To Do About Them
Weve all seen the memes since this COVID-19 pandemic started about dogs who have had enough of you walking them, thank you very much. And in turn, the cat memes are all about them wondering when we are going back to work and giving them their much needed personal space back. We get it. Dogs tend to be goofy and friendly while cats are, ahem, a bit more discerning about their company. The truth is, though, cats have plenty of different personality types, and many of them do experience separation anxiety. This is particularly true of cats who were orphaned. And with many of you going back to work if you havent gone back already, its a good idea to know the signs of separation anxiety in cats.
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