Does Your Cat Have Anxiety?

Have you noticed your feline family member avoiding eye contact, hiding, poor appetite, not wanting to be pet or held, or suddenly has become aggressive? These are all signs your cat is suffering from anxiety. 

Cats are sensitive to change, which is an anxiety trigger. Something as simple as a change in your daily routine (leaving for work early or coming home late) can cause stress for your cat, which can turn into anxiety. 

If you recently brought a new baby home or a new pet, these things could also cause anxiety in your cat. Once your cat realizes they will still be getting the attention, they may settle down and accept the change quicker than you might expect.

Things as simple as rearranging your furniture can cause your cat to become anxious. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t change anything in your home; it means your cat needs to have a few places that are rarely changed where they can feel comfortable and safe. 

Cat’s don’t like a lot of noise and activity, especially as they get older. Cats feel safe in high places if you can make a place on the top of a bookcase or something of that nature in a quiet room and encourage your cat to “hang out” where they may start to relax and return to normal sooner.

Cats are highly intelligent and Intune to their surroundings and their people. Buying your cat a cat bed can be of great help in reducing your cat’s anxiety. The bed provides your cat with something that is just theirs. It will help them feel secure, comfortable, and loved. 

Once your cat starts to return to its non-anxious state, you may still notice some changes in its behavior. It takes time for them to return to their normal behavior.  

You may need to accommodate your cat by feeding them later when the house is quiet or moving their water, food, and litter box to a quieter area in the home where they do not have to enter the noisiest and most active part of the house at any time to get to them. 

Yes, change does cause anxiety in cats. However, if you move everything at once and carry your cat to the new location a few times a day, they will get used to the new location and feel safe in your arms because they trust you.

If your cat does not improve at all, gets worse, or only shows a slight improvement, a trip to the vet can be helpful. Your cat may need medication to control its anxiety. It’s not uncommon for a cat to be on anxiety medication. It also helps prevent depression which can lead to physical health problems for your cat. Your vet will also be able to provide advice on other options for helping your feline family member overcome their anxiety.