You may look at your cat and think “I wish I had your life”, and who can blame you? They spend most of their days sleeping, get everything they need provided and there’s no working hours for these feline friends. But even so, cats can easily become very stressed in certain situations which seem normal to us.
Even so little as a change in cat litter can give your cat a case of anxiety and because they aren’t always the best communicators here are the biggest signs of stress in cats:
- Inappropriate urination or defecation
- Excessive vocalization
- Excessive and compulsive grooming
- Heavy, open-mouthed breathing
If you notice any of these signs or you simply want to get ahead of a stressful situation that may be coming up for your cat then here are the top 3 ways to treat your scaredy cat:
- Hidey Holes
Your cat needs a place where they can retreat to and feel safe; a place that is theirs alone. Set up various hiding places around the house in locations that are dark and quiet if they need some time out away from the comings and goings of main areas. Cats are creatures of habit and they rarely take change well so try to maintain the same areas for their hidey holes and litter boxes. - Pheromone Therapy
One product that we have available at Pet Doctors which we have noticed to be most effective is Feliway, which is available as a diffuser with refills for treating the environment your cat is in or as a more localised spray.
Feliway directly mimics the calming pheromones which your cat emits when facial rubbing. We have noticed amazing results for treating vocalization, issues with other cats and urinary marking around the house. If you would like to discuss the use of Feliway in your home please contact us on 5576 0400. - Natural Remedies
Some simple and natural remedies include Catnip, which may not be a permanent solution but can cause an increase in your cat’s psychological contentedness for a time. The effects will become less noticeable, however, so it pays to have something to back it up.
Trying a naturally derived product called Zylkene contains a molecule well known to promote the relaxation of newborns after breastfeeding. Since its launch, Zylkene has become very popular for treating stress and anxiety in dogs and cats with no known side effects.
If you would like to discuss any of these options please call us on 5576 0400 for more information. If your cat is showing no signs of improvement with any of these treatments then a check up may be necessary to discern if there are any further underlying issues.
