When frightened, some cats may hide, try to appear smaller, pull their ears back and be immobile. Other cats may show signs of agitation or aggression, such as dilated pupils, arched back, pilo-erection (hair standing on end), and hissing.
Cats demonstrating fear aggression may flatten their ears against their heads, hiss, bare their teeth, or crouch low to the ground with their tail tucked under their body, and their fur may stand on end.
Signs of Cat Anxiety
If your cat has anxiety, you may notice pacing or restlessness, hiding, decreased appetite, vocalization, hypervigilance, trembling, salivation, and excessive grooming.
Can cats be intimidated? Cats can be timid and frightened easily. Scaring them on purpose will not only heighten this anxiety, but it will threaten their overall well-being and can weaken the bond you share with them.
Signs of Emotional Trauma in Cats and Dogs
Trauma can also manifest as “shaking, hiding, urination and/or defecation when the trigger attempts to interact, howling, pacing, excessive vocalization, and panting,” says Pia Silvani, director of behavioral rehabilitation at the ASPCA's Behavioral Rehabilitation Center.
A feline bully may guard food and water dishes, shield the litter box or resting space from other users, or refuse to let other cats touch the toys. Some cats hiss or growl when another animal comes close to you, the human. A few even show aggression through staring.
In the home, cats are often scared of noisy household appliances, especially if they didn't become accustomed to them as young kittens. Vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers, printers, washing machines and hairdryers are common culprits.
There's a chance your cat could have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if they have experienced one or more traumatic instances throughout their lives. Cats with PTSD can exhibit unusual changes in behavior as well as significant distress related to their disorder.
Look in and under shrubs and brush that has grown up as well as under porches and parked cars and in open garages. It helps to take a flashlight on your search. Don't expect your cat to come when called; many cats won't because they are too scared. When you call them, speak calmly and gently and don't yell.
Cat anxiety may be caused by pain or illness, exposure to something toxic or infectious diseases that affect the nervous system. A psychological trigger may be to blame, like a traumatic experience, lack of proper socialization or a history of abuse or neglect.
In a research made by Nottingham Trent University, the findings show that cats are able to determine when their humans are anxious or stressed. Apart from this, they can also mirror their human's emotions and well-being.
If your cat has their tail between their legs, it's a sign of anxiety and submission. When something makes your cat nervous, like a new environment or a new family member, they'll tuck away their tail.
In particular, cats hate the smell of rue, lavender, marigolds, pennyroyal, Coleus canina, and lemon thyme. So if you have a problem with curious kitties or strays in your yard, consider planting these specimens throughout your garden or along the edges of flowerbeds to serve as a natural cat deterrent (11, 14).
They include: Dilated pupils, direct staring. Thrashing/twitching tail. Hissing, growling or spitting.
When cats feel threatened, they usually respond in three ways to the object, person or situation they perceive as a threat: fight, flee or freeze. Some cats become so frightened they lose control of their bladder or bowels and eliminate right where they are. Each cat has his/her preferred way of dealing with a crisis.
They love spending time with you!
If your kitty loves to lounge around with you and seems relaxed in your company, this is a good sign that they trust you. If cats feel worried or uncomfortable in a situation then they are likely to go and hide, so if your cat is happy to spend time with you it's a good sign!
Let your cat decide when they're ready to bond. Some cats are ready to get to know you immediately while other kitties may take several weeks to initiate any kind of interaction.