If your cat has anxiety, you may notice pacing or restlessness, hiding, decreased appetite, vocalization, hypervigilance, trembling, salivation, and excessive grooming.
Your anxious cat is likely to have very wide, rounded eyes and very dilated pupils. Your cat's ears will be flattened down to the sides, or in extreme situations, pressed back against their head so that they are no longer visible.
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.
Anxiety is relatively common in cats. Veterinarians estimate that they treat 20-25 percent of their feline patients for symptoms of anxiety (1). Those symptoms—like spraying outside the litter box, incessant meowing, aggression, or hiding—can be as distressing for humans as they are for the suffering cat.
Given that catnip can have a calming, soothing effect, it can be used to: help reduce a cat's stress and anxiety when going to the vet, help reduce stress when traveling, help with urinary issues (note that stress is a major contributing factor to urinary obstruction in cats!).
Toys and games let your cat burn some nervous energy, and help strengthen the bond between the two of you. Toys that they can play with on their own, scratching and climbing posts and other cat accessories help keep your cat entertained, lowering their stress levels and improving their quality of life.
Cats may lose their appetite or be sick occasionally or behave in a way that owners have never seen before, such as spraying urine against the wall indoors or behaving aggressively. The sooner you realise that your cat could be experiencing stress, the sooner you can resolve the problem.
There are a few telltale signs that should indicate a cat has anxiety. These signs include pacing or restlessness, decreased appetite, excessive meowing, aggression, hiding, and more. If you see your cat start to exhibit one or more of these signs, they're likely suffering from anxiety.
Your veterinarian will diagnose anxiety based on your description of your cat's behavior, and potentially after running diagnostic tests such as bloodwork and urine tests to rule out any medical causes of your cat's behavior.
Cats who are painful may withdraw from their usual family interactions, may become less engaged in their surroundings, and may start hiding. You may notice decreased eating and/or drinking. You may also notice changes in sleeping patterns. Some may sleep more, while others may sleep less.
The transition to adulthood ordinarily occurs from 1 to 2 years old. At this time, and possibly after neutering, a cat may retain a lot of energy but should be notably calmer with it reaching full maturity at 2. From 3 to 10 years old, a cat is relatively calm but remains active.
Cat anxiety can manifest itself in a variety of ways, so there are both long-term and short-term anti-anxiety medications available.
Lavender, which has natural sedative properties, may help soothe an anxious cat. Copaiba, helichrysum, and frankincense are also considered safe for cats. Before using essential oils, even in the form of diffused scents, around your cats, check with your holistic veterinarian for recommendations.
If your cat has anxiety, you may notice pacing or restlessness, hiding, decreased appetite, vocalization, hypervigilance, trembling, salivation, and excessive grooming.
Fear, stress, pain, or anxiety can also lead cats to meow. Repeated meows can be a cat's way to let you know they are under stress due to pain or because they are scared or anxious due to a person or animal in the house.
Just like humans, cats can exhibit symptoms of depression. Signs of cat depression include changes in appetite, behavior, and activity level. Some depressed cats might act out by urinating or defecating outside their cat litter box, while others may exhibit physical symptoms including nausea and lethargy.
You can apologize to your cat by spending time with it. This could be as simple as reading a book or listening to music next to your cat, or giving him a nice, long petting session. It could also mean that you have to set aside some time to play with your cat.
Stress in cats acts much the same way. Not only can it exacerbate existing physical conditions, but it can lead to a number of problems often considered behavioral, such as litter box avoidance, aggressive behavior, or depression and withdrawal.
Yelling may cause your cat to feel stressed and anxious, which can cause additional misbehavior.
Cats like peace and quiet. Household conveniences, like vacuum cleaners, can easily disrupttheir nap time.