How to Reduce Stress in Cats

When you’ve noticed a recent change in your cat’s behavior, they’re probably under stress. Our concept of stress is different from that of cats, and sometimes it just takes one small thing to disturb their peace. Changes in daily life, a feral cat in the garden, a new litter box, an owner traveling far away, or a vet visit can all make a cat unhappy. Not only is stress uncomfortable for your cat (and you), but it also has the potential to have health effects such as weakened immunity, increased risk of infection, and lead to excessive licking behavior. Therefore, it is very important to apply methods to reduce stress in cats. ^{[1] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

Table of Contents

Detecting symptoms of stress in cats

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Observe changes when the cat goes to the toilet. Difficulty urinating is often a common consequence of stress. Stress hormones cause a cat’s bladder to become inflamed, causing physical symptoms. You need to monitor how often your cat goes to the bathroom. Signs that they are having problems are frequent urination, difficulty urinating, and blood in the urine.

These signs should not be ignored; You should take your cat to the vet in such cases. ^{[2] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd Edition.} Otherwise, bladder infections can cause very serious and life-threatening blockages in cats if left untreated.

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Recognize excessive licking behavior. Cats under stress often lick their fur, and this happens so often that it causes hair loss on the skin. The most common spots for cats to lick include the abdomen, inner thighs, and front paws. The act of licking the fur releases natural morphine that helps cats feel more comfortable and secure.

You should take your cat to the doctor before determining the cause of stress (allergies and parasites also cause cats to lick too much). ^{[3] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Note diarrhea. Some cats fall into a state of stress that causes abdominal discomfort and leads to diarrhea. Whatever the cause (stress or infection), you should take your cat to the doctor to treat the diarrhea with medication. ^{[4] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians.</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Recognize cat behavior outside of the litter box. They do this because they feel too stressed to use the tray, or to mark odors around the house to help the cat feel more secure.

However, other problems including arthritis, cystitis, or abdominal discomfort are still present, so you should still take your cat to the vet. ^{[5] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Recognize excessive meowing or meowing behavior. Some cats become too close to their owners and try to get attention by communicating. ^{[6] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Be aware that restlessness is also a sign of stress. Cats with this condition cannot lie still and may pacify restlessly, defending their territory by keeping an eye on any potential threats. ^{[7] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Note the case of cats staying away from humans. Cats feeling overwhelmed may hide under beds or in dark corners. They hide to avoid pressure. ^{[8] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians.</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Watch for any signs of changing eating habits. Some cats under stress tend to be anorexic, while others go for something else like chewing cloths. ^{[9] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Identify causes of stress in cats. You should find out when and why these symptoms are causing. This step helps you identify ways to reduce sources of stress, whether physical, environmental, or psychological. Your veterinarian also wants to know when you noticed the signs.

Reduce physical stress

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Take your cat to the doctor if signs of health problems appear. Many symptoms of stress are similar to those of physical illness. You need to determine if the cat is sick or stressed (in some cases illness will lead to stress). ^{[10] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

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Trimming toenails that are too long is painful for cats. Sometimes just a simple solution can fix the stress caused by long toenails digging deep into the cat’s fleshy mattress. ^{[11] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

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Kills fleas that breed. Fleas bite the skin causing irritation to the cat; ^{[12] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.} Worse yet, cats that ingest fleas can become infected with tapeworms. If your cat scratches constantly and non-stop, you should check the specific area. Buy a flea comb and brush the fur around the neck and tail: if you see small brown dots the size of a pinhead, your cat has fleas. In addition, you should also note the small white or black dots on the comb teeth: these are flea eggs and dried blood excreted by the fleas. If you find fleas, you need to completely eradicate them on the cat’s body and in the house.

To get rid of fleas in cats, you should consult with your doctor about a flea control program that is right for them.
As for flea control at home, you need to apply a number of measures including: vacuuming the cat’s frequent areas, carpets and furniture; Wash your cat’s bedding weekly and maybe use a spray bottle, mist, or safe powder (follow product instructions carefully and keep cats out of the area specified in the instructions). ^{[13] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Reduce environmental pressure

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Adjust music at low volume. Cats have sensitive hearing and can be harmed by music, television, or loud sources.

Reassure your cat when it’s afraid of loud noises outside, especially fireworks or thunder. Bring the cat into the room or close the curtains, turn the TV or radio on low, and prepare a hiding place until the fear passes. ^{[14] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

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Recognize when it’s time to reassure your cat. Some cats who have a strong relationship with their owners will benefit from the benefits of friendship and comfort (like cats that hide from their owners during a thunderstorm outside: they are reassured by the scent of the owner). on the mattress). However, a truly frightened cat will be too traumatized to accept peace and view human intervention as another threat.

In general, if your cat backs away, growls, purrs, or whips her tail, you should leave her alone. On the other hand, you should increase the security of the hiding place, like spreading a towel over the box the cat is hiding in to cover the front edge so that the cat cannot see outside. ^{[15] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

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Provide a safe indoor place for cats. The lack of shelter also stresses the cat. The fact that they feel exposed because they do not have a resting place at high altitude to observe things around them, or do not have a dark place to hide is quite a pressure. You can simply fix this problem by placing the cardboard box in a quiet corner of the room, or installing a tall or sharpened post. ^{[16] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

Reduce psychological stress

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Give your cat some challenging activities. You should encourage your cat to do some energy-burning activity like hunting or playing. This step is especially important for domestic cats, because they lack the same psychological stimulation as when working outdoors. In addition, making your cat feel tired enough also helps to melt away stress and release stress hormones through physical activity instead of excessive licking. ^{[19] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

Hide junk food or dry food around the house and let the cat find it on its own.
Set aside at least three sessions of 10 minutes each to play with your cat. Lure the toy for the cat to run after or throw the toy around the room. Cats love to chase and pounce.
If you have multiple cats, you should schedule playtime with each cat each day in addition to group play time.
Provide cat toys. Prepare a variety of toys, but only let your cat play with a few at a time. Every few days, you pick up all the toys and replace them with new ones.

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Provide other types of entertainment. Place a bird feeder outside the window to entertain your cat, or buy an aquarium so they can watch the fish swimming inside.

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Minimize competition between domestic cats. If you have multiple cats, they can compete for food, water, litter boxes, and even attention. Competitive pressure can make cats feel as though they are being bullied. To minimize stress, you need to satisfy each child’s needs one by one. ^{[20] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

Each cat should have its own litter box, and add a spare to reduce competition for the toilet area. ^{[21] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.} You need to clean the litter box, empty the waste daily, and clean the tray regularly with mild dish soap or water-based cleaner (1:30 ratio).
Place multiple food bowls around the house so that no one can monopolize the food the entire time. ^{[22] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

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Prevent feral cats from coming near the house. A stray cat in the garden, or even in the house (they can enter the house through the cat door!) can make your cat feel psychologically threatened.

Keep feral cats away by removing foods that are appealing to them.
When the cat runs out, you should install a small door with a trigger chip so that the feral cat cannot enter the house.
In case a stressed cat sees feral cats in the garden, you can block the bottom of the window to block the view (this is similar to the action of cats burying their heads in the sand, but a different way to do this). effective). ^{[23] X Research Source <i>Explanation of Cat Behavior</i> Peter Neville. Publisher: Parragon.}

Help your cat feel safe

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Consider using pheromones in cats to help them feel happy. A lactating female cat secretes pheromones (smell chemicals) that help kittens feel safe and fulfilled. Feliway is manufactured and marketed as a synthetic analogue of cat pheromones.

Use Feliway mist in small amounts on beds, or entrances to mark your cat’s territory.
Alternatively, you can purchase a Feliway diffuser. The diffuser runs on electricity and releases low levels of pheromones into the air (no harm to humans!). You should plug the diffuser into an electrical outlet in a location where the cat spends time. The effect will usually build up gradually, so you shouldn’t expect immediate results. However, after a few weeks you will notice a change in your cat’s behavior as they feel more secure and reassured. (Each diffuser is effective for 4 weeks and you can replace it with a new one.) ^{[24] X Source of Research <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians.</i> Bonnie Beaver. . Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Let your cat absorb Zylkene. Zylkene is a pharmaceutical, food supplement that has a positive effect on organisms. Food supplements are not drugs, so they are safe and rarely have side effects. The main ingredient in Zylkene is extracted from milk protein and has a sedative effect on the brain. They have a calming effect on cats and reduce stress and anxiety.

Zylkene is available over-the-counter in the form of 75 mg softgels. Give your cat one 75 mg tablet daily, with or after meals. They take a few days to work, but if you don’t notice a significant change after seven days, they probably won’t work for your cat. ^{[25] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians. Bonnie Beaver.</i> Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Talk to your veterinarian about medications to help manage stress. If your cat is so stressed out that she becomes ill, your veterinarian will prescribe medication to help them get through this difficult time. Some of the commonly used drugs today are diazepam, amitriptyline, and fluoxetine.

These drugs are not licensed for use in cats because the manufacturer does not spend money to test their effectiveness. However, there is evidence that it is safe to use on cats and your veterinarian will discuss with you if this is the best treatment. ^{[26] X Research Source <i>Plumb’s Handbook of Veterinary Medicine.</i> Donald Plumb. PharmaVet}^{[27] X Resources <i>Cat Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians</i> Bonnie Beaver. Publisher: Saunders. 2nd edition.}

Warning

The advice contained in this article is not intended to replace the professional advice of a veterinarian. You should talk to your veterinarian if you notice a change in your cat’s physical and/or behavior.

Steps