Stress, more so negative stress, is part of our life. As much as stress is closely associated with humans, cats experience stress too!

Whether in a human or cat, stress can have devastating effects on the health of either group. With cats being extremely sensitive creatures, they often fall victim to stress, which is mostly seen through behavioral changes. Stress in cats is a significant trigger of cat behavioral problems and in some cases can lead to health issues.

In this piece, we will provide insights on how to handle the issue.

What Stresses Do Cats Endure?

Mostly, cats fall victim two types of stress namely:

• Chronic stress – which develops over time as a result of emotional pressure and can be a bit challenging to discover
• Acute stress – caused by perceived threats or unanticipated incidents.

Causes of Stress in Cats

There are many possible causes of cat stress. Some of the significant causes include

• Fear
• Inadequate resources, space, and territory
• Competition for resources
• Nutritional and health problems
• Veterinary visits
• Moving to a new home and traveling
• Other pets and unfamiliar people
• Noise
• Boredom and overstimulation
• Routine changes and mishandling
• Parasite infestation
• Cat conflicts and cat overpopulation in the neighborhood

How Do you Spot Signs of Stress in Cats?

While suffering from stress, cats show it in many ways, but you’ve got to watch closely to see its impact on your pet.

Below are the common signs to watch out for while determining if your cat is stressed:

• Loss of appetite or overeating
• Isolation and less playfulness
• Excessive grooming
• Aggression towards people, pets and objects
• Restlessness and fear
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Increased meowing and vocalization
• Inappropriate defecation and urination (for inside cats and litterboxes)
• Increased sleeping patterns

How Do you Relieve Stress in Cats?

If you notice any of the above signs of stress in cats, your first move is to take them to a vet to make sure there aren’t any underlying health issues. Once ruled out, you can seek professional behavioral advice or take action to alleviate cat-stress with the following measures:

• Providing your cat (indoor) with enough resources especially in multi-cat households. They may include toys, water bowls, litter boxes, scratching posts.
• Regularly play, exercise and training
• Providing attention, care, and calm communication
• Completely eliminating or reducing noise
• Regularly cleaning their litterboxes (indoor)
• Providing a well-balanced quality diet
• Avoid making abrupt environmental changes
• Use a pheromone diffuser to calm cats
• Gradual introduction to new people and pets

No matter the effort put to create an ideal environment for your cat, they may be exposed to stress in one way or another. However, that’s not to say that you’re a bad cat owner.

Remember that each cat is unique and what stresses one may not necessarily stress another. With cats being pros at concealing their emotions, one can only constantly keep an eye on their cat to observe behavior that indicates stress signs. Should you notice stress signs, liaise with your vet to get to the root of the issue. Above all, avoid things that trigger stress in cats while providing good care and attention for them.

Do not forget that a happy cat is a happy you!