8/15/2023 0 Comments Sounds to calm cats downAny underlying medical conditions need to be treated as well. Treatment for behavior disorders like cat anxiety often involves a combination of management of your cat’s environment, giving supplements or medications for cat anxiety, and trying behavior modification. These will provide clues to the stimuli and situations that cause your cat to be anxious, if there is no medical cause found. Additional tests may be recommended depending on your cat’s results.Ī thorough history is an essential part of establishing a diagnosis, and any videos you have of the behavior are also helpful. This consists of a thorough physical exam, blood tests, and urine tests. Your veterinarian will first want to rule out other conditions that might be contributing to your cat's behavior, such as pain or thyroid disease. How Do Vets Determine the Cause of Cat Anxiety? Being abandoned or rehomed because of separation anxiety can make it even worse. Separation anxiety in cats can be caused by a history of rehoming, growing up in a home where people are home most of the time, having only one family member, and noise phobia. If a cat has separation anxiety, it means that when they’re alone, they exhibit anxiety or excessive distress behaviors. Separation anxiety is a common specific anxiety in companion animals, making up 10-20% of cases referred to veterinary behaviorists. Being Separated From You (Separation Anxiety) Improper SocializationĬats that are deprived of positive social and environmental exposures during the socialization period (7 to 12 weeks of age) may become habitually fearful or anxious.Ĭat anxiety and phobias can form when your cat can’t escape or get away from a stimulus, such as being confined during fireworks or living with a pet that frightens them. Remember that an experience that didn’t seem traumatic to you may have seemed very traumatic to your cat-all that matters is that your cat found it traumatic, whether you think it was or not. Traumaįear often results from a traumatic experience. Many things can cause cat anxiety, including: Illness or Physical PainĪny illness or painful physical condition can contribute to the development of your cat’s anxieties or exacerbate ones that already exist.Īging-related changes in the nervous system, infectious diseases, and toxic conditions (such as lead poisoning) may lead to behavioral problems including fears, phobias, and anxieties. In fact, some panic when caged or confined and will injure themselves, biting or scratching at the cage until they have torn nails or broken teeth. Don’t Try to Confine Themĭon’t try to put your cat into a carrier when they are anxious, as not all cats calm down when crated. This includes techniques like yelling at and squirting your cat with a water bottle. It can even lead to aggression toward the person administering the punishment. Never Punish Your CatĪbsolutely avoid punishment for behavior related to fear, phobia, or anxiety, as this will only increase the fear response. This does not “reward” the fearful behavior, contrary to popular belief. When your cat is having a moderate or severe fear response, it is okay to attempt to comfort or soothe your cat. If you see signs of anxiety, follow these tips. What to Do When Your Cat Is Anxious or Scared Trying to escape or completely freezing in place Holding their tail tight against their body Here are some other signs of cat anxiety and fear, from mild to severe: Mild Signs of Cat Anxiety If your cat has anxiety, you may notice pacing or restlessness, hiding, decreased appetite, vocalization, hypervigilance, trembling, salivation, and excessive grooming. This guide will explain common cat anxiety symptoms, what might be causing the anxiety, and treatment options you can try. That’s why it’s important to take steps to treat your cat’s anxiety as soon as possible. These anxieties usually get worse, or new concerns may develop when your cat is between 1 and 3 years old. Pet parents often first notice signs of cat anxiety between 5 months and 1 year of age. Many fears, phobias, and anxieties develop as a result of experiences in the first year of a cat’s life. The most obvious behavior changes are increased movement, hiding, destruction, and excessive vocalization. Cat anxiety can cause bodily reactions and changes in your cat’s behavior.Īn anxious cat may have physical reactions such as increased heart and respiratory rates, panting, trembling, and salivation. So even though your cat is not actually in danger, they are anticipating it. Anxiety is the anticipation of a danger or threat.
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