Stress allows us to prepare ourselves to respond to a situation that represents a challenge for us and can be positive if we manage to adapt and overcome the situation; but it can be negative if we can't solve the problem and the stress becomes chronic. In general, when we talk about stress, we do so referring to negative stress.
Stress in cats is a response to situations in which the animal feels fear or frustration. If the situation continues over time and the feline is not able to adapt, unwanted behaviors appear that can make living together at home difficult. In addition, the animal can suffer psychological disorders and even physical illnesses.
If you think your cat is suffering from stress and you're looking for a solution, in this article on our site, in collaboration with Feliway, we tell you everything you need to know about stress in cats, its symptoms and treatment Discover what the main causes of this common problem are, how to identify it and what the most recommended solutions are.
Causes of stress in cats
Although cats are pets, home life involves many situations that can be stressful for them. These are the most common:
- Changes in their routine: cats love routine, so certain changing situations, such as a move, a visit to the vet or the arrival of another animal at home, can cause them a lot of stress.
- Malnutrition or illness: neglecting the minimum needs of the animal, such as quality food, adequate hygiene or he alth care, can affect your well-being, causing stress.
- Lack of environmental enrichment: at home they are usually in a small space and cannot develop all the behaviors that would be normal in a feline. If we don't adapt our home so that they can exercise their physical and their mind, they can suffer stress.
- Insufficient Socialization: Despite their reputation as loners, our cats need to spend time with us. If they do not receive enough caresses, cuddles and interactive games, it is common for stress to appear.
- Insufficient litter boxes or feeders: when several felines live in the same house, we must ensure that each one has its own space and its own own objects. There must be, at least, a feeder, a litter box and a resting place for each cat, in this way we will avoid problems of coexistence.
We must bear in mind that, most often, there is not a single cause, but several "stressful" situations occur at the same time.
Symptoms of stress in cats
Although the causes can be varied, the symptoms of stress in cats are very similar and there are usually several. These are the main ones:
- Decreased appetite: eating less than before, eating things that are not food, or not eating at all (anorexia).
- Play decrease: When a cat is stressed or worried about something, the first thing that usually happens is that he stops playing or to interact as before
- Inappropriate elimination: urinates or defecates outside the litter box, in places where it was not used to.
- Stereotypies: repetitive and strange behaviors appear, such as excessive licking, compulsive running…
- Aggressiveness: shows excessive marking, both with urine and with nails, regularly confronts his/her guardian(s) and conflicts with the rest of the cats in the house (if any) are common.
Over time, physical symptoms may appear, such as digestive, urinary or respiratory disorders.
Treatment for stress in cats
And, what to give a stressed cat? Before making any decision, you should go to the vet to rule out any type of disease and confirm that it is stress. As we have seen, changes in behavior are also an indicator that you may have a disease…, so, as always, the first thing to be sure is that there is no pathology that complicates the situation.
If it is stress, the professional will first recommend eliminate and/or avoid the causes, as well as review the environment in which you live to provide you with many safe places to develop strategies to manage your stress well.
As part of the environmental enrichment program, copies of natural pheromones are used These are substances that mimic those produced by cats to communicate with other felines. It is a way of communicating with your cat in a language that he naturally understands.
There are different types of pheromones and each one transmits different messages. To treat stress in cats, we are going to talk about 'feline facial pheromones', which transmit a sense of security and well-being They are the ones left by the cat when it rubs its face with the objects that form your safe zone, the zone you recognize as your home. Therefore, when he perceives them, he will feel safe and his sense of stress will decrease. They are available in spray or diffuser form and should be placed where your cat spends the most time in the house.
If your cat is stressed, you can also help by plugging in the FELIWAY Optimum diffuser in your home. Thanks to its new complex of feline pheromones, this product decreases stress symptoms in 93% of cats and reduces unwanted behaviors, such as urine marking, or with scratches. Its application is simple, effective and non-invasive, helping to calm the feline without causing any discomfort.[1]
Depending on the degree of the problem, the veterinarian may also prescribe pharmacological treatments.
How to help a stressed cat?
The evolution of each cat depends on many factors: its he alth, its temperament and its environment, so it is best to ask a veterinarian or behavior specialist for advice.
In addition, environmental enrichment and environmental modifications are essential to ensure a home with safe spaces for your cat. Those small adjustments at home that help us calm you down and give you tools to manage stress are the following:
- Offer him a calm and safe environment: we must provide him with a calm environment and everything necessary so that he can rest and satisfy his needs, both of food and hygiene.
- Provide him with a good environmental enrichment: it is essential that we adapt the house so that he can develop his natural behavior as much as possible. To do this, there are structures that allow him to climb, scratch, hide and stimulate his hunting instinct, as well as intelligence games. In this other article you can learn more about environmental enrichment for cats.
- Use Feline Pheromones: Feliway will help send messages of calm and confidence in your environment so that you can develop your usual behaviors.
- Avoid frequent changes: if it is necessary to make changes in your routine, try to make them happen without forcing the situation and progressively, allowing the cat to gradually adapt to new circumstances.
- Socialize it: Adequate and early socialization, both with cats, dogs and people, can avoid stressful situations in the future. Contact should always be positive and predictable.
- Go to an ethologist, a veterinary specialist in behavioral medicine: when the rest of the measures do not work and we do not know how to act, we can need professional help.
How to avoid stress in cats?
It is always best to prevent than to cure. We recommend that, before stress appears, you take steps to avoid it. So, before the feline comes into your life, you must prepare the homeso that he feels safe and so that he can develop, as far as possible, his natural behavior.
The best strategy is always to avoid the causes of stress or minimize its impact on the feline. To help we will use environmental enrichment and socialization.
If you want to take other measures, it is important to follow the advice of a veterinarian and/or ethologist.
