Calm An Anxious Cat With These 3 Tips

People always say not to anthropomorphize animals, meaning associating human emotions to an animal. However, many animals do experience a wide range of feelings and emotions, including anxiety. When it comes to cats, they can express a wide range of anxiety issues, some more subtle than others. Getting to the root of your cat’s anxiousness will vary depending on how they’re expressing themselves. Read on for tips about how to calm an anxious cat from The Refined Feline.

What Is Cat Anxiety?

The ways in which your cat will express their anxiety will differ. Some cats may be experiencing more of a phobia towards an object or event. According to PetMD, a phobia is a persistent fear of a particular event. If your cat is scared of a thunderstorm or fireworks, for example, they have a phobia. When a cat is fearful, they are in tune with their instinctual feelings. A cat may think an object, a person, or a situation is a threat, whether it actually is or not.

Your cat will then feel apprehensive being around this stimulus as they’re continually feeling on edge, thinking there’s a threat. A cat experiencing basic anxiety is anticipating potential dangers from something that may or may not exist. Cats will typically display anxiety symptoms similar to signs of fear. Having anxiety is usually a constant for felines, similar to humans. A fear or phobia may be a short-term issue as they’re experiencing that stimulus in the now. This type of anxiety will usually develop in mature cats aged from 12-36 months of age.

Symptoms can range from very faint to very obvious. Some more obvious symptoms include urinating or defecating outside of the litter box, increased vocalization, compulsive pacing, hiding, and diarrhea. Your cat’s eating habits may change as well, either eating too quickly or barely touching their food, and increased vomiting. Cats will also become more aggressive if feeling threatened, thinking they have to fight to escape their fear. Or they may be more docile and highly submissive, even cowering.

Like humans who bite their nails, cats will overgroom if anxious, to the point where there’s visible hair loss. Subtle signs of anxiety can be avoiding eye contact, or their pupils are dilated. They may tuck their tail very close to their body, and shift their body or head away from your hands. If your cat is always staring at a person or object, especially when close, it may be anxious and fearful.

How To Calm An Anxious Cat

The very first step you should take is to bring your cat to your vet for a checkup. The cause of your cat’s anxiety could be medical-based; it’s a good idea to always rule that out. There are some diseases and illnesses that could cause your cat to experience anxiety and changes in behavior. Once your vet determines no medical reason for the anxiety, it’s time to establish what’s at home causing their fear.

1. Play With Your Cat

Cats may be experiencing a form of separation anxiety as well while home alone. You may come home from work to find your feline destroying items or crying. Providing the right amount of enrichment can keep them focused and entertained. Even if they aren’t stressed, it’s important to play with them multiple times a day.

Playing with your cat for at least an hour throughout the day will help keep them calm. Provide enrichment for them by utilizing food puzzles for treats, catnip, paper bags, and scratching posts. Making sure they have a high enough area to climb is vital as well. A large cat tree with a den, scratching post, and multiple perches is a great way to incorporate cat furniture into your home.

2. Build A Safe Space For Your Cat

Cats can be scared or anxious towards anything and everything, and will instinctively seek out hiding locations. Not having a proper place to hide can create even more anxiety in your cat. It’s very important to have an area of your home that your cat can go to all day for safety. This spot can be an entire room, a corner, or a cat tree where they feel secure enough during their anxiety. A stranger, a dog, a party, or a baby crying can all be fearful triggers for your cat.

Your feline will be less anxious when they can get up high or leave the room to someplace quieter. A bedroom with a baby gate works great if you have toddlers or dogs that won’t leave the cat alone. This safe place will also work against their phobias, like vacuums, fireworks, or thunderstorms. Being able to hide during the activity will curb some of their anxiety.

3. Cats Love A Routine

You may be surprised to hear this, but cats do in fact thrive on routine. They know when to expect their meals, treats, and your arrival, which will ease any anxiety they may feel otherwise. Having to stay late at work, going out of town frequently, or other routine imbalances may stress out your cat. They may be fearful of strangers, so every time you go out of town, they’re upset by the pet sitter.

Sticking to a routine as much as you can is beneficial for your cat and their stress levels. They’ll instantly feel less fear and apprehension when they know what to expect on a daily basis. If a routine is hard to maintain in your household, try to keep a regular schedule at first. Then begin to slowly introduce the new routine into your home, so your cat can have time to adjust. Even easing your feline into a chaotic schedule is better than an overnight change in the long run.

Use These 3 Tips To Calm An Anxious Cat

No matter what type of anxiety your cat is experiencing, there’s most likely a change you can make at home to ease their fear. Always abide by the advice of your veterinarian. Whether it’s ruling out any medical issues or turning to anti-anxiety medication, your vet will have great advice. Know that you can help your feline feel less anxious with these tips and tools!