Use Natural Calming Supplements
With the rise of natural calming supplements for pets, you have your choice of many natural treatments for your anxious cat:
- CBD: This natural compound from cannabis plants may reduce cat anxiety and comes in many varietals now, including treats, oils, and capsules. However, never give your pets regular marijuana, which contains THC.
- Bach Flower Rescue Remedy: This natural stress reliever is made from spring water infused with wild flowers. It is said to help ease an anxious pet by restoring balance between the mind and body.
- Anti-anxiety diets and treats: Ask your vet about Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Calm formula and other calming cat chews.
- Herbs: Find out which herbs are safe for cats, including catnip and valerian. While these herbs might initially stimulate your cat, the resulting euphoria should leave him calm and relaxed.
We Hate To Break The News To You But Theres A Good Chance Youre Accidentally Stressing Out Your Kitty Heres How To Change That And Keep Your Cats Anxiety At Bay
An anxious cat isnt ideal for the pet owner or feline. Not only is kitty feeling stressed out about the world around her, but this situation can also wreak havoc on your household. For example, cats with anxiety can exhibit destructive behaviors such as peeing outside of the litter box or getting into areas they shouldnt. It can also cut into your ability to get some real human and animal bonding time. While cat anxiety can be a challenging problem to deal with and it wont magically go away overnight, it is by no means impossible to overcome. We asked veterinarians to weigh in on this issueand provide some possible solutions to save everyones sanity. When youre up to speed, find out what else your cat would love to tell you.
Recovery Of Extreme Fear And Anxiety In Cats
Extreme fear and anxiety are not known as life-threatening conditions, but it is still important to schedule a follow-up appointment with your veterinarian. This way, you can check the progress of the treatment and make sure your cat has not developed any other conditions.
It could take a while to help your cat cope with their fears, and there is a chance your cat is just naturally anxious. The best thing you can do is work with your veterinarian, train your cat to cope with anxiety and avoid stressful situations whenever possible.
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Extreme Fear and Anxiety Average Cost
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What Is Cat Separation Anxiety
When compared with dogs, separation anxiety in cats is rareat least in terms of diagnosing it. If a change in schedule is sudden or youre unable to ease your kitty into the new routine, pay attention to the possible signs of cat separation anxiety, including:
- Excessive vocalization
- Not eating or drinking while you are away
- Excessive self-grooming
Common Cat Anxiety Signs And Symptoms
When cats form dysfunctional bonds with their humans, theyll develop behavioral problems. If your cat urinates on your clothes or your bed when youre away, dont assume theyre getting back at you for leaving them alone. They might be trying to self-soothe and help you find your way back to them.
Cats might not trash your entire home to the extent dogs can, but destructive behavior is not uncommon. Felines like to knock things over and scratch doors and furniture.
Other signs and symptoms of feline separation anxiety include:
- Excessive and loud meowing
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So Your Cat Is Anxious Now What
If anxiety is the underlying cause of your cat’s strange behavior, there are quite a few ways to reassure kitty. Cats generally don’t like change, so one way to keep kitty calm is to maintain a consistent home life, which means not changing the furniture around often and offering your cats their own space. âCats are creatures of habit, so they donât always like change, especially as they get older. Therefore, any big change in their life â such as boarding, the adoption of a new pet, moving to a new home, or even a pet owner working outside the home more often â could potentially cause stress or anxiety,â says Austin.
However, each cat is different, which is why it’s important to work on a treatment plan with your vet. If anxiety is the underlying cause of your cat’s strange behavior, there are quite a few ways to reassure kitty. “If your veterinarian diagnoses a simple fear, anxiety, or phobia, a prescribed medication may be all that is needed,” PetMD explained. “But your doctor will most likely make recommendations based on your individual cat, what the fear trigger is, and how you can alleviate your cat’s fears and anxieties through behavioral conditioning.”
Additonal reporting by Siena Gagliano.
Some Of The Ways To Minimize Separation Anxiety In Cats Are As Follows:
- Leave the radio or TV on a station that is often on when youre there
- Keep arrivals and departures low key
- Create a nook, safe haven, or refuge for your cat that is their safe space
- Provide plenty of toys and/or puzzles for playtime while you are gone
- Channel prey instincts by hiding food in toys that make them work for it
- Start with shorter absences first
- Provide a perch or catio so that your cat can see their favorite views
- Consider a room diffuser or pheromones to provide a calming scent for your cat
- Remove departure cues put your keys in your pocket a few minutes before leaving)
- Provide plenty of cuddles and playtime once home
- For more serious cases, consider having a sitter coming for 1-2 play sessions during absences
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of checking with your veterinarian when you see any change in your cats behavior before you chalk it up to separation anxiety, as early treatment of illnesses is crucial to cat wellness. For example, some cats go outside the litter box when they have urinary tract infections.
In extreme cases, medication may be an option, but your vet will usually leave that as a final alternative. As the ASPCA notes: “Sometimes for cats, veterinarians will advise using pheromones or calming treats before prescribing medication. Always consult with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist before giving your dog or cat any type of medication or supplement for a behavior problem.”
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First Cats Need Routine
Youre not the only creature of habit in the household. Cats take to routines just like the rest of usthe difference is when we break those routines for perfectly normal, even perfectly happy reasons, our cats dont understand that their lives are only temporarily upended.
A vacation for you might feel like abandonment for your kitten. The start of the school year might throw everything out of orbit in your new kittys carefully cultivated world. Even long-standing feline family members will take issue with separation: Ever come home from a travel adventure to find a poo on top of your bed comforter? This might seem like a big screw you from your cat. In reality, its their way of self-soothing by mixing their scent with yours.
Pet parents must consider the potentially traumatizing perceptions that animals experience before abruptly altering their schedules. If only we could sit our cats down and explain!
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder In Cats
This is a behavioral disorder where a cat will engage in repetitive, exaggerated behaviors that are seemingly without purpose. For example, grooming to the extent that fur is rubbed off compulsive pacing repetitive vocalizations and eating, sucking, or chewing on fabric. If it continues over a long period of time, it may become fixed behavior that no longer requires the situation or environmental trigger that started the behavior in the first place. The behaviors may reinforce themselves due to the release of pain-relieving chemicals in the brain. The behavior may become a mechanism for coping when the cat is confronted with conditions that conflict with its needs, and owners may be unintentionally reinforcing the behavior by giving the cat attention or food when it behaves compulsively.
Age and gender do not seem to be factors in compulsive behavior. Some breeds or family lines may be predisposed to behavioral compulsions, with Siamese and other Asian breeds overrepresented as commonly exhibiting repetitive meowing and fabric-chewing behavior.
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How To Treat Cat Anxiety
Some pet owners may be tempted to discipline an anxious cat, either out of confusion or anger, but this is the wrong way to approach feline anxiety. Anxious cats are acting out of fear, not mischief, and need to be handled in an appropriate and caring way. There is no magic way to treat feline anxiety, but with patience and persistence you can make your cat feel more comfortable and less anxious.
If your cats anxiety seems mild, and they are otherwise healthy, there may be some in-home options to try before consulting with a vet . Some include:
- Natural Supplements Natural supplements, such as Canna-Pet, are available that will help make your cat feel at ease. These can be used occasionally, such as for trips to the groomer and vet, and are safe for cats.
- Toys and playing Just like children, some cats form an attachment to a comfort toy, and this toy can be used in times of stress. Also, by playing with your cats regularly, you will be helping them get the exercise they need and release some of their stress. Plus, they might just take a cat nap instead of staying awake anxiously!
Problems And Proofing Behaviors
Cats may not immediately adjust to any changes you make, so be patient. If you have eliminated potential health concerns, do your best to make your cat’s environment as calm and inviting as possible. If one thing doesn’t seem to be working, add another one of the suggestions and see how the cat reacts to the combination.
At the same time, remember that change can stress a cat. Try not to make too many changes all at once. Likewise, if your household has experienced a change recentlymoving to a new home, a new or loss of a family member, or even rearranging the furnituredo your best to provide your cat with familiar things. A favorite toy or old scratching post can bring a good deal of comfort to your cat.
While waiting for your cat to come around, try to maintain a calm, stress-free home as much as possible. You don’t need to walk on eggshells for fear of disturbing the cat, however, and they should get used to your “normal” home. With time, many anxious cats settle in and find comfort.
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About Separation Anxiety In Cats
For many people, the idea about separation anxiety in cats seems crazy. After all arent cats supposed to be loners? Well, you may be in for a surprise after reading this post. Contrary to popular belief, its not only dogs that pine if left alone for periods of time.
Keep reading as I share with you what causes separation anxiety in cats and how you can tell if your feline friend is suffering. Plus, tips to help calm your kitty while youre away.
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Exposure To Other People
If your cat isnt used to being around anyone but you, they could become fearful of others. Have a few friends come over from time to time, and let them offer your cat a favorite treat or toy. It may take a few repeated attempts before your cat is brave enough to come near, so be patient. Getting them used to other people will make them a less anxious cat overall, and will help them to accept other caregivers when you go away on vacations.
Try Cat Calming Products
Specific cat calming products in various forms are also available, but shouldnt be relied upon as a sole solution. These can be used in spray, diffuser and plug-in form, and release pheromones designed to be soothing to animals, which mimic natural cat pheromones. These may help with cat calming, but owners should also try to identify the root cause of cat anxiety for the best long-term solution.
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How To Help A Stressed Cat
Worried about your cats symptoms or change in behaviour? While there are a lot of things you can do at home to calm a stressed cat, planning in a visit to the vet should be top of your list.
If youve found a problem with your cats physical health, such as weight loss or issues toileting, it is even more important to get them seen quickly.
Your vet may suggest things you can do at home to keep your cat calm, such as altering their environment or changing their routine.
Other Signs Of A Stressed Cat
You may notice your cat sits differently, their facial expression changes or they exhibit strange behaviours.
- Often crouching and looking tense indoors
- Ears rotate backwards frequently or flatten downwards
- Wide open eyes with very dilated pupils which makes their eyes look black
- Staring at the floor with a fixed, glazed expression
- Rapid frequent grooming that usually lasts around five seconds, starting and stopping quite suddenly
- Frequent head shaking
- Rippling, twitching skin on their back
- Exaggerated swallowing and quick flicks of their tongue onto their nose
Top tip
One of the best ways to protect your cat against possible stress is to try to anticipate the sorts of things that might cause them stress in the first place . Once you have identified possible sources of stress, you can then manage the situation or environment in a way that helps reduce the chances of your cat suffering.
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